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Topic: I wish Ford reads this (Read 3839 times) previous topic - next topic

I wish Ford reads this

Reply #1 –
A merc version of the focus i would agree with, but the mustang needs to be its own ennity. Be like chevy make a GMC version of the Corvette.  Prices will drop and would not be considered as "special".  Also being Mercury is a higher line than the Ford line,  the car would have to fall into that scale and be nicer than the Mustang.  Bad business Idea in terms of the mustang but a great idea for the focus.

Making Mazda in puppiesan a great Idea.

I wish Ford reads this

Reply #2 –
Quote from: t-bird85
Making Mazda in puppiesan a great Idea.


Nope. Not for Mazda or Ford. If you want to sell a car in a market, it's a lot cheaper to build it in that market. If Ford wants to keep using Mazda parts (which I think is a bonus for Ford) again, it's cheaper to build those parts at home than import them.

I wish Ford reads this

Reply #3 –
Well just imagine the cougar revival on the mustang platform like always heres and example

I wish Ford reads this

Reply #4 –
I dont think that he means a copy of the mustang. Imagine if the mustang had competition inside of ford. Then the mustang would be better one week, and the capri(or cougar, but capri of something like that would be put above the name of a former gutless heavy euro import fighter) would be faster the next.
Take the corvette and the camero. Both fine cars, but they have virtally identical engines, as well as compairable suspensions. The corvette is still on top, but the camero is a good cheaper solution, while still being chevy, and still can be faster then the corvette.
People buy cars for the names more then anything. an optionless camero might not be quite as fast as the corvette, but that isnt why people buy the corvette? They buy it because it says corvette. just like the newer tbirds. No one really cared for them(I am gonna get flammed for that)unless they are really old or worshiped the old tbirds.
What ford needs are new ideas. rather then trying to sell the mustang on the name and the 60'sretro  look, they should refine and over power the mustang.
The corvette and z06 camero are near 500hp, and anyone can go up at any time and buy one.Vs the mustang SVT versions. Even the colbra's arent that much diffrent from a regular mustang.
Quote from: jcassity
I honestly dont think you could exceed the cost of a new car buy installing new *stock* parts everywhere in your coug our tbird. Its just plain impossible. You could revamp the entire drivetrain/engine/suspenstion and still come out ahead.
Hooligans! 
1988 Crown Vic wagon. 120K California car. Wifes grocery getter. (junked)
1987 Ford Thunderbird LX. 5.0. s.o., sn-95 t-5 and an f-150 clutch. Driven daily and going strong.
1986 cougar.
lilsammywasapunkrocker@yahoo.com

I wish Ford reads this

Reply #5 –
Quote from: Haystack
Take the corvette and the camero. Both fine cars, but they have virtally identical engines, as well as compairable suspensions.


The corvette and z06 camero are near 500hp, and anyone can go up at any time and buy one.Vs the mustang SVT versions. Even the colbra's arent that much diffrent from a regular mustang.

I have yet to see a Camaro with 500 Hp stock and the suspension in the vette is much stouter than the Camaro.  Ford is having a hard enough time rivaling is competitors much less with in its own walls,  I agree with the Focus clone, but look at Dodge the worse thing they could have done was release the Charger on the Magmum Frame, same for pontiac witht he GTO.  The cars are not original anymore and looks like they companies are just throwing what they can out there to get sales.

I wish Ford reads this

Reply #6 –
Quote from: Haystack

The corvette and z06 camero are near 500hp, and anyone can go up at any time and buy one.Vs the mustang SVT versions. Even the colbra's arent that much diffrent from a regular mustang.


Umm...okay?  Base model vette is rated at 400hp, the Z06 is rated for 505hp and there is no more camaro.  The upcoming SVT Mustang will bear the Shelby name and have, according to Ford, "at least 450hp".  300HP is the most any standard mustang has ever come with, so it's definitely not underpowered.

I loved that example of a possible Cougar Eliminator, I think it's a great idea...although they could stand to deviate a little more from the appearance of the Mustang.

