Ford Kills Off Lightning

[b4z]

They're dropping like flies.

Looks like the only SVT vehicle will be the Mustang.

http://www.autoweek.com/news.cms?newsId=101065

[SergntMac]

This is exactly why God gave us two feet...So you can still limp around and get some stuff done on one foot, while the other foot heals from your self-inflicted gun shot wound.

[Paul T. Casey]

Unfortunately, that seems to be a long standing Ford tradition. Marauder 3 times, different Mustang pkgs, god knows how many, Big block Torino/Fairlane, V-8 Comet, Capri (fox body), Cougar.... it goes on and on. Hurts us in the long run with higher costs for aftermarket parts because of rareness of the breed. Just compare a Chevy cam to a Ford grind, about $35 average for same results. :alone:

[Logan]

Ford is now officially gay.

[Bigdogjim]

Big Dog is leaving the planet!

[duhtroll]

Have faith - it'll come back in a couple with better design and more horsies.

Right about the time I'm ready to add a truck to the lineup.

(Raspy Mr. Burns voice)

"Excellent . . ."

-A

[Logan]

Faith is one thing, 3-4 years is stupid.

[bigslim]

Faith is one thing, 3-4 years is stupid.
Well said Logan. Working for Ford I am having a lot of trouble trying to support my company. Thank God my brother works for Chrysler and my sister-in-law works for GM.

[chrish]

Faith is one thing, 3-4 years is stupid.
Ya still livin' in dallas?

Ford rules all our lives.......we are pupets to the current .& future regimes
We will listen & like what we are told.
understand? :mad2:

[Zack]

Ford is now officially gay.

Must have been the sack of crystals I sent them

[Joe Walsh]

Must have been the sack of crystals I sent them
:rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

Maybe the Lightning Design Team was tired of getting 'grilled' by the Corporate penny pinchers!

[Bigdogjim]

This is exactly why God gave us two feet...So you can still limp around and get some stuff done on one foot, while the other foot heals from your self-inflicted gun shot wound.

The sad part is how the "other" Auto Companys view this plan. Remember you can die from self-inflicted wounds.

[Bigdogjim]

Ford is now officially gay.

How so you think the "Lightning" faithful took the news of Marauders demise?

[Embassy]

Apparently, cost played a leading role in the decision, as the expense involved in developing and certifying a proper V8, and massaging the new-for-2004 F-150's chassis, was deemed prohibitive. Also, the next-generation Lightning's fuel mileage would likely continue to detract from Ford's Corporate Average Fuel Economy totals: The current Lightning is rated at 12 mpg city, 16 mpg highway.


Looks like another victim of bean-counting and EPA public relations.

As with the Marauder, FoMoCo did not exactly go out of their way to advertise the Lightning.

[Patrick]

Must have been the sack of crystals I sent them


:stupid: :lol: :lol:

[prchrman]

Looks like another victim of bean-counting and EPA public relations.

As with the Marauder, FoMoCo did not exactly go out of their way to advertise the Lightning.

Had not thought of it...but...never remember a Lightning commercial on TV or MM for that fact...but boy howdy the Ryan Newman doors flying everywhere for the V10 truck the Hemi commercials and the Magnum and 300C commercials...and also the Caddy ads...they are everywhere...GTO had air time but in its case it is just toooooo plain...Maybe Ford thinks all us hot rodders are going to go to Zoom Zoom or maybe the Jags...not going to happen with me...to me they are becoming an American answer for Kia...Ford has not only become gay but plain vanilla and mayo...no salsa..........willie

[NAVCHAP]

Does anyone know how this will impact Street Tune Engineering? Does this mean that Steve Babcock's new projects will be stopped before they are started?
-kjs-

[Logan]

STE is nothing but the ford version of Dodge's SXT program. Apply stickers and stupid body fascia, call it cool for the kiddo's...

