Here's How I Would Do It - A Plan For Ford Motor Company

Greetings one and all. First and foremost, I am an automotive enthusiast of the higher order. Sports cars. Big, cushy luxury sedans. Heavy duty diesel crew cab full-size trucks with eight inches of lift and 38 inch tall mud tires. Chromed out SUVs scraping the ground. Pocket rocket econo-hatchbacks. Old school muscle cars. I love 'em all. I also subscribe to several enthusiast magazines and take part in discussions on several enthusiast websites. As a matter of fact, a story on one website (either Autoblog or Jalopnik) led me to a group of GM engineers and enthusiasts who have far superior Photoshop and HTML skills than I do. They created a comprehensive GM lineup for North America, and presented it in a website with links to all of the specific lineups. That was my inspiration for this, and I must give a tip of the cap to the people behind GM: Revitalization In Action.

And with all honesty, regardless of brand preferences, good cars have universal appeal to the car enthusiasts. You can be a die-hard Mopar fanatic and still completely appreciate (and revere) the idea of a Don Yenko-prepped Chevrolet Chevelle SS LS6. Likewise a Blue Oval Early Bronco fan can look at an early 70s Toyota FJ40 Land Cruiser with 4 inches of lift, lockers, a winch, 33 inch mud terrains, and a GM small block conversion, and be perfectly happy to go out rock climbing with it in the group. Even the snootiest of supercar fans can still acknowledge and respect the bang for the buck that has been wrought by the Mustang GT 500KR, the ZR1 Corvette, and the Viper SRT-10.

For the record, though, I am a Ford fan. The earliest Ford I remember being in my family was my father's 1969 Torino GT with a 390 V8. At one point when I was in high school, my family's vehicles were all Fords: Taurus Wagon for Mom, Ranger for Dad, and I had an Escort EXP. Even back then having a disdain for the mainstream GM products, I was still able to appreciate such vehicles as the IROC-Z28, the Buick Grand National GNX, and the Z71 full-size trucks. But I remained a Ford fan. I have had periods where I haven't had a Ford, but I still rank them high on my "consideration" chart. Currently the Edge is one of the leading candidates for when my current lease is up.

After the success that Ford had in the 80s, the 90s saw some drifting. The Explorer was introduced and was a smash hit. But as a contrast, the Taurus went far too long without a proper redesign, and the 1996 redesign was not worthy of the Taurus name, in my humble opinion. That design languished long enough as to bleed the equity out of the nameplate. Powertrain combinations failed to keep up with, much less surpass what was coming out of both GM and the imports in terms of both mileage and power. Refinement and quality suffered during those periods as well, and sales declined as people jumped ships to the juggernauts of Toyota and Honda.

Ford has initiated several programs to turn things around...Bold, The Way Forward, etc. There has been some positive action on these fronts...the return of the Taurus and Sable nameplates, the Fusion, the continued sales leadership of the F-Series trucks. But as I see it, there are still many concerns. The powertrains offered in the F-Series seem to be lacking in both mileage and power ratings compared to their contemporaries; the interior on the Mustang is horrendous; the 2008 North American Focus is horrifically unattractive; the lack of new and distinct product for Mercury is a shame; the interiors offered on current Lincolns, particularly the Navigator (which is also sorely underpowered compared to its competitors like the Escalade and GL450) goes so far in the retro style of the instrument panel as to be unattractive.

What I have attempted to do with this website is to create a comprehensive lineup for Ford Motor Company's three North American divisions, Ford, Mercury, and Lincoln. I have established basic styling themes and characteristics for each division, identified vehicle platforms for the individual vehicles, and established powertrain options. I have attempted to identify and/or utilize platforms, vehicles, and technology and powertrains that are currently available or proposed within the FoMoCo family. Where specific vehicles/platforms/powertrains do not exist, I have made my best possible suggestions based on what either is available, or seems reasonably feasible to create. I am neither an engineer nor am I a stylist, so I can offer no guarantee as to the feasibility of the vehicles and components I have proposed. That being said, I feel that the specifications I identify are not unreasonable given current offerings and announced technology. These vehicles, platforms, and powertrains are geared for the North American market, but could serve as the basis for global offerings. Some technology and componentry is sourced from other divisions of Ford Motor Company, but the vehicles ultimately described herein are strictly Ford, Mercury, and Lincoln.

All of that being said, Here's How I Would Do It. Platforms are discussed here. Powertrains are discussed here. The comprehensive lineup of Ford cars and trucks is discussed here. The proposed revitalization of Mercury is here. And the reestablishment of Lincoln as a true, top tier luxury brand is discussed here.

Should you have any comments, please feel free to comment on the specific posts. Or if you wish a more personal form of communication, I can be reached via email at: iamhoff@gmail.com.