BTW...the most equal GM competitor to the 'Stang right now is the GTO.  Now I don't know about the new 6.0L goats, but in the first year with the 5.7, they were slugs, Hot Rod magazine slapped on a a magnusson supercharger gained nothing in the acceleration dept.
Project 3G: Grandpa Grocery Getter-'85 Crown Vic LTD 2-door, 351W with heavily ported/polished GT40 heads, heavily ported/polished Typhoon Power Plus upper & lower intake, Comp Cams 265DEH retarded 1*, FAST EZ-EFI, HD T5, 8.8" 3.73 trac lock with extra clutches, 3G alt. swap, '99 CVPI front brakes, '09 CVPI rear disc brakes, '00 CVPI booster&m/c + wilwood adj prop valve.

Parted & Gone-'88 T-bird Sport, 351W swap, ported GT40 heads

I wish Ford reads this

Reply #7 –
Quote from: Haystack

Take the corvette and the camero. Both fine cars, but they have virtally identical engines, as well as compairable suspensions.

Not even close bro. The Vette and the camaro share nothing more than an LS based engine, they used the same LS1 engine, but the vette got more power, then the LS6 came in the ZO6 which was even more badass

the vette and camaro use totally different platforms, the vette is a 2 seater, fully independant suspension car, the actual gearbox is in the rear of the car, using a "torque tube" to transfer power from the engine to the rear, rather than a traditional driveshaft

they handle nothing like eachother, they arnt nearly as fast as eachother, and theyre two way different cars

the way GM was able to do what it did, was they use the f-body (camaro/firebird) to compete with the mustang, and other midsized sports cars, and leave the vette to the sports car enthusiasts (or mid life crisis buyers) who dont have kids, or dont need to lug kids around, buy groceries, or do anything with the car, where as most f-body owners used their cars as daily drivers, where they need backseat space, and some trunk space

what ford needs to do is use at least a detuned version of the mustang, something still practical, can stand up to some spirited driving, decently quick, and sell that under both ford and mercurys name, there are some of us in the younger crowd, we'll say 20-30, who have kids, but dont want the uber luxury car, but couldnt use an actual sports car, something embetween would be great, similar to our beloved tbirds and cougars

if ford was slick, and did something like that, they could also leak it to magazines, and then open a line of performance parts, that are nothing more than just stock mustang parts with a ford racing part number
It's Gumby's fault.

I wish Ford reads this

Reply #8 –
Quote from: Sick88Tbird
BTW...the most equal GM competitor to the 'Stang right now is the GTO.  Now I don't know about the new 6.0L goats, but in the first year with the 5.7, they were slugs, Hot Rod magazine slapped on a a magnusson supercharger gained nothing in the acceleration dept.

theres guys slapping STS turbo kits on those, and with other basic mods, turning 11 second times

problem with those is the people who want to go fast that arnt car enthusiasts never learn that its an LS1 in the cars...and just kinda go "i cant find anything for my GTO, ill put a supercharger on it"

heads, cam, exhaust, intake, and a throttle body, and it could easily churn 400hp and still be drivable
It's Gumby's fault.

I wish Ford reads this

Reply #9 –
Quote
A merc version of the focus i would agree with, but the mustang needs to be its own ennity. Be like chevy make a GMC version of the Corvette. Prices will drop and would not be considered as "special". Also being Mercury is a higher line than the Ford line, the car would have to fall into that scale and be nicer than the Mustang. Bad business Idea in terms of the mustang but a great idea for the focus.

Actually, a Mercury version of the Mustang would be a fantastic idea that would inject some much needed passion into the Mercury lineup. It's been done before with success - the Cougar and the Capri. It would also give Merc the opportunity to build a modern looking car on the platform, giving Ford the retro market and Merc the modern one, on the same car.

And saying that's like a GMC Corvette is just silly - it's more like a Pontiac Camaro, which as I'm sure you're aware, existed for more than 30 years and was known as a Firebird. In fact, there were several examples of Firebirds that were faster than any contemprary Camaro counterpart, such as the 73-74 SD455 Trans Am, the T/A 6.6 from 1976-1980, and the 1989 20th anniversary turbo Trans Am.