[Bigdogjim]

Ford has not only become gay but plain vanilla and mayo...no salsa..........willie

Well look at what's in the line up? #1 selling truck. # 1 selling SUV.

Question is how long will line of thinking hold up in the market place?????

[QWK SVT]

How so you think the "Lightning" faithful took the news of Marauders demise?
Honestly, it was kind of overlooked, from what I've seen. A few messages about it being a shame that Ford is shying away from the hipo market - which they're now continuing to do...:alone:

I'm glad I've got two great, low mileage vehicles, now. I have a feeling that Ford might not have anything for me, for a while... Dodge is putting out some strong (if ugly-assed) cars, but there's no way I'll own one of them :puke:

[04MEMA]

Soap Box Time...

:soapbox: Ford has lost approximately7% of it's market share since 1995 or so. The only reason they are turning a profit these days is due to Ford Motor Credit. They can't turn a profit on cars/trucks (on a whole). Jag is losing $ and some people are rumoring them dumping jag. Lincoln decided to not take on Cadillac and it's V series and scrapped plans for a hot rod LS. :stupid: :puke: They're planning on all Lincolns going to front wheel drive with AWD option, when all the competition is going rear drive. Cancelling the LS when it's likely the best car Ford ever made. No SHO Taurus. No SVT Focus? (incidentally a $3,800 s/c on one runs 13.7's) No lightning. No Marauder. T-Bird canceled. And Ford is talking turn around? It's tough to keep pulling for one of only two American car companies left (Dodge is German now) when all it does is make mistake after mistake. Okay the Mustang is cool and so is the killer GT. But why not just stick the GT motor in the F150 like the SRT10? Go head to head. Why can Dodge do it and Ford can't?

Ford needs a Bob Lutz maybe? Did Nasser screw things up beyond repair? How about Ford trying to capture peoples passions for Automobiles. This sight is living proof that it can be done. Make a car that's gotta have. So many of the new Fords are so friggin plain and boring. :sleepy: :coffee: Spend more on the product and charge more - if it's gotta have they'll pay more for it. Many of us would have gladly paid sticker and no rebates for a MM with the Cobra motor. Ford needs to do something, at this rate Ford will have no market share left in less than 25 years. Wake up everybody there's a fire in the house!!! :mad2: :banghead: :razz: :fire:

Losing Faith, but was it over when the Germans bombed Pearl Harbor? (shh... he's on a roll) NO! and it's not over now!
Jeff

[chrish]

Soap Box Time...

:soapbox: Ford has lost approximately7% of it's market share since 1995 or so. The only reason they are turning a profit these days is due to Ford Motor Credit. They can't turn a profit on cars/trucks (on a whole). Jag is losing $ and some people are rumoring them dumping jag. Lincoln decided to not take on Cadillac and it's V series and scrapped plans for a hot rod LS. :stupid: :puke: They're planning on all Lincolns going to front wheel drive with AWD option, when all the competition is going rear drive. Cancelling the LS when it's likely the best car Ford ever made. No SHO Taurus. No SVT Focus? (incidentally a $3,800 s/c on one runs 13.7's) No lightning. No Marauder. T-Bird canceled. And Ford is talking turn around? It's tough to keep pulling for one of only two American car companies left (Dodge is German now) when all it does is make mistake after mistake. Okay the Mustang is cool and so is the killer GT. But why not just stick the GT motor in the F150 like the SRT10? Go head to head. Why can Dodge do it and Ford can't?

