MyFordDreams begins 27 month test drive of Mercury Mariner!

Ok not a test drive, but a lease. After months of shopping for a good deal I've traded in my trusty Mazda 3 sGT for a 2010 Merucy Mariner I-4 Premier 4wd. I went back to the dealership where I bought my very first new car 22 years ago, Smith Cairns of Yonkers New York. My salesman Frank made it one of the easiest purchases I've ever made.

My opinion of the refreshed Mariner/Escape/Tribute is a matter of record here, the only flaw is the lack of 4wheel disc brakes. The level of luxury and technology are both fairly high, especially at this price point. I was joking with my salesman Frank that when this lease is up, Ford should finally have the new Kuga based Escape/Mariner replacement out. That may be no joke. And if FoMoCo can SYNC up those dates, then that's what I'll do.

Now to learn how all my new toys work! I've got to learn the SYNC system, load up my MP3 and USB Flash Drive with tunes, then select which Sirius stations I want to listen to. The ambient lighting is actually kind of cool. But over the next 27 months I'll also give my day to day impressions of my first Mercury.

Yeah, it's hard for me to believe, but with all the FoMoCo products I've owned over the years, this is the first Mercury I've ever had.

Why can Allan smile? Cause Ford too the "Way Forward" and he's not taking a pay cut! Government Motors (GM & Chrsyler) Execs take 25% pay cut...

Sometimes it's good to be the king. Well, maybe not king, but at least not a Government Motors exec. Alan Mulally can smile here for several reasons, the biggest reason of course is that unlike crosstown rivals at GM and Chrysler, he's not being forced to take a massive pay cut.

And before I hear anyone moan, let's remember that Bill Ford vowed not to ake any compensation until FoMoCo turns a profit and and that FoMoCo didn't take TARP money.
No Government Bail-out means you can earn executive compensation. Sure CEOs of big companies make too much money, but the boys at Ford seem to have earned it his year!

No bail-out, no bankruptcy, no foreign takeover, yes new products, yes improved quality, yes new technology, yes you can keep your money. Simple as that folks.

Read the Detroit Free Press article linked in the title. Go Ford!

Gas prices have some who switched to small cars experiencing buyer's remorse, wanting more from econo boxes?

So, I've been reading posts at AutoBlog (linked in title) and The Auto Prophet about American Buyers who switched from traditional large vehicles to smaller vehicles when gas prices spiked who are now experiencing buyer's remorse, wanting more power and space and features.

Now that gas prices are "low" they aren't happy with their Honda Fit, or Toyota Yaris.
Economy cars in the North American market traditionally don't come well equipped, unlike Europe. I know this from shopping around back in 2006 when I bought my Mazda 3.
Also in 2005 when we were getting a coupe for my honey.

So, maybe FoMoCo is going to be in a good position with new Euro offerings coming over the next 18 months? Ford already offers a good amount of technology, with their SYNC system available on Focus and everything above that. And unlike some other economy offerings, Ford offers factory leather, moonroof and other "luxury" options across the line, although good luck finding economy models optioned that way on dealer lots. But that's not really Ford's fault, it's American consumers who dictate what's on the lot. And most Americans don't want to pay over $17k for an "economy car." Not when you can get a nicely equipped mid-size sedan for a little more coin.

Product mix on dealers lots over the next 18 months is going to be interesting to say the least. Now that gas is "cheaper" again will Americans slide back into their old habits? Will SUV and larger vehicle sales start to pick up? And what happens if fuel prices spike again?

I'm not your typical American consumer, I like smaller vehicles, but I want the features you'd find on larger vehicles as well. After owning my Mazda 3 these last couple of years, I wouldn't consider a new vehicle without heated leather seats, a premium sound system and moonroof. And I'm not adverse to paying near the $20k pricepoint for that combination. But will Americans follow that course? And can manufacturers meet the new expectations ?

The new Fiesta and Focus from Europe are capable, well equipped, relatively frugal cars but in Europe consumers expect to pay for that combination. Can American consumers make the leap?

Planes hits Ranger, Ranger wins!

