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Topic: Ford of Europe Kinetic design makes its way over the pond (dial-up warning) (Read 2378 times) previous topic - next topic

Ford of Europe Kinetic design makes its way over the pond (dial-up warning)

http://www.leftlanenews.com/ford-taurus-future.html

It's starting in a very good place. The Taurus.

Ford has decided to combine elements of its "Bold American" and European "Kinetic" design language for the 2010 model. While this isn't Ford's all-new design language (which will debut in several years), it is certainly a move in the right direction.

Ford of Europe Kinetic design makes its way over the pond (dial-up warning)

Reply #1 –
*Ahem*

I can do better then a sketch.

;)

(You never saw these...)

Ford of Europe Kinetic design makes its way over the pond (dial-up warning)

Reply #3 –
Those pictures were up briefly yesterday before Ford had them yanked.  Apparently Edmunds didn't care and left them up.  Now several sites have put them back up.
2000 Jaguar XK8 Convertible - 4.0L DOHC V8 (AJ27)
2018 Ford Explorer - 3.5L DOHC V6 (Duratec 35)
1999 Mercury Grand Marquis - 4.6L SOHC V8 (Modular)
1987 Mercury Cougar LS - 5.0L V8 (Windsor) [SOLD in 2009]

Ford of Europe Kinetic design makes its way over the pond (dial-up warning)

Reply #4 –
Those pictures surfaced just two weeks after I got a Fusion.  My luck.

Ford of Europe Kinetic design makes its way over the pond (dial-up warning)

Reply #5 –
looks like someone snapped those pictures with a phone while walking by.
It's always fun until someone loses an eye. then it's fun ya can't see.

-James Hetfield back when metallica was still making good music.

Ford of Europe Kinetic design makes its way over the pond (dial-up warning)

Reply #6 –
Quote from: P71;213320
*Ahem*

I can do better then a sketch.

;)

(You never saw these...)

Uh, yeah, I'd say! Very nice! The world is on its head when I find myself wanting a full-size Pontiac and a mid-size Ford.

Quote from: EricCoolCats;213321
Nice Camry...

Eric, the Camry wishes. ;)

Ford of Europe Kinetic design makes its way over the pond (dial-up warning)

Reply #7 –
The original Taurus broke new ground. This one looks like every other 4-door midsize sedan on the road. Kinetic? Hardly...the current 500/Taurus looks more exciting than this. But, whatever gets your pee-pee hard... ;)

Ford of Europe Kinetic design makes its way over the pond (dial-up warning)

Reply #8 –
Yeah I was expecting something amazing and then I saw the drawing *yawn* zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz. I actually thought "hyundai sonata" immediately but camry sonata same difference! Oh well...
1987 20th Anniversary Cougar, 302 "5.0" GT-40 heads (F3ZE '93 Cobra) and TMoss Ported H.O. intake, H.O. camshaft
2.5" Duals, no cats, Flowmaster 40s, Richmond 3.73s w/ Trac-Lok, maxed out Baumann shift kit, 3000 RPM Dirty Dog non-lock TC
Aside from the Mustang crinkle headers, still looks like it's only 150 HP...
1988 Black XR7 Trick Flow top end, Tremec 3550
1988 Black XR7 Procharger P600B intercooled, Edelbrock Performer non-RPM heads, GT40 intake AOD, 13 PSI @5000 RPM. 93 octane

Ford of Europe Kinetic design makes its way over the pond (dial-up warning)

Reply #9 –
Quote from: EricCoolCats;213393
The original Taurus broke new ground. This one looks like every other 4-door midsize sedan on the road. Kinetic? Hardly...the current 500/Taurus looks more exciting than this. But, whatever gets your pee-pee hard... ;)


Pee-pee hard? Hardly........ wait......

Anyway, You really think the Obese looking Ford Passat looks better than this Seudo-Mondeo? It may not be the most amazing mid-sized sedan I've ever seen, but it is miles ahead of the embarrassing offering they have out now. Say what you will, but the buying public has spoken. The 500 was an exercise in falling flat on your face, and the Taurus rename/refresh didn't do a thing to bring new buyers to the table. A great number of people have said they would buy the Mondeo on looks alone, so I'd call this a definite step in the right direction. Forcing a redesign of a car three times in as many years proves there was, and is, a problem with what's on the lot now.

Ford of Europe Kinetic design makes its way over the pond (dial-up warning)

Reply #10 –
Wow Ford can make nice looking cars if they're forced to.
1987 Tbird 5.0 swap, go fast mods coming soon....

Ford of Europe Kinetic design makes its way over the pond (dial-up warning)

Reply #11 –
Quote
While this isn't Ford's all-new design language (which will debut in several years), it is certainly a move in the right direction.

So that will make 4 redesigns within 6-7 years. That means this "new" model STILL won't be what they wanted in the first place. Another 2-year  creation from Ford. Which some people know all about here. ;)

See, there's a huge problem with bringing over European cars to North America: they don't look North American. If people want a full European look they'll buy a true European car (BMW, Mercedes, etc.). Ford has tried this umpteen times with zero success. Why they continue to beat a dead horse is beyond me. Now the Aussie cars, they're different enough and have nice features. Even some South American Fords look decent enough for American roads. That's where Ford should be looking.