Ford needs a Bob Lutz maybe? Did Nasser screw things up beyond repair? How about Ford trying to capture peoples passions for Automobiles. This sight is living proof that it can be done. Make a car that's gotta have. So many of the new Fords are so friggin plain and boring. :sleepy: :coffee: Spend more on the product and charge more - if it's gotta have they'll pay more for it. Many of us would have gladly paid sticker and no rebates for a MM with the Cobra motor. Ford needs to do something, at this rate Ford will have no market share left in less than 25 years. Wake up everybody there's a fire in the house!!! :mad2: :banghead: :razz: :fire:

Losing Faith, but was it over when the Germans bombed Pearl Harbor? (shh... he's on a roll) NO! and it's not over now!
Jeff


Jeff i agree but, look at the lincoln sight........they got some GREAT concept cars.....IF they would introduce some of these look out

they aren't those way out stupid looking future cars you've seen .These are real production possible cars that look smashing [as sammy would say] :burnout:

[Joe Walsh]

Soap Box Time...





Losing Faith, but was it over when the Germans bombed Pearl Harbor? (shh... he's on a roll) NO! and it's not over now!
Jeff


Was it over when the Yankees won 3 straight??? :D

[Joe Walsh]

Great post their. Only thing is Japan bombed Pearl Harbor.


04MEMA was just quoting a line from the "ANIMAL HOUSE" movie...

[Bigdogjim]

04MEMA was just quoting a line from the "ANIMAL HOUSE" movie...

It was 1941 the movie! I did not delet quick enough:):):)

[04MEMA]

Great post their. Only thing is Japan bombed Pearl Harbor.
Gotta watch Animal House to understand that line!! It's Jim Belushi's character's line... It's intentionaly wrong - get it? It's a joke! that's what the shh... he's on a role thing is about! Sorry, I have a thing for movie qoutes, which is what my member name is about... Guess I'm a little :loco: but that's probably why I fit in here? :D

Jeff

[chrish]

what is your member name mean....& is that a hat on your head or are you just scared to see me?

[teamrope]

At least there's the Rumble Bee! (That thing gotta Hemi?) :)

[04MEMA]

Jeff i agree but, look at the lincoln sight........they got some GREAT concept cars.....IF they would introduce some of these look out

they aren't those way out stupid looking future cars you've seen .These are real production possible cars that look smashing [as sammy would say] :burnout:


Okay the Continental and the Zephyr look tuff, but most enthusiast cars that Ford makes just get cancelled in a year or two anyway... :D And am I supposed to get excited over front wheel drive? I had a GTP for a year and dumped it for the MM mainly due to wrong wheel drive and no V8..... Anyway thanks for the encouraging words!

Jeff

[NAVCHAP]

Incredible! We build a community around this great automobile, celebrate the great potential that it has, a la Mac's (formerly Bill's) KB #1.

Todd builds Marty's ultimate warrior, Jerry B's amazing SEMA treatment, Paul's 6 speed, Lidio's quarter mile times, Barry's incredible n/a.

Joe P, Mark K, Logan's #1 and #2, Dennis Reinhart's phenomenal work on my car while I was in the orient and then overseas.

So many more folks that have added such special touches and innovations.

Then they close the playground!

I am so happy to have been a small part of this great time in automobilia, and it's already over. Sorry to preach, y'all, but that's what your tax dollars pay me to do.

I never owned or drove a "ning" but I will sure miss it, as I will miss the MM, the Focus SVT, and the potential they all represented. -kjs-

[hdwrench]

"The only reason they are turning a profit these days is due to Ford Motor Credit."

I wonder how that works since they have had low interest or 0% for a few years now...

[chrish]

fordmoco. pays the credit arm a buy down & ford credit is very diversified not only car loans

[04MEMA]

what is your member name mean....& is that a hat on your head or are you just scared to see me?
One of my favorite movies and characters - Guy Ritchie's movie called "Snatch" The link: Mickey (pictured in my avatar - Brad Pitt's character) is a "Pikey" who's a one punch KO boxing champion. He fights to win a caravan "for me Ma". My car is an 04 MErcury MArauder, hence the 04MEMA. Call it strange, silly or just plain weird, but I like it... :2thumbs:

Jeff

[shannon corkill]

Once again...Ford needs to fire it's marketing analys-nerds...they need to fire their advertising idiots too.....Didn't Lee Iacoca( sp) quit ford because of things like this? I waited 4 years(1999-DEC 2002) for the Marauder to come out and they killed it in 2 years, GOD KNOWS WHY!!! Because all the Dealerships sold all of them quickly here!!!.....Poor sales my A&&!! :mad2: :mad2: :mad: :censor:

[jobrien8]

Just to clarify a couple of things. Iaccoa didn't quit, Henry Ford II fired him in '78. Bob Lutz left Ford soon after to be with his pal Lee.