An Australian newspaper has a story of a plane near Johanesburg South Africa that crashed into the front of a Ford Ranger Crew Cab and thankfully nobody died! Nobody in the Ranger was even seriously injured. I heard about this when on Twitter, there was a tweet from FordAPA saying Plane hits Ford "SUV" I guess this proves that old tag line "Built Ford Tough"!

I of course was amused that someone at FordAPA confused the Ranger Crew Cab for an SUV.

Maybe they're not familiar with the Australian term Ute? But looking at the picture, you can see the pickup bed. The Explorer Sport Trac isn't sold in South Africa, but the Ranger Crew Cab is.

Take a look at this picture of an un-dammaged Ranger and see for yourself. And wonder why Ford never sold this here in the US

Does FoMoCo really need to be concerned about the new "leaner" domestic competition?

Pundits and analysts have been saying that Ford Motor Company could be facing tough competition from domestic competitors GM & Chrysler, after they've both done restructuring after bankruptcies and in the case of Chrysler the "alliance" with Fiat. Just my view, but I think they're overstating the case and ignoring the advantages Ford has.

Chrysler isn't merging with or forming an "alliance" with Fiat, the italians are buying the company for next to nothing. And neither company has a reputation for high quality products.

Chrysler's model lineup is growing stale and isn't known as fuel efficient. The Caliber/Patriot/Compass triplets are the most fuel efficient models and are already built as part of an allience with GEM ( partnership of Mitsubishi, Hyundai/Kia, Chrysler and Mercedes ) where engines are cooperatively designed and built. The Caliber triplets are also built on a Mitsubishi Lancer/Outlander platform. When you come to think of it, not many of Chrysler's lineup has been a clean sheet design for quite a while, with the exception of mini-vans trucks and SUVs. The 300/Charger/Chalenger & defunct Magnum are/were all built on a chassis from Merecedes' last generation E-Class. The Sebring/Avenger were built on Mitsubishi platforms (Galant? or Eclipse) The big Sprinter was a Mercedes/Freightliner sourced unit. Wow, other than the above mentioned trucks, SUVs (including Jeep) and Minivans what else did they designe? The Journey? Isn't that based on the Caravan? So, their hopes are pinned on new Fiat platforms?

The earliest any Fiat, more than likely the 500, will get here is 18 months? And then what? New Sebring/Avenger models built on a Fiat platform at least 2 years away? And how will these be better than the Mitsu sourced crap they already have? And what about Hybrids? Other than the electric vans they're building for the Post Office, what does Chrysler have? Fiat doesn't have Hybrid technology, in Europe they rely on small Diesels. And let's not forget Fix It Again Tony.

As I read and commented on the other day, european consumers rank Chrysler and Fiat at the bottom of the scale in quality. So I guess I don't see the "New" Chrysler as being any threat to Ford. Hell, I don't see it being a threat to Kia.

Now, General Motors is another story. They are slashing and burning like a madman with a machette. Selling Hummer, Saab and Saturn, selling huge portions of Opel, killing Pontiac and it's not clear what's to become of Vauxhall. Holden, their Australian subsidiary, seems safe for now and I haven't heard anything about Daewoo either. They've just entered bankruptcy and there's no Fiat waiting in the wings for them. But luckily GM isn't Chrysler. They've got technology and products already in development. We've all heard of the Volt, and they've got Gasoline Direct Fuel Injection engines already in select models and there's talk of smaller Turbo GDI engines in upcoming small cars like the Chevy Cruze. But GM isn't through bankruptcy yet and despite the government's claims that it will be quick and painless GM is much larger.

And despite the big "Hybrid" decals running down the sides of some of their trucks/suvs/cars they don't have a credible Hybrid in place. The "mild" hybrid system that they're canceling in the Malibu is a poor man's substitute for the true Hybrids from Toyota, Ford and Honda.

It's basically a roll start assist system that uses the alternator to get the car moving from a stop and incorporating a start/stop system. "Mild Hybrid" my ass.

General Motors won't take 2 years to get some fresh product out, they will experience delays though. Many products have been put on hold, like the Chevy Cruze, but you can bet that as soon as bunkruptcy is settled they'll be getting programs in gear. But didn't I read at AutoEnthusiasts.net last week that Bob Lutz has said that the Volt is a money loser?

Ford is still losing money, but less each day. Ford is also bringing out fresh models and technologies and that combined with public perception will make the difference.

