The big hits of the show are the Crossovers

Now several people have asked for more details on FoMoCo's new Crossovers, and that's understandable, because they were no doubt the stand out product in Ford's stable. And the one that I was able to get the closest look at was the CX-7. This turbocharged all wheel drive mini crossover is about the size of the new Dodge Caliber and other new mini utes. Smaller than the CX9/Edge/MKX triplets. Now quickly for "ThatDudeMike" I want to say this, as far as seat height I can't say for sure if it's over 24", but if it is, it's not by much. The seat is a pedastel mount in the vein of other little utes, but the vehicle doesn't sit very high.
Based on a chassis more akin to the Mazda5 than the CX9, it's really much smaller than it's siblings and shares few common parts. So if you can get into a Mazda5, you should be able to get into the CX7 with no further difficulties. The interior, as in most new Mazdas is just great, comfortable suportive seats, and a well laid out dash. This car seems worth every penny of it's estimated $26k. I tell you honestly, my only complaint is the lack of a manual transmission. But from my rides in my brother's Mazdaspeed6, I feel this 2.3L turbo direct injected I4 will have plenty of power even with the slush box. I wouldn't mind seeing a base model, with the base 2.3L engine either, it would give this mini ute real teeth in the market. Overall, just a winner with very few real world complaints.
The CX9/Edge/MkX were all locked and slightly out of reach, but the styling is just great.
And based on Ford's translation of the Mazda6 into the Zephyr, I mean MkZ, I would expect the interior trims to be very good. The top of the line Lincoln will share it's 265 hp 3.5L DOHC V6 and 6 speed Auto trans with Mazda and Ford, and power should be on par with any of the competition foreign or domestic.
The Edge, looks like a winner to me, and should really bring buyers flocking into the dealers. The Edge seems trim and muscular, and when was the last time you could say that about a new Ford? Now I couldn't get into any of the 3 larger ones, so just guessing from Fusion/Zephyr and CX7, I would expect interior trim and amenities to be very good. I know that's not detailed, but I'm not Brock Yates either, so don't excpet FoMoCo to toss me the keys for a ride any day soon.

These along with the Fusion/Milan/MkZ bring an infusion of Mazda DNA that may just be what Ford needs to bring back some excitment in their lineup. Now if we could only get the Focus C1, along with the Mazda3. And how about that 2.3L Direct Injection Turbo I4? Couldn't that find it's way into a Fusion?

Maybe we will start to see a turn around at Ford after all? It's at least a shot of adrenaline, oh that's right, they canceled that.

Down and dirty impressions of FoMoCo's performance at the NY Auto Show.

Now I'm going to comment on FoMoCo's brands in the order I went through them at the Javit's Center, starting with Jaguar. The new XK is a beauty, even though my friend pointed out the front end is very similar to the now defunct Taurus. Other than the XK, nothing new, and Aston was shoe horned in there abutting Range Rover. Next was Lincoln with 3 Zephyr/ MKZs in a row, to totally confuse consumers. So confusing in fact because one of them was badged as both a Zephyr and MKZ. The Aviator, I mean MKX was in the corner, and locked so I couldn't get in, but I was impressed with what I could see. And in the corner was a sad Lincoln LS that not many people payed attention to, just like FoMoCo. The new MKS sedan was on a stand, and beyond reach. It also didn't draw many looks while I was there. Further proving Lincoln and Mercury's irrelivance. Mercury was there, nuff said.

A bit of disapointment was Volvo, their spokes people in these ugly seafoam green suits with white shoes, and no C-30. But they did have a couple of C70s and they were great, a lot of people in the Volvo section, and many seemed drawn to the C70's good looks, top up or down.

Mazda was by far the winner of FoMoCo's brands, with almost as much space as needed and the new CX9, CX7 and Mazdaspeed3 really drawing the crowd. I actually had a chance to sit in the CX7, and let me tell you, this is one well executed vehicle. I was able to pop the hood and check the turbo direct injected I4, and greatful that I would never have to turn a wrench under there. In person the size difference between the two CX models is obvious in a way the photos online can't show. They both are nicely styled with the Mazda zoom zoom showing through.

