U saw it here 1st. Ford 500 details (Taurus replacement)
01-25-04, 04:13 AM
#17
Mortgage Slave
I can sorta see the resembelance (sp?) of the Falcon and 3-series... except the Falcon is a LOT bigger than the 3-series (seems a touch bigger than the 5 as well)... the domestic cars here in Australia are getting up to standard, but are using alot of ideas and styling concepts of imports (e.g. the rival of the Falcon, the Holden Commodore, has lights similar to the IS-style lights etc etc...)... and Ford has started using turbos in their line up (Falcon XR6 turbo etc.)
Maybe one day Toyota Australia will eventually decide to bring back the Supra turbo and the like???
Maybe one day Toyota Australia will eventually decide to bring back the Supra turbo and the like???
01-25-04, 05:04 PM
#21
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Originally posted by lexusk8
It's mentioned in the 1st post that the Ford 500 will offer AWD.
It's mentioned in the 1st post that the Ford 500 will offer AWD.
Anyway, on a side note, more important that this 500 is the fact that VW is bringing the TDI Passat. Oh yeah baby, 247TQ!!!
And TVRBO DIESEL!! w00t!!
01-27-04, 02:16 PM
#23
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Ford's move is no different from Cadillac's dropping its "Eldorado", "DeVille", and "SeVille" name plates, which glorified Cadillac in its golden days
Taurus was seen in marketing groups as "rental" and losing it's luster. Bill Ford also wants this to be "HIS" era, new names on the cars. I think it's a good move, like the Ford Focus instead of Escort.
Yup the Falcons are RWD (except for the AWD versions)... the most powerful one has 260Kw... not too shabby for a mainstream family car!
08-23-04, 04:14 PM
#24
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Five Hundred may spawn Town Car; Ford considering awd, V8 sedan - - RICK KRANZ | Automotive News - - Source: Autoweek
CHICAGO -- Ford Motor Co. will decide within 12 months whether to replace the Lincoln Town Car with an all-wheel-drive, V8-powered sedan developed by stretching the platform for the 2005 Ford Five Hundred.
"We have a number of alternatives we are looking at, and that is one of the alternatives," said Paul Mascarenas, executive director for medium and large front-drive and all-wheel-drive platforms.
"We are not scheduled to decide until probably around the third quarter of next year, when we have to have a firm decision and an approved program," Mascarenas said. He was interviewed at a Ford event here.
The mid-sized, fwd 2005 Five Hundred sedan and Ford Freestyle sport wagon, and the 2005 Mercury Montego sedan, are based on Volvo vehicle architecture. All three go on sale next month, and each will offer awd.
Mascarenas did not reveal all of the alternatives. But he said keeping the Panther platform on which the Town Car is assembled is an option. That platform dates to 1978 and is shared by the Ford Crown Victoria and Mercury Grand Marquis.
Suppliers familiar with the company's plans expect the redesigned Town Car, and possibly the LS replacement, to be developed on the platform shared by the Five Hundred, Freestyle and the Montego.
The new Lincolns are expected to be assembled at Ford's Atlanta assembly plant in 2007 or 2008, they say.
Longer wheelbase
A Lincoln model could be differentiated by extending the wheelbase and front and rear overhangs.
"I would think (the wheelbase could be extended) 100 millimeters (3.9 inches), 125 millimeters (4.9 inches) before you would need to start widening the vehicle to balance out proportions," Mascarenas said.
The three 2005 vehicles share a 112.9-inch wheelbase.
Mascarenas said a V-8 would fit the engine compartment.
While General Motors and the Chrysler group are expanding their lines with rear-drive models, Mascarenas said: "I'm not sure the customer needs rear-wheel drive."
But he said Ford will closely monitor response to the awd option on the Five Hundred and Montego.
"That will help us gauge customer reaction to the front-wheel-drive/all-wheel-drive alternative, relative to a rear-wheel drive offering, and that in turn, strategic planning for the next generation of products," he said.
Tough competition
The Five Hundred and Montego will compete against the popular rwd Chrysler 300 and Dodge Magnum. Both offer awd.
But the mid-sized, rwd platform used by the Australian Falcon will not be adopted for Lincoln.