Yes GM and Ford will always be competing and GM may once again be the top domestic manufacturer. But Ford can settle into second place comfortably and in my opinion it could be less than a decade before Chrysler is either in deep shit or dead.

80 MPG Ford S-Max? US know how UK Engineering global greenness?

A California company, Capstone Turbine Inc. , worked with a UK company, Langford Performance Engineering , to install their C-30 Micro Turbine into a Ford S-Max and it achieves 80 mpg! They call it the Whisper Eco-Logic, here's how they describ it "The design characteristics of Capstone's turbine permits ultra low emissions, high fuel economy, multi fuel capability, no coolants or lubricating oil, and little to no maintenance in an automotive application"

It's a Plug In Hybrid, that uses the gas turbine to recharge the batteries and they in turn power the electic motors. An amazing bit of engineering that seems to be done apart from Ford Motor Company. Capstone is looking to bring this technology to the US. But since the S-Max isn't ready to come to these shores, I wonder how this system would fit in the Transit Connect?

Mazda "considers" alliance with Ford or others on "Electrical Devices that boost fuel efficiency"

In the article on Bloomberg.com (linked in title) Mazda anounced that it's considering alliences with Ford (and others?) to cooperate on "electrical devices to boost fuel efficiency" This seems like a no brainer to me. Considering that Ford still owns 13.8% of Mazda and....

Has the most fuel efficient mid-size sedan on the market, which just happen to share a platform and powertrain components with Mazda. I don't know why Mazda hadn't committed to Ford's Hybrid program earlier. The Escape/Tribute, the Fusion/6. And even though Mazda was first to market ( among partners ) with Gasoline Direct Fuel Injection and Turbocharging, they could benefit from the new EcoBoost powerplants.

I know Mazda held high hope for their Hydrogen RX-8s, but with no real infrastructure it just doesn't pay. And with new EPA standards a couple of Hybrids couldn't hurt, especially in California.

Government buys $129 Million worth of Fuel Efficient Fords, and $158 Million on GMs & Chryslers?

New York Times article ( linked in title ) says that the General Services Administration spent a total of $287 million on new fuel efficient vehicles for Government agencies and that the lion's share went to Ford. Well, that makes sense, since Ford offers the Fusion and Escape Hybrids and the standard Focus gets 34 mpg. That $129 Million bought 7,924 Ford models and that averages out to $16,279.66 each car, I'm betting there are a bunch of Focus sedans with those G plates.

I recall reading that The Post Office was going to buy a coule hundred Electric Dodge Minivans, but what else are "We" buying from Chrysler? For our $53 Million, we're getting 2,993 Chrysler products at an average of $17,707.99 each. Calibers? Avengers? What qualifies as "Fuel Efficient" from Chrysler? At that breakdown, I'm assuming the Electric Postal vans are under a seperate deal. Maybe Obama missed his Hemi 300C?

GM's share is $105 Million for 6,348 vehicles, averaging out to $16,540.64 per vehicle. I can see the Cobalt, maybe the Malibu, some Equinox? GM at least has some "Fuel Efficient" vehicles.
Maybe that's where all the Pontiac Vibe and G6s are going?

The Times says that Uncle Sam didn't try and put any pressure on manufacturers or use their "owner's" discount, but paid contract prices.

I guess this will help ease speculation of favortism toward GM & Chrysler and bias towards Ford. It's really a drop in the bucket in the grand scheme of things. But I'd really love to see a breakdown of those 17,265 vehicles to see what our money is buying, I mean besides shares in worthless companies that we'll never see a dime from.

CNN Money gives credit where it's due, profile of Mulally

CNN Money has a profile piece on Alan Mulally and his work at FoMoCo that finally gives credit where it's due. And before I start gushing about Ford's CEO, I will admit that I've been very tough on these two since I started blogging in 2005. Some of the less kind things I've said over the years are "This is no way to run an airline" and I regret to admit calling Bill Ford a weasel.

Over the last year they've redeemed themselves in my eyes, not that they've lost sleep about my comments, but I'm sure they're sleeping better than the heads of crosstown competitors GM & Chrysler. And I promise not to call Bill Ford a weasel anymore, really.

With all the doomsday predictions this piece at least recognizes Mulally's efforts and accomplishments.