Now Ford brand had the lion's share of the floor allocation and used it well. Except the way the GT350H was shoe horned next to a black Mustang GT, but the GT500 was on a turntable near the GT supercar's turntable, both had the crowd's attention. The Edge was there, looking good, but like the MKX not accessable. The styling and size of the vehicles lead me to think they'll be good sellers, especially with the 265 hp from the new 3.5 DOHC V6.

My new dream car, the Reflex, was there on a turntable, and I just stood there drooling like a fool. The one area that is not of interest to me is the interior. I'm not happy with the look of the materials and the goofy back seat. Build it as a 2 door and forget marketing it towards families. It's a sporty little car, just meant for the very young and the mid life crisis.

The trucks were downstairs, and I walked right by the FX2 without even noticing it, just as many prospective buyers will. The SuperChief was there as well. They had a couple of Rangers, although I can't figure out why.

On a scale of 1-10, I'd give FoMoCo a score of 8 overall, and the entire show experience a 9. One of the best NY shows I've attended over the last 28 years. I even walked over to the Zoom Zoom City across the street and was not as disapointed as I thought. The presentaion was well done, more than just a tent, Mazda knows how to market their vehicles, something Ford should learn.

No pictures with this post, because of problems with my PC.

NY Auto Show

Ok, so you've been reading all the coverage from the New York International Auto Show on the web at AutoBlog, Jalopnik, CarsCarsCars!, 4DriversOnly and the other reputable sources. And Starting Monday you'll be able to read my biased views on the show.

From a Ford fanatic's point of view it was a fairly good show, and FoMoCo had their A game going. There were a few minor problems, but taking all of Ford and their Partners together, there were more than enough hits to offset those.

I could not find the Volvo C30 and was disappointed about that, but the Edge, MKX, CX9 and CX7 were there, and the cars were not all locked as has been the case at previous shows. So I had the opportunity to sit in many of the new vehicles and get a feel for them. There were some interesting Non-Ford items that I will discuss on my other blog as well.

The Javitz Center may be getting old, but it's still a great facility and I spent 5 hours checking out the latest and greatest. I also had a chance to talk to an owner of a Ford dealership from Pennsylvania, who traveled to the show with friends. Interesting to hear his perspective on SVT, Blue Oval certification and other Ford related topics.

I won't be posting this weekend, because of the double whammy of my birthday and Easter, but expect to have some material for Monday probably in the evening.

According to Mark Fields SUVs are like Automotive Crack!

I was over at 4DriversOnly blog, reading BrooklynBob's (CarsCarsCars!) latest piece on the NY AutoShow and he referred to this article quoting Mark Fields of Ford (Link in title) saying that some people will continue buying large trucks and SUVs even if the price of gas were to go over $4 per gallon. Bob had a picture of a gas sign above where Unleaded Regular was $3.95 and Premium was over $4 per gallon.
Now I'm sure that Mr Fields may be right, that some people who have a need for such large vehciles will continue to buy large SUVs, but it seems a bit arogant and delusional to assume a business as ussual stance here. I mean, how can you "Drive American Innovation" by just doing the same old crap. Now maybe Mr Fields was taken out of context, it happens. But if I were him, I would have said that Ford will continue to meet the needs of it's customers and some of those customers need large trucks and SUVs, but we're working on technologies that will improve the fuel economy of these vehicles, such as our Hydraulic Launch Assist and more efficient Gasoline and Diesel powertrains. Hell mention Hybrids if you have to, but don't just say, we're going to continue building as many large SUVs and pickups as we can.
It makes him sound like some drug dealer talking about how he will continue to supply the addicts. I mean it's not really about who needs these large SUVs, it's more who wants them. There is no doubt a percentage of the population that NEED them. But far more of these barges are sold as status symbols or out of some delusion of increased safety. What happened to all of that "Year of the Car" talk? On one hand Ford talks about new product and innovation through technology and then they say "but don't fear, we're going to build as many of these monsters as you suckers will buy!"