You even call it a "pseudo-Mondeo"...in other words, a takeoff of a European car. A Euro-Euro car. In America?! Are you kidding me? Yeah, that's going to put the Taurus right at the top of the shopping list. :rolleyes: Ford is content to be just as good as everyone else on the road today. In that respect they will never come near, let alone top, the best selling cars again. Chevy thought outside the box with the Malibu and look what's happening with its sales.

Our cars sold great because they had shades of Euro flavor but true American looks. And if you think about it, nearly all of Ford's successful vehicles were like that (Taurus/Sable, Thunderbird/Cougar/Mark VII, even the Fusion/Milan/MKZ to some extent, if you don't look at the back end LOL). The styling didn't forget America, and more importantly, AMERICANS. This...this car says nothing about America but everything about trying to be like the other cars that are already selling well in America. Last I checked, the desire for an American-feeling car is still there, at least with some of us.

What Ford should do is hire back the designers from the 1980's as consultants (if they're still alive LOL), to help guide the people they've got doing the design work today. I mean, it's really sad when I prefer the styling of a 1990-ish Tempo to nearly anything in their showrooms right now. Their sense of passion, of reaching for something bold yet remembering their home market, has been gone for a decade now. Ford's only mainstream desirable vehicle to me is sitting in my driveway...and it's an SUV. That is truly sad.
 

Ford of Europe Kinetic design makes its way over the pond (dial-up warning)

Reply #12 –
Quote from: EricCoolCats;213417
Another 2-year  creation from Ford. Which some people know all about here. ;)

Heyyyy now.
 
 
I still prefer the new Malibu to the Taurus if I'm looking midsize.
 
We will see how aussie vehicles work for Pontiac (G8+El Camino [the yet unnamed rebadged Holden ute])  They tried and failed with the GTO.  I love all of the aussie imports and most car people I've conversed with agree, but the mainstream "I see my car as an appliance" types hold too much say in the market.
2000 Jaguar XK8 Convertible - 4.0L DOHC V8 (AJ27)
2018 Ford Explorer - 3.5L DOHC V6 (Duratec 35)
1999 Mercury Grand Marquis - 4.6L SOHC V8 (Modular)
1987 Mercury Cougar LS - 5.0L V8 (Windsor) [SOLD in 2009]

Ford of Europe Kinetic design makes its way over the pond (dial-up warning)

Reply #13 –
Eric, did you read the article? It seems like you missed a few very important bits about the design process of this car. They did exactly what you said they should do. That formula for a successful Ford you named is precisely what they used.

Quote
Our cars sold great because they had shades of Euro flavor but true American looks. And if you think about it, nearly all of Ford's successful vehicles were like that

Ford has decided to combine elements of its "Bold American" and European "Kinetic" design language for the 2010 model.

The basic three-bar grille remains, but it has been grafted onto a trapezoidal opening. A similarly shaped inverted air intake sits below the grille. The headlights have some detailing similar to other American Ford products, but their shape is decidedly European.

Quote
Last I checked, the desire for an American-feeling car is still there, at least with some of us.

I'd love to say that were true, but the 90's was a while ago. The majority of people have no fond memories of Domestics anymore, and that is mostly due to what we were sold in the 80's and 90's.

Quote
What Ford should do is hire back the designers from the 1980's as consultants

I'll say it again. This is why Enthusiasts aren't allowed to design cars. They prefer old cars, and hate the new. Guess what that means. They don't buy new. Ford doesn't care about these people, nor does any other carmaker. Bringing back 80's design elements would be an even worse move than letting Bill Ford Jr. manage your stocks. Ford would become an even bigger laughing stock than Chrysler. If people liked 80's design, body cladding would be on everything.

If I were Ford, I'd be trying to appeal to the market that will make them money, not the 2% of the population that would rather drive an 80's car.

(So you know I'm not in a huff [that looks like a heated post] here's a reminder of why we move forward, not backwards with design. Grab a beer and laugh with me.)

Ford of Europe Kinetic design makes its way over the pond (dial-up warning)

Reply #14 –
Well...sheesh...how does one follow up on THAT... LOL

Quote
The headlights have some detailing similar to other American Ford products, but their shape is decidedly puppiesanese.

Fixed now. :)

I read the article but remain unconvinced that what's in the spy photo is what's being described. The text makes the car look promising. The car in the photo looks like it came out of the Toyota plant. I'm sensing a huge disconnect there. Meh, doesn't really matter, I won't be buying one.

And isn't that really the point here...?

Quote
Bringing back 80's design elements would be an even worse move than letting Bill Ford Jr. manage your stocks. Ford would become an even bigger laughing stock than Chrysler. If people liked 80's design, body cladding would be on everything.

My point was that they should be helping to guide the latest round of designers as to combining classic elements in with new shapes. That's why our cars looked futuristic back then, and still look fresh today. They are timeless. So is the original Taurus/Sable. There was a certain uniformity to the blending back then, and nobody did it like Ford did. That's why I became a fan and owner in the first place.

But it seems that newer designers have forgotten some of that. I mean, how else can you explain the recent penchant for the retro-look cars? It can only mean that the older cars--no surprise--had classic styling that they now want to emulate. There's nothing wrong with that when it's done as a niche vehicle. When there's nothing else orignial in the pipeline, though--such as, oh, now, and about the last decade--that's when you have to start worrying about the competency of the current design staff. A little retro-guidance might go a long way. That's all I'm saying.

BTW, Chrysler's design staff has had it all over Ford for at least 12 model years. I've never laughed at their cars for styling...only their quality. ;)