Ford going to be David to GM's Goliath?

Not too good at trying to create images, sorry, but couldn't find anything that worked.
One of my rare chances to show my un-creative talents.

So, will Ford be playing David to GM's goliath? Or if you believe all the media hype, will Ford be the heavyweight hasbeen being pummeled by the new welterweight champ? All of the non-stop speculation about the future of Ford has my eyes rolling round and round. Is it that the media believe that if you repeat something often enough it becomes true? Does the media secretly hope for the demise of the one Domestic Automaker that didn't ask for Federal Bailout help?

It seems that every scribe for every publication is faulting Ford for doing the right thing.
They want Ford to fail, despite the fact that it's on the road to recovery. Media like The Wall Street Journal, linked in title, persist in proclaiming GM the eventual top dog in a fight that's far from over. While ocassional praise for Ford's inovation and ability to avoid bankruptcy is seen, there's often the backhanded slap of speculation that they won't be able to compete in the future.

You don't hear speculation about Toyota's future, nor Honda, yet both of those companies are feeling the economic pain as well. Truth be told, there's plenty of bad news at Toyota.
The #1 Automaker has sucummed to the same bad habits that the Domestics had. An overreliance on large trucks and SUVs, stale product and mediocre quality. Toyota has become GM in a very real sense. Yet it's Ford that the media keep digging a premature grave for.

While it's true that Ford Motor Credit is at a disadvantage to GMAC since the later was able to become a bank holding company and tap into further Federal assistance, beyond parent GM's auto bailout loans and bankruptcy. It's also true that Ford will be able to seek Union contracts closer to crosstown rivals.

As the right wing loonies gather to boycott GM and the courts continue to throw wrenches in the Fiat/Chrysler works, Ford continues to make gains and work toward recovery and a profitable future. All the media reports are hoping to become self fulfilling prophecies. And it just makes me sick. A lie is still a lie, no matter how many times you repeat it, except in the American Media.

My one concern is that consumers who read this non-stop obit for a recovering FoMoCo will soon start to believe the hype. I on the other hand have faith that Ford will be David and overcome the Federally supported GM. Inovative fresh product and good business practices will do that.

Pickup Trucks.Com has story on EcoBoost +! Bobcat?

So, I'm looking at Twitter and I see a post from PickupTrucks.com, when I see Ford and Bobcat in the same sentence. You know my mind went into all sorts of spasms. My love of all things FoMoCo, small and quirky was pumping adrenaline and causing a blood sugar crash.
And while I ( and probably only I ) would love to see the resurection of the Bobcat, it was actually better news.

More FoMoCo "green" initiatives. There's been so much to salivate coming from FoMoCo lately that it's easy to forget that crosstown rivals are slashing and burning their way through bankruptcy. Hybrid Fusions, Fiesta Movement, new Focus and possible new Ranger, what more could be coming? We're hearing names like EcoBoost, Coyote V-8 and Scorpion Diesel, it's like overload.

Anyone could tell that I think the EcoBoost program is a winner. Smaller more fuel efficient engines with big engine power! But how do you improve on this? They call it Bobcat, I think of it as EcoBoost + or maybe even EcoBoost for the big boys.

Pickup Trucks . Com has a very thorough explination of the entire thing, linked in title, but basically it's an old racer's trick updated and made green. Ethanol injection added to the EcoBoost system. Well, not pure Ethanol, the more elusive E-85. I've been a critic of the whole Flex Fuel E-85 thing for a while. It's nice to have a Flex Fuel badge on your car or truck, but since the fuel isn't available everywhere it seemed to be more of a public relations and EPA loophole thing than something the average consumer could appreciate.

But, E-85 is going to become more available and FoMoCo is developing this system for the larger end of their lineup, full size trucks and SUVs. It will be cleaner than Diesel and with the E-85 injection have comparable power ( torque ). Click on over to PickupTrucks.com and read it for yourself. I'm going to do a little dance here.

Who in their right mind would buy this?

I've been reading news about this since Friday anad have been wondering who in the hell would buy this? But let me get the Ford connection in here right away. Tata Motors, who make this overgrown golf cart the Tata Nano, last year bought the Jaguar and Land Rover brands from Ford Motor Company. And made huge headlines last year when they anounced that they would be producing and selling the above enclosed skateboard for their domestic Indian market.