Come on, get real for a minute. When gasoline reaches $4 per gallon and beyond, Ford GM and Chrysler can expect sales of large SUVs and pickups to slide even further and if they aren't prepared with more fuel efficient powertrain technologies and vehicles, they will find themselves gone the way of the dodo. I hope Mr Fields was taken out of context, because if he wasn't he sounds like a fool.

Ford has such promissing technologies they've highlighted, wouldn't it be great if "Driving American Innovation" really meant something?

FX2 F150, no jolt of Lightning

This is the new F150 FX2, their latest "sporty" truck offering. And don't get me wrong, it's nice with the body color trim, black billet grill and 18" rims. But "Where's the Beef?" I mean why don't we have a new Lightning? This is obviously an attempt to have a Lightning Lite.

I know SVT is in transition (dead) but how can Ford leave this slot empty? Chevy has the SS and Dodge has the SRT10, and this is the best Ford will do? It's supposed to be at the NY Auto Show, so I'll look, but unless it's going to have some major power, I'm not excited.

265 hp 250 lb ft of Tq, now that's more like it !

Ford's new 3.5L V6 due to debut in the Ford Edge and Lincoln MKX and MKS has been rated at 265 hp and 250 lb ft of torque, finally a piece of good news from the Blue Oval. That equals or beats many competitors and gives Ford the opportunity to address a common complaint, lack of power in V6 models.
While the Edge, MKX + MKS will get it first, the engine should spread out to other FoMoCo models. And it's about time. The 3.0L V6 rated at around 207 hp just doesn't compete with GM, Nissan, Honda or even Hyundai.
The additional power and upcoming styling changes may help the image of the dull 500. And that's a good thing. The 500 is a nice car, it just has no major appeal, other than it's value. It's a great chassis, and the interior is very nice, but 265 hp and the new Fusionesqe grill will hopefully give it the shot in the arm it needs.

But will the new 3.5L V6 with it's 265 hp ever make it into the Mustang? I know from reading JWFisher's blog months ago, that there had been versions suitable for a rear wheel drive platform, but 265 could be too close to the 4.6L V8's modest 300 hp. Ford needs to squeeze a couple of more ponies out of the V8 and put the new V6 in the Mustang pronto!

Program does not compute, no Rental for me

The answer is NO, I will not be buying this "Program" Mustang. I went to test drive this car on Saturday and let me tell you right from the begining it was a foul up. I made an appointment almost a week in advance, they told me they would have the car prepped and ready. It was raining on Saturday, and from my point of view, that's the best condition to test drive a convertible, because you're not distracted by the top down experience. Well the dealer did not prep the car, not in any way, it was parked in the corner behind half a dozen other cars, it was filthy and there were several things that didn't work, including the heat/defroster and A/C.

I sat in it, checked it out, and tried to overlook the stains on the ragtop and cloth interior. But when I couldn't see out of the front windsheild and the radio didn't work, I bolted. I know "Program" cars are usually returned rentals, but foolish me, I assumed they cleaned them and made sure everything was fixed before they tried to sell them. So regardless of the salesman's assurances that all issues would be taken care of before I picked up the car, I was left doubting by the fact they didn't even check it before the scheduled test drive.

So it's back to a new car hunt and brand loyalty is out the window. If Ford isn't going to produce anything marginally exciting (besides the Mustang) at a reasonable price, then I'm going to check everything from every brand. I'll discuss this more on my Non-Ford blog later.

What? No extra power? What's so Special about California Special?

So here it is the much anticipated California Special Mustang GT. So what do you get for your extra $1800? Well some stripes, a non-functional scoop, revised front/rear facia and polished wheels. But what's so special about it? Not much, not from my point of view. It highlights another failure on Ford's part to pump some excitement into the brand. The new GT350H is at least available with 20 extra ponies under the hood, why couldn't this "Special" have that?