[shannon corkill]

wasn't sure about Lee, Ford still went down hill, and dodge finally turned around, due to him ... ..I still won't buy a new MOPAR...strictly pre-1974...
I am truly disappointed with Ford and their desicions they have made...I find it so funny that it was the Marauder that made return of a true performance sedan, and they aren't made anymore...but Magnums and 300s are now moving like crazy.

[cyclone03]

now I wonder how the current lightning leasees will feel in 2 years?
Rember the "deal" ford made to customers to sign up for 2 year leases? The deal was to bridge the gap to the new SVT products coming in 05/06.
Now no new product.

[Tallboy]

One of my favorite movies and characters - Guy Ritchie's movie called "Snatch" The link: Mickey (pictured in my avatar - Brad Pitt's character) is a "Pikey" who's a one punch KO boxing champion. He fights to win a caravan "for me Ma". My car is an 04 MErcury MArauder, hence the 04MEMA. Call it strange, silly or just plain weird, but I like it... :2thumbs:

Jefflove the movie!
love the character!

[you have seen "lock, stock and two smoking barrels," right?]:Offtopic:

[Patrick]

My car is an 04 MErcury MArauder, hence the 04MEMA. Call it strange, silly or just plain weird, but I like it... :2thumbs:

Jeff

VERY COOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[04MEMA]

love the movie!
love the character!

[you have seen "lock, stock and two smoking barrels," right?]:Offtopic:
Someone told me to watch it, and I forgot. Thanks for the reminder! :)

[04MEMA]

VERY COOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Why thank you, Sir :sunshine:

[klmore]

now I wonder how the current lightning leasees will feel in 2 years?
Rember the "deal" ford made to customers to sign up for 2 year leases? The deal was to bridge the gap to the new SVT products coming in 05/06.
Now no new product.
I thought the same thing...that was a deal alright.:bs:

The word Screwed comes to mind.

I'm a big Ford fan and I bought my third Chevy today. I've owned at least 30 cars and only three of them have been Chevys. Number three today. I traded in the Excursion for a Suburban. I'm not sure about Fords future, but I hope it turns around.:(

[04MEMA]

Great Avatar klmore! :rofl: :rofl:

[RCSignals]

that's brought to us by Autoweek, the same source that recently said there would be a Marauder in 2007

[Silver_04]

That does it...Ford has lost its automotive soul.

Dear Ford Corporate people that visit this site,

I have two Chevys at home now after owning a '01 Focus ZX3, '02 Mustang GT and a '04 Marauder. There's a reason for my brand swap…think about it. Where are the teeth in your products? I now find Ford as exciting as Toyota and VW/Audi which are automotive equivalents to home appliances. If volume is what you want: great for it’s a noble goal. But, what about achieving volume with exciting products? Your apparent lack of interest in generating hot product doesn’t do a lot to get foot traffic in the doors of dealerships. I know I won’t be stopping by. Of course you can’t please all people all of the time, but your abandonment of performance is just down right crazy to put it plainly. If it weren’t for the now overweight and bloated, but still RWD and V8 Mustang, there wouldn’t be a whole lot from Ford in terms of performance that most people could actually obtain. Loud exhaust, a wing and stickers on a ZX3 doesn’t count.