And now they say it may come to the United States by 2011 or 2012? This my friends is a sign of the Appocolypse, never mind any Mayan prophecy. I know we Americans are just crap junkies, we did after all buy Yugos ( Not me! but I did know a couple of hapless souls who did )in the 80's. For some reason we Americans will buy anything foreign and cheap, just look at Wal-Mart!

But in this era of mandates on safety and emissions, there will be no way that Tata can bring anything remotely like the 2 cylinder golf cart to the United States. The AutoProphet, linked in title, points out some serious flaws with this fantasy.

I for one never thought the Smart would be a good fit on American roads and I'm right.

I can't tell you how many times I've passed one on local 2 lane roads in my little Mazda 3 and felt like I was driving a 76 Cadilac by comparison. I don't care how many airbags you cram in there, it's just a bubble on wheels. And the Smart has Mercedes DNA. But the Tata? I believe it has more in common with a toaster than a car. Maybe you'll see them as security vehicles in gated communities? Those poor Square Badges have it bad enough in the little electric golf cars, I feel their pain as they'll be breaking down after each speed bump in their Nanos.

Pundits can't make up their minds about Ford's fate..

It's litterally split down the middle online. Many pundits are saying that Ford Motor Company is picking up market share because they didn't take Federal assistance or enter bankruptcy, but in the same breath they're saying this puts Ford at a long term disadvantage. It's confusing for those of us trying to get a clear picture of what's to come. I'm not an Auto Industry guy or even a journalist, but here's my "regular guy" take on the situation.

While many say that Ford will be at a disadvantage to GM and Chrylser because these bankrupt companies will come back as trimmer and more competative companies, carrying less debt and be able to return to profitable operations quicker. Horseshit! What these pundits seem to be blind to is the American Consumer's ( and to some degree the International Consumer's ) perception of these two floundering companies. Since we the taxpayers are footing the bill for the recovery, with no real chance for a payback, there will be a bad taste left in many folks mouths.

Let's put it simply, many people, for right or wrong, wanted to let GM & Chrysler die last fall. Sure, that was a shortsighted view of the situation, but it will still stick in people's craw. And despite the bailout thousands, tens of thousands of people will loose their jobs and many more will loose their retirement funds ( employess and investors alike ) because of the bankruptcy.

Add onto that world of hurt the closing of over 2,000 dealerships and the bad feelings about that. As many have pointed out, in some smaller rural communities, new car dealerships are major tax revenue sources and genertional members of the communities, who've given to charity and supported everything from Little League to the Elk's Club in some way.

Many of GM & Chrysler's assumptions about a return to profit require that car sales return to pre-crisis levels. But many analysts say that new car sales will never return to the 16 million a year level they were at. I keep reading the new car sales will be closer to 10 million. So, who says GM & Chrysler will be able to regain those sales numbers in a tighter market with all of these bad feelings?

Ford's not out of the woods, but neither is Toyota, Honda, Hyundai or many other manufacturers. Ford has been refreshing models, introducing new models and techonologies and will continue to add more inovations and improvements over the next few years. Ford says they may return to profitable operations by 2011 or 2012. That's because they've got the capital and freedom to invest in the changes they need to make.

Does anybody remember how Chrysler's lineup sucked in 1980? Sure, the K-Cars "saved" the company, but do you remember how stagnant the rest of their lineup was well into the 80's? Their fullsize trucks and vans got minor facelifts and were among the slowest selling for a decade. The Mini Vans are what really helped Chrysler and this time around they don't have that type of inovative product to help them out of this quagmire. Are you counting on Fiat's small cars to do that? Have we all forgoten how bad Fiat cars were? All you have to do is go online and read reviews of the Fiat 500 compared to the Ford Ka, which share platforms and powertrains and are built in the same Polish plant. The Ka is consistantly said to be a better handler and have better reliability. I've read pundits say they think that even with the bailout and buyout by Fiat, Chrysler will be dead in a decade.

I don't expect GM to die in a decade, but other than the Volt and Cruze, I don't expect there'll be much inovation from GM in the near future. They'll be smarting from this for a long while.

