Something tells me the time for talk is over

 

Talk is cheap With Ford's given financial constraints, I am still VERY hesitant to believe the rumors.

 

Yep. GM's turnaround seems to be very measureable and visible these days; Caddy's getting faster product cycle development and reportedly MUCH higher quality interiors; Chevy with the new Camaro; Pontiac's Solstice variants; Saturn's makeover; Buick's hot new SUV; a revolutionary new Impala in the works etc, etc.

Perhaps Ford should closely study this article. They still seem to be caught in their corporate cronyism quagmire, with "business as usual" attitudes towards a number of things, particularly product cycle development, technology utilization, and quality consistency.

The other afternoon I was returning home and passed one of the Ford dealers in my area. Started talking Mustangs with the salesman who came over to me. He was affable enough, but not very knowledgeable about the product (big surprise).

In any event, he asked me if I wanted to take a GT out on a test drive. I hadn't been out in one in almost a year-and-a-half, so I said, "sure." They had about a half-dozen GTs and one V6. One of the GTs was an '07, the rest of the Stangs were '06s.

So he goes and gets the keys and a plate for one of the cars, comes back...gets in...turns the key...NOTHING but a repetitive clicking sound. Dead battery.

OK, once I can accept.

Goes back to the office, gets the keys for another car, gets in...turns the key...again, nothing but the repetitive clicking sound.

Now I'm feeling a little sorry for the guy.

Anyhow, he tries this THREE more times, and NONE of the cars would start.

FIVE new cars refused to start!

Meanwhile, I'm thinking either these cars have been sitting an awfully long time without ever having been driven, or there is something fundamentally flawed here.

If I had been that salesman, I would have gone back and yelled at management for allowing five new Stangs to sit there with dead batteries; potentially costing him a sale. It really drives to the heart of what's wrong with SO many dealerships, too.

To be entirely fair, the new Edge is a stunning vehicle with good feature content, but the interior follows the same corporate philosophy of mixing quality materials with too many cheap bits and switchgear - leading to the overall impression of a three-quarter job. This has GOT to change or Ford faces corporate entropy. I think Mulally may understand this, and if he has anywhere near the chops of Bob Lutz, they may yet pull it out. But honestly, Ford has got to get with the program RIGHT NOW. I posted a few suggestions on the Bold Moves site under comments here.

 

This quote is from a review of the Edge you posted in this thread:

I guess there are some that don't share your appraisal of the Edge's switchgear.

 

Wow slightly harsh don't you think? But seeing as you didn't want ot get caught in the middle, I won't respond...even thou I resemble that remark...LOL

 

You again?

Yeah, I read that review of the switch-gear, too. Not having actually sat in an Edge, I shall reserve final opinion, but the basic model HVAC switches seem to be identical to the ones in the Stang, and THOSE I HAVE SEEN, and they are uncontestably cheap looking & feeling. They seemed to improve the feel of them a little bit for '07, giving the dials slight "click-stops" and the buttons a more positive feel, but the plastics used in the Stang are cheap, and if you want to argue that point with me, I'll be happy to absolutely BURY you in write-ups and opinions on the subject.

 

I didn't know you were an "effete intellectual elite."

Apologies.

 

Yep, me again.

I too will reserve judgement until I actually have a chance to see an Edge in person.

I have no doubt you can bury me with write-ups since all of your opinions are based on things you read on the internet. You need to change your user name to "Google_Shelby"!

 

Trite replies and your OWN obsession with sourcing articles off the Internet notwithstanding, the biggest complaint about the current Mustang almost universally comes down to one of two things: lack of IRS and the use of cheap interior plastics. Moreover, you KNOW this to be the common area of complaint as well as I, so enough with the game playing already.

 

Of course I source articles off the internet. But I comprehend the difference between opinions and facts. Most reviews, unless they provide some quantitative facts, are just one person's opinion and the only opinion that truly matter's to me is my own. If I like the design of something, it's really irrelevant to me if someone else does not.

I don't dispute the issues you mention with the Mustang however, they aren't the subject at hand. If you recall, it's the switchgear used in Ford products, particularly the Edge. The article I referenced was in that regard. I'm not sure what you mean by "game playing" but if that's your view point of this discussion, so be it.

 

rhumb, the Mustang is an American Icon. Ford hit a homerun with this body style. Non-Car enthusiasts, love the Mustang and will buy a V6.
I don't hear people saying that they want a V6 Camaro. The Camaro doesn't have the same appeal as a Mustang. Even if the Camero is a superior car, the majority of people don't care.

Performance and Horse Power junkies may jump ship and buy a Camaro or Challenger, but the core group of Mustang buyers will stay loyal.
All I am asking for is for Ford to release a Mustang that is equal to the competition in both price & performance.

Lets be honest here, the only reason both the Camaro & Challenger are returning is because of the success of the Mustang.
Both GM & Chrysler will quickly find out, that all their hard work has been for very little. I love these kind of cars, but the market is not strong enough to support these kind of cars. That's why I think in 2 or 3 years the excitement over the Camaro & Challenger will fade.

With high gas prices, government regulations and a poor economy, how many 400 h.p. cars do you expect the public to buy?

 

 

Keep trying, but I'm not saying anymore than that....

 

You are correct John.

Two of the problems with "Detroit" that has made it's problems worse are:

1. Me too thinking - If one of the big 3 has is the other 2 have to have one too.

2. Cutting off their nose to spite their face.
That is GM & Chrysler are besides themselvs over the success of the Mustang. Because of that they will waste billions of $$ to develop competitors to the Mustang to try to rain on the Mustang's parade. GM will most likely never turn a profit on their new Camaro and neither is Chrysler likely to turn a profit on the Challenger. Their R&D dollars would be better spent elsewhere.

 

While I agree that Chrysler may not see a profit from the Challenger (it will be more of a 'niche/boutique' car), I see no reason to think that the Camaro won't be very successful, and if priced closed to the Mustang with IRS and GM's new focus on interior quality - as Bob Lutz has confirmed - emminently capable of eating into Mustang sales.

 

Here, this link should help you out with the new V-8 issue:
THE BOSS IS BACK!!!!

http://www.detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll...610310352/1148

 

I hope that really happens and that their money problems won't cause Ford to
drop it.