Resurrecting Lincoln
6/15/10, 12:48 PM
#21
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Ford is not a true full-line manufacturer anymore. It does not have a single viable rear-drive car platform in its portfolio. The ancient Panthers -- Town Car and Crown Vic -- are 20 years past their use-by dates. The live-axle Mustang rear platform, though astonishingly well-developed, is an orphan that can't be used for anything else. Same with Ford Australia's rear drive Falcon platform, which, although it has an independent rear axle, is aging fast and needs replacement.
6/15/10, 01:18 PM
#22
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They do have a point.
Most of Ford's current cars and crossovers platforms were developed by Volvo and/or Mazda.
Now that Ford doesn't control either one of them ...
Most of Ford's current cars and crossovers platforms were developed by Volvo and/or Mazda.
Now that Ford doesn't control either one of them ...
6/15/10, 06:16 PM
#23
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And Audi doesn't have a rear-drive platform either, not counting R8 mid/rear.
6/15/10, 06:20 PM
#24
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6/16/10, 07:09 PM
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6/17/10, 02:45 PM
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The Focus based Lincoln should be marketed to go up against the Lancer Evolution and WRX. With Ecoboost power and all wheel drive. Market it to those who would buy and Evolution or WRX but don't want the look of all the scoops, wings, and fins. For those who want something with the same performance but a bit more "adult."
6/17/10, 08:05 PM
#30
Of course, it appears that the truth is that every high volume Mazda is actually based on a platform that began it's life as a Ford platform. However, if nobody actually knows that it doesn't really matter.
As for Volvo, the usage of the P3 platform has done Ford absolutely no favors and was not brought about by a burning desire to make use of a superior platform. Ford took the S80 platform into the Blue Oval fold almost exclusively because the platform was shaping up to be a huge money loser on paper and they wanted some ROI for Volvo's shiny new (at the time) baby. The hope was that Ford would get a world class, large, fwd platform and Volvo would get a better looking balance sheet. Volvo got the pretty balance sheet, and Ford got a surprisingly inflexible platform with a belt-line that is impossible to lower (which is why the current Taurus has a trunk-lid that rivals the height of the Mustangs roof.
In terms of product development Ford lost absolutely nothing by shedding any of the brands they own. The fact that the very best Ford vehicles produced right now are based on what are blatantly Ford developed or Ford exclusive platforms makes that In fact, the reality is obviously the opposite with my guess being that every one of those formerly Ford owned brands will now have major platform development issues while Ford's are already improving by leaps and bounds..
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