The Goat was not a failure because it was a Pontiac clone of a Chevy, it was a failure because it was a spectacularly boring looking car, and its $35k proce didn't help it any. 400 horses are fine and well, but if the car looks like a Cavalier coupe it's not going to ignite many fires. The Charger/300/Magnum is not a failure at all, but if its sales are slipping recently it's merely because the novelty of a V8, RWD sedan is wearing off, not because you can buy one from Chrysler or Dodge. In essence, most of the people that wanted a 300/Charger/Magnum have bought one, so it's only natural that sales will recede. It will happen with the Mustang as well, just like it did to the Beetle, Thunderbird, Mini, PT Cruiser, etc... - when you aim at a niche market, you're aiming at a market with a very finite number of sales.
2015 Mustang GT Premium - 5.0, 6-speed, Guard Green - too much awesome for one car

1988 5.0 Thunderbird :birdsmily: SOLD SEPT 11 2010: TC front clip/hood ♣ Body & paint completed Oct 2007 ♣ 3.55 TC rear end and front brakes ♣ TC interior ♣ CHE rear control arms (adjustable lowers) ♣ 2001 Bullitt springs ♣ Energy suspension poly busings ♣ Kenne Brown subframe connectors ♣ CWE engine mounts ♣ Thundercat sequential turn signals ♣ Explorer overhead console (temp/compass display) ♣ 2.25" off-road dual exhaust ♣ T-5 transmission swap completed Jan 2009 ♣

I wish Ford reads this

Reply #10 –
I really don't think having a car share a platform between Ford and Mercury would be bad. Well it can't be because isn't that what they've been doing all these years?

Mercury needs something exciting in it's lineup. Many of us including myself have posted this point before.

Do I think a Mercury variant of the Mustang would hurt Mustang sales?... NO!! Just as Thunder Chicken said about the Charger/Magnum, most people who want the retro styled Mustang already have one. I see so many now that it's rediculous and I'm sure the novelty of the retro styled hot rod will wear off soon.
Mercury needs something to ignite the desires of those who want a modern day American sports car that isn't a mirror image of the Mustang. End of story.

I"ve aboout had enough of the new Mustang. Can we have something different please...

I wish Ford reads this

Reply #11 –
Now a revamped Cougar would be the way to go, but as in the past clone it after the Thunderbird, The Mustang is Unique to ford and to start throwing out clones is a mistake, The Pontiac GTO was not cloned after a chevy it was cloned after another Pontiac the Grand Prix.  People buy Mustangs to own a mustang becasue there isnt another vehicle like it, like the Vette. When someone say Ford in respect to performance most people think Mustang, Say Chevy you think the Corvette, you throw a clone in there and it just diminishes the vehicle, Like the camaro/firebird,
 

I wish Ford reads this

Reply #12 –
Quote from: t-bird85
The Pontiac GTO was not cloned after a chevy it was cloned after another Pontiac the Grand Prix.

Its actually a Holden Monero, an australian GM

Quote
you throw a clone in there and it just diminishes the vehicle, Like the camaro/firebird,

how did it deminish the vehicle? it existed for 30 years, and is still a desirable car, its just discontinued

if you go by that route, are the thunderbirds and cougars deminished because they are the same car? Not one bit, someone might have gotten into a tbird sport, loved the feel of it, but thought it was too "immature" of a look, then got directed over to an XR7

its using the same platform to suit two different crowds, similar to the camaro and firebird, the camaro was more in your face while the firebird was sleek and more stylish
It's Gumby's fault.

I wish Ford reads this

Reply #13 –
Quote from: Tbird232ci

if you go by that route, are the thunderbirds and cougars deminished because they are the same car? Not one bit, someone might have gotten into a tbird sport, loved the feel of it, but thought it was too "immature" of a look, then got directed over to an XR7


My opinion yes, The T-bird/COugar was hindered by the other, I own my t-bird because its unique the only reason its unique cause there were so many most ended up in junkyards do to abuse. they were cheap to own and cheap to replace but not individual enought at the time to fix. The longevity of the camaro should tell you something, there is no definate answer from GM on its return except for maybe in 2007 and no design Ideas released at this time the 2007 manufacturing starts next year think they would acknowledge something, the mustang Is holding strong and no plans of its dismissal.  Think this would be the case if they made clones I dont.  Being the only one it's harder to finde replacement and more expensive and more people will take care of these vehicles.  Unlike to camaro/firebird, t-bird/cougar.

I wish Ford reads this

Reply #14 –
BTW i think this is a very good thread and a very good topic ;)