Ford had an opportunity to OWN the performance and RWD markets but instead sat on its haunches and let the products get old and sloppy...complacent perhaps due to a lack of competition? Now that competition comes your way firing away on all 8 cylinders, the nifty Ford products are dropping like flies and Ford backs it potential down to 6 cylinders. What’s the point of building an image car like the GT to bring me into a dealership to get excited about a Ford 500? Oh wait, perhaps seeing that the GT appears to use the same turn signal and windshield wiper stalks as a Focus will make me want to buy a Focus because of the performance signal/wiper stalk. Trickle down performance, oh wait…that would be trickle up in this case because the Focus has been around longer. How ironic. Your 120K+ performance car uses 15K car switch gear…why?!

Yes, I’m on the outside looking in and maybe you all have some really hot future products brewing that you just don’t want the public to know about…doubtful but we can hope, eh? Yet, what I see is the products that actually separated Ford from the “boring” competition are gone and you are putting yourselves in a position of “catch up” to the established, and in turn making Ford, well, boring. I fear we are going to start seeing pictures of “Missing: SVT” on the back of milk cartons. And for crying out loud, make a car to compete with the Corvette and Viper.

Regards,
Confused and upset former Ford owner

P.S. What on earth happened to your F1 program?

[Joe Walsh]

Not to beat someone when they're down....but I'm going to jump in with Silver 04 here....After going through four (4) transmissions in my 89 Taurus, you (FORD) lost a FORD ONLY CONSUMER. I went out and bought a 96 Blazer. The Blazer (220,000 miles) is about to expire and I'm buying a new car. You got me back in the fold with the Marauder and I LOVE IT....but NOW YOU HAVE NOTHING THAT INTERESTS ME IN THE LEAST!!! I'm not bighting on the FWD V6 Ford 500 (been there, done that), and I'm not bighting on the CVT Freestyle, nor they Non-4 wheel drive Escape, nor the too big, lousy gas mileage Explorer either....GET THE PICTURE???
Loyal FORD customers are walking away in droves and you've got nothing to attract customers of competeing brands!! WAKE UP! Not every FORD has to be a High Performance model, but at least make some models interesting and fun to drive. :soap:
There I'm done venting. Now I'll go get another cup of coffee!

[klmore]

WAKE UP! Not every FORD has to be a High Performance model, but at least make some models interesting and fun to drive. :soap:
There I'm done venting. Now I'll go get another cup of coffee!
I agree they all don't have to be SVT vehicles, but some thing at least different.

[klmore]

Great Avatar klmore! :rofl: :rofl:
It's a bumper sticker I bought for my car. I can't actually bring myself to stick it to any of my cars, but it is still fun to have.

[Al Goguen]

Man. I wish you would stop beating around the bush and really
say how you feel?....hehehehehe Agreed Ford exec's need someone
with younger blood and some foresight on thier model introduction teams
:)

[TripleTransAm]

I now find Ford as exciting as Toyota and VW/Audi which are automotive equivalents to home appliances.

There's your answer. Toyota is gunning for the top sales spot worldwide, and is making great strides in this mission. Sales = profit, no matter *what* they sell. Profit = happy shareholders now, no matter what the long term direction. Do we honestly believe that car makers are interested in making vehicles? This is business... business is about selling stuff. They could be selling widgets. They could be selling discombobulators (the electric ones, not the old style magnetic ones). They could be selling metal boxes with plastic parts and 4 rubber wheels. It doesn't matter, as long as it costs $x to build them, and they can sell them for $y and make a decent $y-$x profit on each one, and sell lots of them.

I don't think I'm off base with this... any of you with friends or family working high enough in auto manufacturer management have probably seen what I described above. "Car Guys" (tm) are few and far between in upper management. It's a business. And soon, the "car guy" has to eventually blend in, or gets pushed out of the circle of influence by the mass of others willing to confirm to the Big Business model of working. GM was a good example of this, with the killing of the F-cars. Some changes in management came about around the time it happened, but the damage was done.