I was surprised to read on DrivingEnthusiast.Net ( linked in sidebar ) that Bob Lutz was quoted saying that GM wasn't too sure about the Volt program and that the Camaro was the wrong car at the wrong time. GM thinks that they can't produce the Volt and sell it at a reasonable price and never expect it to earn a profit. It's window dressing for the Government I guess.

What happened to GM's new small car/engine plans? The Cruze looks like it's going to be delayed. And I haven't heard much about their small engine plan. I had heard that Cruze would be powered by a direct injected turbo charged 1.4 cyl.

So, Ford has EcoBoost, new Fiesta and Focus, Hybrid and Electric plans and fresh product. They've also got some measure of freedom that comes from not being on Uncle Sam's payroll.

Do GM & Chrysler believe we the consumers of the world will have such short memories?
Let's see how GM in the US does, let's watch Opel/Vaxhaul/Holden overseas. Don't forget all the Government monies from Canada, Germany, Britain and elsewhere, and the taxpayers who will never see a payback.

Ford has always done fairly well in forgeign markets and they will continue to. I'm not saing Ford will be the number one automaker in the world, I'm saying that I think they'll survive and be competative. I'm saying that my next new car purchase will be a Ford and I think many people who would have thought GM or Chrysler will follow me.

Stop digging Ford's grave. If you want to do a "Deathwatch" start one for Chrysler/Fiat. You can't expect that one mediocre company would buy another damaged company and come away stronger. It just doesn't add up.

Update, two articles that could indicate GM & Chrysler's future;

AutoBlog on Fiat Chrysler UK Quality perception

AutoBlog says Right Wing ready to boycott GM

T-6 Ranger mule in Michigan?! According to AutoBlog

First there were photos from Austrlia, where the new T6 is being developed, then the Swiss Alps, where it's being tested and now Michigan? According to AutoBlog's post and they've got the spy shots to prove it! Click the link in the title to see for yourself and this time it's a 2 door long bed.

World Car Fans has more spy shots of future Ranger, maybe we'll get it?

You don't have to dig much to learn I love the Ranger and I have one. And of course I've lamented it's rumored demise. I've also hoped and dreamed it could survive. And of course recently there have been rumors flying about an Australian designed replacement codenamed T6 that if it makes it to these shores will share in the EcoBoost goodness via 1.6 liter 175hp 180 lb ft Torque turbo I-4.

And if you click on the link in the title you can see spy photos at World Car Fans taken in the Swiss Alps showing the truck in Double Cab form.

Business Week's "Car that could save Ford" article and my take

David Kiley of Business Week wrote a nice piece on the upcoming 2011 Ford Fiesta. He's had seat time in a Euro Spec version, talked to a Fiesta Movement Agent and interviewed FoMoCo Euro design personel. And he's got nice things to say, but I of course take issue with a couple of things. First is this dig at the top "The Bad: Lacks a few features, like a sliding rear seat, to keep costs down." David this is odd, how many competitors have this "Sliding rear seat" you're looking for? I've read up the Fiesta, watch reviews on Fifth Gear and Top Gear and many many others and nobody but Nobody including the notoriously cranky Jeremy Clarkson ( who stands well over 6' ) complained about a sliding rear seat. Many mentioned that the seat doesn't fold flat, but nobody thought that a deal breaker. How many tall folks ride in the back of sub-compact cars for any lenght of time anyway? But I'm nit picking here.

My real issue is the implication that any one vehicle will "save" Ford at all.

David your assumption that Ford needs to be "saved" is wrong in the face of what we've been seeing lately and their "Way Forward" plan that's been working to evolve the Blue Oval.

It's going to be several models that set Ford apart. It's going to be the work that Alan Mulally has been doing with the "One Ford" and the fact that Ford has recently updated several solid models like Mustang, Taurus,Fusion and F-Series trucks while bringing new product like Flex and Edge to market.

Ford will survive because they're going to have the products and technologies to compete in a truly global market. Because of the Fiesta, Fusion, Upcoming Focus redesign and EcoBoost & Hybrid technology.

I'm sure Ford appreciates the praise of the Fiesta, it's a praise worthy car, but let's not peg our hopes on just one model or understate all the hard work that's been done.