It's not enough to throw on some stripes and scoops and call it a special, to be truly special a few extra horsepower would have been needed. I haven't seen any photos of the rear facia, I wonder if they installed sequential tail lights like the original?

Click on over to AutoBlog for more pictures and details, and never mind my moaning.

Mustang to go Fold ? Found on CarsCarsCars!

Bob over at Cars Cars Cars! points to an article saying the next Mustang Convertible could be going folding hard top like the Focus did in Europe. And I'm torn on this, I like the Focus Cabrio based on the Vignale concept shown.
But there's something nostalgic about a real "ragtop." And Mustangs are supposed to pull at your nostalgic chords, not your wallet. Will the new folding top increase the cost of Mustangs even further? Pick another model for the folding hardtop. Hell, bring the Focus Cabrio here or bring out a new T-Bird or Lincoln roadster out.

Holy Crap, a twin turbo V8 Diesel from Ford???

What would you say to 260 hp and 480 lb ft of torque? That's what the new 3.6 L Twin Turbo Diesel V8 from Ford will be putting out. But all you Powerstroke guys, don't hold your breath, it doesn't look like you'll get it. This V8 is based on the 2.7L V6 that Ford developed with PSA (Peugeot and Citreon) for use in their European models.
So rumors are that you could see it in Europe under the hoods of select Range Rovers.
And no doubt in top of the range Jaguars.
But wouldn't it be great to see it in the US under the hood of something like this? Now word about it coming to US in anything, but one can dream can't one?

Maybe??

Maybe, just maybe I can be persuaded to buy a used Mustang convertible? I don't know. I've been looking at new cars and had set myself some guidelines. I wanted something that would be practical and economical, but would have some comfort and be fairly well optioned. I had several must have features; manual transmission, leather interior, multi disc CD player, power windows/locks and moonroof, all for under $20k. And I didn't want something so boring that even if it was new I would beat myself up for the next 5 years.

I test drove Fusion, Sonata, shopped for Cobalt, Caliber, Scion Tc and several others. Many passed the $20k mark and others weren't available with all of the options. For example, a Mustang Coupe does not have an optional moonroof and the Scion Tc can't be had with leather interior.

So I was just goofing around on the computer today, and found the car pictured above. A Mustang convertible, obviously no moonroof, but since the top goes down that's understandable. But it also lacks some of the other key features I was looking for. No manual transmission, no leather interior and no multi disc CD player ( only single disc.) But it is well below the $20k ceiling for price and it's a MUSTANG.

It's a "program" car, that means returned rental car to you and I. It's got just over 14,000 miles and the asking price is just over $18,500 . New enough to feel new, with the remainder of the factory warranty, but not all of the options I want and the dreaded automatic transmission.

So I have more food for thought in my search for wheels. It's not as if I need a new car, I have my truck with very low miles, that is paid for and even though the warranty is up, is trouble free. It's more that I want something new. I had originally thought of buying a new Mustang Premium V6 coupe with the Pony package.

I have some comments that may reveal how I'm leaning on this;

The cloth interior that is available on Mustangs is among the cheapest feeling crap I've felt in years.

The selling price relfects just how resale values on Mustangs have tanked, I mean it's only 1 year old with 14,000 miles and it's so cheap? That's over $7000 less than new.

The flood of "Program" cars onto dealer's lots is going to be good for customers who want a V6 automatic, but bad for dealers who are trying to sell new ones right on the same lot.

For even less money than this I found the same dealer selling "Program" Crown Victorias with leather, nicely equipped.

I'm not sure where I'm going to end up buying, but Ford's chances of getting my money are slim and that's a frigging shame, cause I love Ford. I love a bargain, but is it a bargain if it's not what you really want or need?

The Auto Prophet sends Ford a reality check

On Thursday the Auto Prophet took a look at sales figures for Ford and his commentary isn't exactly a bullet to the head, but a reality check for FoMoCo. I generally don't post on figures or bad news, just my opinions on what Ford needs to do. But I read the AutoProphet daily and have always respected his writing. Click the link in the header and read his take on the uninspiring numbers.