"We get better economies of scale, better manufacturing efficiencies, better engineering synergies by working with our available design architectures, our available power plants, our available cross vehicle line commodities," Mascarenas said.
For the Lincoln brand, he said the company is focused "on what is the best we can do with what we've got as opposed to looking for yet new, more different design architectures."
CHICAGO -- Ford Motor Co. will decide within 12 months whether to replace the Lincoln Town Car with an all-wheel-drive, V8-powered sedan developed by stretching the platform for the 2005 Ford Five Hundred.
"We have a number of alternatives we are looking at, and that is one of the alternatives," said Paul Mascarenas, executive director for medium and large front-drive and all-wheel-drive platforms.
"We are not scheduled to decide until probably around the third quarter of next year, when we have to have a firm decision and an approved program," Mascarenas said. He was interviewed at a Ford event here.
The mid-sized, fwd 2005 Five Hundred sedan and Ford Freestyle sport wagon, and the 2005 Mercury Montego sedan, are based on Volvo vehicle architecture. All three go on sale next month, and each will offer awd.
Mascarenas did not reveal all of the alternatives. But he said keeping the Panther platform on which the Town Car is assembled is an option. That platform dates to 1978 and is shared by the Ford Crown Victoria and Mercury Grand Marquis.
Suppliers familiar with the company's plans expect the redesigned Town Car, and possibly the LS replacement, to be developed on the platform shared by the Five Hundred, Freestyle and the Montego.
The new Lincolns are expected to be assembled at Ford's Atlanta assembly plant in 2007 or 2008, they say.
Longer wheelbase
A Lincoln model could be differentiated by extending the wheelbase and front and rear overhangs.
"I would think (the wheelbase could be extended) 100 millimeters (3.9 inches), 125 millimeters (4.9 inches) before you would need to start widening the vehicle to balance out proportions," Mascarenas said.
The three 2005 vehicles share a 112.9-inch wheelbase.
Mascarenas said a V-8 would fit the engine compartment.
While General Motors and the Chrysler group are expanding their lines with rear-drive models, Mascarenas said: "I'm not sure the customer needs rear-wheel drive."
But he said Ford will closely monitor response to the awd option on the Five Hundred and Montego.
"That will help us gauge customer reaction to the front-wheel-drive/all-wheel-drive alternative, relative to a rear-wheel drive offering, and that in turn, strategic planning for the next generation of products," he said.
Tough competition
The Five Hundred and Montego will compete against the popular rwd Chrysler 300 and Dodge Magnum. Both offer awd.
But the mid-sized, rwd platform used by the Australian Falcon will not be adopted for Lincoln.
"We get better economies of scale, better manufacturing efficiencies, better engineering synergies by working with our available design architectures, our available power plants, our available cross vehicle line commodities," Mascarenas said.
For the Lincoln brand, he said the company is focused "on what is the best we can do with what we've got as opposed to looking for yet new, more different design architectures."
08-24-04, 02:41 PM
#27
Lexus Champion
Re: U saw it here 1st. Ford 500 details (Taurus replacement)
Originally posted by 1SICKLEX
Now our family has owned 2 Taurus's years ago. One L and one SHO (both POS that broke down everytime they had to take me to school).
Now our family has owned 2 Taurus's years ago. One L and one SHO (both POS that broke down everytime they had to take me to school).
Me and my friend were cracking up the whole way
Last edited by JAC JZS; 08-24-04 at 02:42 PM.
08-24-04, 03:52 PM
#29
Pole Position
I actually got to see/drive behind/around one in person on the road this past Sunday. Car had MFR plates. Initial impressions were:
Outside looks bland.
Pictures don't seem to do the interior justice. It looked nicer in person.
It's bigger than I would have expected.
Paint quality seemed better than other FoMoCo products.
I'm not sure if it will be a hit or not. I think it really depends on where they end up with pricing OTD.
Outside looks bland.
Pictures don't seem to do the interior justice. It looked nicer in person.
It's bigger than I would have expected.
Paint quality seemed better than other FoMoCo products.
I'm not sure if it will be a hit or not. I think it really depends on where they end up with pricing OTD.
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