4 of the top 20 selling vehicles in May are Fords! The Car Connection has the entire list

#1 Ford f-150 shouldn't be a real shock to anyone, the F series truck has been one of the best selling vehicles in the world for 26 or more years. And with a nice update of a great truck it's topped the list.

And new product sells, so the Fusion which was already popular is again an easy call.

The one that sort of raised my eyebrows was the Escape. Sure, it's recieved a recent update and it's a solid performer, but with other cute utes in it's class receiving major overhauls and the Escape' blocky styling, I was surprised that Escape was higher on the list than CRV or Rav4.

And although I've been critical of the US Focus, here it is also in the top 20.

Well, it's styling is fresh and with features like SYNC it's got appeal. But I'm sure the 34 mpg and relatively low price don't hurt.

Despite being mortgaged the Blue Oval still shines, benefiting from tarnished image of competition

The iconic Blue Oval shines, despite the fact that the very logo was mortgaged months ago.

Ford Motor Company, the only domestic manufacturere not to take federal recovery loans or declare bankruptcy is seeing an increase in sales, market share and stock price for several reasons, but one of the most important is perception.

Perception can mean everything in the auto industry and for the first time in a long time, that is paying off for Ford Motor Company. Perception isn't always based on reality, like the perception that domestic auto makers couldn't match the quality or service of foreign makes. All you need to do to dispell that myth is look at JD Powers rating and actually drive some of the domestics.

But the false perceptions have kept folks away.

Some perceptions are based on short term factors, like the recent good press that Ford has been recieving and the bad news for domestic competition. And this can change quickly. Right now Ford is doing it's best to cash on on several things. They've got new product like the Fusion, Flex and 2010 Mustang. They've recieved great press on green technology like the Hybrid Fusion, EcoBoost powertrains and new small platforms coming ( Fiesta & Transit Connect) and people are actually trying out Ford cars.

Maybe some folks are looking at Ford because they're skitish about buying a bankrupt GM or Chrysler. Maybe they're looking at incentives, but hopefully they'll drive away because of improved perceptions. Ford is right to capitalize on the good press, but needs to be prepared for the future. So, yes some incentives for defecting Chrysler or GM customers, but more work on the overal quality/value perception front. I've heard Ford may dust off the old slogan, "have you driven a Ford lately?" and now is the time to do it. "If you build it (Quality cars people want to drive) they will come.."

AutoBlog has spyshots of the US version of the Fiesta sedan, cool meets Dave

This was one of the Verve concepts that became the Fiesta, I believe for the Chinese Auto Show.

Both China and the US prefer small sedans rather than hatchbacks. And while we've seen Euro spec Fiestas while following the Fiesta Movement, there will be tweaks for the US Market.

The Euro spec Fiestas get the full Kinetic Design treatment, but we're going to get a bit of the "Dave" look. If you recall, when the Iosis concepts first introduced the Kinectic design, that European Ford's have been showcasing these last few years, the response from Dearborn was the "Dave" look, also sometimes confused with a disposable razor.

You can't see clearly in the spy shots because of the camo, but you know you can expect a 3 bar grille similar to the current Focus ( US version ) and in keeping with the Fusion, Taurus, Edge etc...

Evolve or die they say, so MyFordDreams is evolving, getting into the 21st century

In April of 2005 when I started blogging MyFordDreams I was barely computer literate.
I knew how to turn it on and type ( if not well ) and not much more. Look at that filthy old monitor at it's "huge" 15" screen and it must have weighed close to 50 lbs. And over the years I learned a lot, some things that today many people take for granted, and I shared that learning process on my blog. I would post so that other would be bloggers would have an easier time learning to post pictures and links and videos. I highlighted free services and just some basic stuff. All of that is way back in the archives of MyFordDreams Classic . But I never seem to stay ahead of the curve. Unlike many bloggers, I have no background in Publishing, Web Design or Computers ( in any way). Like an old time boxer I went in face first and took the hits.

But like Darwin may have said, you evolve or you die. So, today I'm doing several "Social Networking" efforts, including Twitter, MySpace, Facebook, LinkedIn and YouTube.

I've got my own Domain name and even with the graying of the beard I'm still learning.

If you're part of any of these networks look me up and I promise I won't cyberstalk you.