One thing that shocked me, was the sales of Taurus vs Fivehundred and Fusion combined. If the numbers are right it's a sad situation. But I wonder if the Taurus sales numbers reflect large fleet sales. But AutoProphet's comments are valid, for even with fleet sales, the outgoing Taurus shouldn't have outsold both of it's replacement's combined sales.

Jaguar seems to be having a bad time, but hopefully new models will increase profitability, you know, maybe they'll make a profit. The X Type seems like a loser, but I just can't figure out why the S Type isn't selling. LandRover has the new Freelander coming, so maybe that will help. Volvo? now that's a mystery to me, the lineup seems good to me, but currency exchange does keep prices high.

Without retyping the AutoProphet's article here, sufice to say he's right on the money, and Ford has just let some product spoil and isn't doing enough to bring fresh product to market.

My final thoughts? Focus! Focus! Focus!!!!!

Superchief at AutoBlog

I'm not much of a big truck fan, but AutoBlog has a piece on the new SuperDuty Ford trucks, and link to spy photos showing the influence of the recent SuperChief concept.

New Blogger with Mondeo news from Europe

I received an e-mail today from David M, who's recently started a new automotive blog here on Blogger. David is from the UK and while he doesn't limit himself to Ford products, he has quite a few recent pieces about the new Mondeo, including photos.
And according to David, the new Mondeo will not be as close to the Iosis as we had thought. His disappointment is clear. So click the link and check out David's blog. In his note, he politely jabbed me, because as he puts it " in Europe, they get a lot of interesting Fords " and anyone who has read my blogs, knows how I feel about that.

Panther platform problem, what should be done?

Ford's Panther platform is the base for the Crown Victoria, Mercury Grand Marqui and Marauder and Lincoln Town Car. The current chassis originates with the 1979 model year and while it's been updated and improved some over the years, it's not very competative in today's market. The large rear wheel drive flagships for each of FoMoCo's divisions have been allowed to become dated and obsolete. While still capable and solid chassis, they don't compare to competitors from Cadilac and Chrysler, never mind the European rear wheel drive luxury offerings.
Each version has had it's purpose, the Ford Crown Victoria being a staple for Police and Taxi fleets, the Grand Marquis being a favorite of retirees and the Town Car being the Limo and Car Service favorite. But even in those markets, Ford is facing increasing competition and pressure. In recent years, there have been lawsuits involving Police Cruisers that have exploded in high speed crashes. A dangerous paralel between this and the well known Pinto case from the 70's, and Ford again knows what the fix is. So what can be done to save this segment for Ford?
Well, I've said it before, Ford makes another full size rear wheel drive chassis that should be pressed into service. The Australian Ford Falcon/Fairmont/LTD is a range of rear wheel drive sedans, wagons, crossovers and utes ( Ranchero type car based truck) designed and manufactured by Ford of Australia. The names will immediately be familiar to Ford fans, as American nameplates from the past. While the Falcon ended it's US run in 1971, it continued and evolved down under. The Fairmont name is one used in the US during the second half of the 1970's and LTD was an iconic name for decades here in the US. Down under these later names are used to differentiate trim levels on the same chassis. The newest Aussie Falcon is a modern fully independent suspension, with it's unique Control Blade IRS setup.
There seems to be a Falcon for every job, as they are very popular for Police duty in Australia. I'm sure they could be adapted for Taxi fleets here in the US as well. With powertrains that start with 240 hp inline 6 cyl's and move up to monster 5.4L V8's and Turbo I6's that are among the most powerfull motors made. The Territory, a crossover based on Falcon mechanicals is available with all wheel drive. It's a great chassis, with flexability of powertrain and body styles.
Even the limo/car service and luxury segments would be better served with this platform. The Town Car is great for a ride to the airport, but not very presitigious or fun to drive. Lincoln was once the car to own, now it's the car to call for an airport pickup.
This handsome sophisticated sedan could revive some of that old spirit at Lincoln, the longer wheelbase LTD has limo like rear doors and comfort. Combine that with gobs of power and the IRS, and maybe just maybe Lincoln could once again compete with the likes of Mercedes and BMW.