Besides, high performance cars are a nuisance. High performance car owners are a nuisance. We are more in tune with our vehicles and are more demanding, quality-wise. We don't tolerate mechanical failures and we might actually ask our high performance cars to deliver the unthinkable: high performance. And that breaks stuff. And it uncovers the fact that maybe the term 'high performance' was actually interpreted by the manufacturer as meaning 'occasional performance, at maybe 75% of what was promised'. Most Toyota Echo owners will not fuss over double-checking the manufacturer's claimed hp figures, nor fuss over transmission temperatures.

I might even go so far as to claim many product planners are secretly wishing that gov't regulations get stricter and stricter... that way, they can quietly give up on trying to cater to the high-performance car buyer and stick to bread-and-butter mundane people movers. Much easier to operate this way, and it'll be much easier to shrug shoulders and blame the strict regulations for stifling car manufacturers' freedom to build exciting vehicles!

[Silver_04]

Do we honestly believe that car makers are interested in making vehicles?
They better be. It's kinda like; am I interested in my job? Why yes I am, and thanks for asking. I'm interested in my job because it gives me a sense of pride and puts money in my pocket. Hence, the auto mfgr's interests should be; first - to make vehicles, and second - generate profit. And the mfgr's better have an acute interest in making those cars. There's no chicken and egg here...without the cars to move, there won't be any cash flow. And Ford didn't slip to number three in sales and suffer negative cash flow because it had too many exciting products. Quality or lack thereof got it there. Example, the Focus used to be in the top 10 selling vehicles in the US. It is now being outsold by a much older Cavalier. Yikes.

And why would a car company, or any company for that matter, secretly wish for more regualtions? That will just drive up cost more. It would be pretty reckless of a company to wish upon itself outside regulation. No car company HAS to cater to the car enthusiast, rather they do so on their own accord and I'd like to keep it that way. And if a car company doesn't know what it is getting into when it develops and pitches a performance vehicle, they shouldn't be making one in the first place. Us enthusiasts help to keep a car company on its toes. But I must admit, I admire the power I harness if my rantings about the quality on my Marauder caused Ford to drop the performance products and run for the hills.

[Bigdogjim]

Dear Mr. Bill Ford: Time to wake up and smell the coffee. The hand writing is on the wall. This Company was founded by your Grandfather! What would he be thinking now? Rolling over in his grave I fear. You Sir need to step up to the plate and write the wrongs. Challenge the design team to step up to the plate with you! Empower people under your command to take chances! The big problem with doing NOTHING is you do not know when to stop.

Listen to your faithful.

Regards
A son of a 40 year Lincoln & Mercury Dealer.

[TripleTransAm]

They better be. It's kinda like; am I interested in my job? Why yes I am, and thanks for asking. I'm interested in my job because it gives me a sense of pride and puts money in my pocket. Hence, the auto mfgr's interests should be; first - to make vehicles, and second - generate profit.


I totally agree with your view, but sadly do not think this is the philosophy pervading today's automakers. The fact that companies need SVTs and SVOs and SVEs and Skunkworks and whatever in order to focus on exciting products means the mainstream has become rather mundane. So as BigDog said, manufacturers are afraid to take chances.

Why? The almighty stockholder. The company is 'owned' by folks who want to see a profit NOW. As an automaker, my intentions could be the absolute best, and I could really be interested in taking pride in my product. However, I still need to put money in my pocket, and if I don't pay attention to the stockholders' requirements, I won't be keeping my job long enough to put money in my pocket.

I hate to be so negative, as I really truly agree with your viewpoints, but big business has become this way. How many top dogs in the auto business have actually come up through the engineering ranks? How many have come from totally-non-Automotive companies to run the ship? Compare this with what was happening in the 50s and 60s.

I don't think there's anything we can do, except revel in the small bright spots that occur now and again, like the Marauder.