And for those of us who feel nostaligic we could have a new Ranchero! Now I'm not saying Ford should import these cars from Australia, the realities of currency exchange and other factors would make that a loosing proposition. I'm saying import the design, or elements of the design. Build a new Panther family using many of the best parts of the Falcon, including the I6 and IRS.

Will there be a new Mazda 929 or 9 ?

After reading that last piece on the Mazda CX-9, I was wondering what ever happened to the 929. It was Mazda's top of the line, well below the Milenia which I think everyone would rather not mention in mixed company. Could/Should Mazda offer a new Mazda9 ?


Why couldn't they build something off the Volvo S80 platform like Ford did with the Fivehundred? Would it sell? I don't see why not. I mean if Mazda really believes they need a 7 passenger crossover why couldn't they sell a sedan larger than the Mazda6 ? While the Fivehundred doesn't seem very Zoom Zoom, don't underestimate the chassis, after all the S-80 is the source. And what would Mazda do with it's first V8? At least I've never heard of a factory V8 from Mazda.

What do you think? Should Mazda bring out a 9 ?

CX-9 ? I guess with all the talk of CX-7 I missed this one

Mazda CX-9? I thought Mazda already had a new Crossover coming, but on AutoBlog they say that the new CX-9 seven passenger Crossover is going to be introduced at the upcoming New York International Auto Show, and that it's going to replace the MPV mini van. Based on the same platform as the new Ford Edge and Lincoln Aviator, I mean MKX, it's going to have the new 3.5 Duratec V6.
Now I didn't even know the Edge or MKX were going to be 7 passenger vehicles. So I was surprised to read that. But the 3.5 Duratec will apeal to more mainstream buyers than the turbo I4 in the CX-7.
But won't they too closely compete for buyers? And styling is so close that it would be hard to tell the two apart. I know it's April 4th, but is this an April Fools? I'm going to the New York show, so I'll let you know what I see, and of course try and get decent photos.

One useless truck against another, AutoBlog talks Sport Trac vs Ridgeline

I'm on the record as not being a fan of either the Ford Explorer SportTrac or the Honda Ridgeline, but if you need to buy a useless truck, buy the Ford. In a piece over at AutoBlog they discuss an article from the Detroit News comparing the SportTrac and Ridgeline. The new SportTrac is larger and offers a V8 at last, to the glee of devoted fans, it's also finally caught up with it's Explorer brother, with it's new fully independendt suspension and modern interior. Ford is expecting to sell between 50-60 thousand units per year as they have in the past.
Honda sold 53,000 Ridgelines it's first year and says they are satisfied, although the disapointment seems clear. Honda's Ridgeline is less trucklike than competitors, like the SportTrac, because it's a unibody vehicle. The SportTrac sits on a seperate frame, but one of the best truck frames you can find, and you won't find many squeaks or rattles, this isn't a 1976 F100. SportTrac will benefit from Ford's work on the Explorer, that has refined that model into one of the best riding truck based SUVs around. Both articles, AutoBlog and Detroit News make much about Honda's lockable "trunk" in the cargo bed, but that's always seemed like a bad idea to me. But maybe that's because unlike many reviewers or Honda employees, I drive a truck. How are you supposed to use that lockable storage area if you have any items in the bed of your truck? Or how about this, if you have a bed extender cage, like many people do, and is available on the SportTrac, that means you have to lower the tailgate, then remove the extender to unlock and open the "trunk". But you're thinking, "Joe, not everyone has or needs one of those bed extenders." Well if they need a truck and they buy either of these, then they need the extender. My biggest fault with both of these is the short bed.
Now this is a truck! A much more usable 5ft bed, that with the extender comes to 7ft and you can drive this to any "black tie" event, just like either of the others. The Ranger Crew Cab has been available world wide, with the exception of United States and Canada for several years. And what Ford should be wondering is not how many people are buying Ridgelines, but how many are buying Crew Cab Tacomas, Canyon/Colorados and Frontiers.

I know I'm biased toward the Ranger, but if my choices were limited to the Ridgeline and SportTrac, I'd buy a V6 SportTrac, it's a better value.

Sunday drive in a true blue oval classic

On Sunday, I had the chance to take my friend's classic 1969 Thunderbird for a drive, and it was a thrill. What a beauty, looking like the day it left the dealership 37 years ago, and with the power of that 7 Liter big block V8 I was in heaven.
This is a big car, not the biggest I've ever driven, but bigger than my truck. And what a ride, like riding on air. Sure it's a little floaty and the steering just a tad numb, but you stab that right pedal and acceleration is immediate and smooth. On a mixture of two lane sidestreets and multi lane main routes, this was an impressive drive. Sure, you're not going to autocross in it, but I could see driving it across the state, or several states, on vacation or cruising on a Saturday night.

Perception vs Reality

One problem domestic auto makers need to overcome is the perception that consumers have of lower quality. Despite reports and surveys by the likes of JD Powers, that show domestics to be on parr with foreign auto makers in quality for at least a decade. It's this perception and the aditional perception of value that are hurting domestic brands.
I was watching John McElroy on Autoline Detroit Sunday morning and he discussed this. And it's refreshing to hear a mainstream automotive journalist speak the truth. But how can domestic brands change these perceptions of quality and value? Well in my opinion there are a couple of steps.

First lengthen base warranties from 3 year/36,000 miles to 5 year/50,000 miles. If the quality is there, expenses should't rise too far. Hyundai and Kia have 10 year/100,000 mile warranties and that helps boost perception of quality. If a manufacturer is willing to back up it's product, it promotes a perception of quality and value. Chrysler did this 20 years ago with the 6 yr/ 60,000 mile warranties it offered. Hell, my first new car was a Ford Festiva with a 6 yr/60K warranty !

Second stop the incentive wars. No journalists talk about how much foreign manufacturers are "putting on the hood" to sell vehicles, but just go through the paper or watch TV and you'll see for yourself. Toyota and Honda run month long "Clearance" sales and Hyundai is currently offering three times as much money in incentives on the Sonata, than Ford is offering on the Fusion. The constant incentive battles amongst domestic brands do more dammage than good.

Third stop lobbying so hard to prevent further government regulations on emissions, safety and fuel economy. These same issues are concerns for foreign automakers, but the public perception of "Detroit Dinosaurs" fighting to make thirsty and dirty gas guzzlers is the result. While Toyota sells more SUV models than many other manufacturers ( Land Cruiser, FourRunner, Highlander , Sequoia, Rav4 and now the FJ Cruiser, plus the Lexus clones of these) Nissan isn't one to be left out either ( Pathfinder Armada, Pathfinder, XTerra and Murano, plus Infinity clones.) But it's Ford and GM that get pointed out by environmentalists, because of their dominance in the large vehicle segment. Ford's "Driving Innovation" campaign is a start, and their research and development programs have produced some promissing concepts that showcase this technology.

Fourth, bring new exciting vehicles to market, with styling and technologies that equals or beats foreign competitors. Chrysler learned it needed to take some risks, and we can all see how that's working for them. Sure they had a bomb with the Crossfire, but look at the 300/Magnum/Charger and the upcoming Caliber. Ford and GM need to take a few risks. I've pointed to some of their concepts like the Reflex, Faction and Iosis as models that I see great potential. Ford has the technology with Hybrids, Flex Fuel, Diesel and Hydrogen powertrains, as well as systems like their Hydraulic Launch Assist that could make a world of difference in consumer perceptions.

I'm no expert, but there are some common sense points here. I've talked about Ford's opportunities with flexible production facilities and shared components/platforms in the past. I see a new B-Segment platform ( the Euro Fiesta) giving Ford the chance to try niche vehicles like the Reflex and Bronco and defray the costs by sharing components and flexible production.

Now is not the time to pull your head in like a turtle and hope the problem goes away, now is the time for action.