[chrish]

Dear Mr. Bill Ford: Time to wake up and smell the coffee. The hand writing is on the wall. This Company was founded by your Grandfather! What would he be thinking now? Rolling over in his grave I fear. You Sir need to step up to the plate and write the wrongs. Challenge the design team to step up to the plate with you! Empower people under your command to take chances! The big problem with doing NOTHING is you do not know when to stop.

Listen to your faithful.

Regards
A son of a 40 year Lincoln & Mercury Dealer.


they smell the coffee.......it is just de-caff :help:

[Patrick]

they smell the coffee.......it is just de-caff :help:

And decaff bites!!!

[merc406]

WHO care's....If FoMoCo don't well hell neither should we. :D

As for advertizing, they think their Hi-Po products should sell themselves :bs: , as a couple of us heard that from a FoMoCo guy, unnamed of coarse.....

[QWK SVT]

I totally agree with your view, but sadly do not think this is the philosophy pervading today's automakers. The fact that companies need SVTs and SVOs and SVEs and Skunkworks and whatever in order to focus on exciting products means the mainstream has become rather mundane. So as BigDog said, manufacturers are afraid to take chances.

Why? The almighty stockholder. The company is 'owned' by folks who want to see a profit NOW. As an automaker, my intentions could be the absolute best, and I could really be interested in taking pride in my product. However, I still need to put money in my pocket, and if I don't pay attention to the stockholders' requirements, I won't be keeping my job long enough to put money in my pocket.

I hate to be so negative, as I really truly agree with your viewpoints, but big business has become this way. How many top dogs in the auto business have actually come up through the engineering ranks? How many have come from totally-non-Automotive companies to run the ship? Compare this with what was happening in the 50s and 60s.

I don't think there's anything we can do, except revel in the small bright spots that occur now and again, like the Marauder.
Two of my coworkers recently joined my organization... One was an engineer at the St. Thomas Assembly Plant (where the Marauder was made). The other, and engineer from GM's engine plant, where the GenIII V8s (LS6, etc.) are produced. Neither speak terribly highly of the decisions made by their former employees.

It all boils down to dollars and cents (not sense). Even worse, the decisions are narrow-sighted, focused only on the immediate, without any real long-term vision.

Take me, for example - I'm young, and proven that I'm more than willing to spend large portions of my income on vehicles. By building a relationship with me now, and over the next few years, Ford could almost certainly turn me into a Ford buyer, for life.

Instead of putting in the investment now, for the long-term gain, Ford pulls everything of interest to the enthusiasts off the shelf. They risk losing some their strongest advocates, and why? They simply don't care about making us "think about a Ford.":alone:

Here's an interesting tidbit - of all the vehicles Ford produced in the last 20 years, what are two of the highest ranking, in brand loyalty?
Marauder... Lightning...

Maybe it'll have to be a Euro-yuppy-mobile will be next?:mad2:

[jerrym3]

Are car manufacturers interested in making vehicles? No

Are they interested in making vehicles that sell? Yes

Look at the way Ford jumped on the SUV/light truck cash cow while forgetting about the car nuts. Why? Simple. That's what the market wanted. That's where the sales and profits were. Can you imagine what our cars would be like today if the dollars invested in the SUV/light truck models had been put into cars?

The market didn't accept the Marauder (or my TBird) for the following reasons: (you fill in the blanks)

In the 50's, the market wanted fins and chrome.

In the mid 60's, the market wanted performance.

In the 70's, the market wanted higher gas mileage.

In the mid 80's, Ford started to bring performance and style back (Turbo Coupe, Mustang convertble, Thunderbird SC), but the SUV craze sort of put the dampers on that trend.

They could make the greatest car in the world, but if it's not what the market wants, they will not keep building it just for the sake of building it.

Now, we may see the return to high mileage vehicles at the expense of performance.

[jaywish]

Just by the way,

Did anybody try and get into and drive a TBird with the hard top on?

Talk about limited market potential.