RE: Ford dresses for success: Time For Tea?
Discussion
bunyarra said:
Is it just me or are there remnants of the aborted horror otherwise known as Ford Scorpio? And WTF is up with the return of brown?
I liked brown in the 70s but it tended to be a deep nutty brown. the modern browns are more wishy-washy but, nevertheless, my mother is looking at brown for her new car, though would just as likley choose red or purple. It's really a question of whether it looks good on the car in question.Last time the once great Vignale name was similarly debased was when it was grafted onto a lightly facelifted 1958 Standard Vanguard Phase III - much good it did as that was the last of Standard in the UK. Ford may now be ruing the day it offloaded it's PAG brands but this aint the way back tock into the premium sector.
They might be better off actually reviving names like Cortina, Taunus and Capri which would at least get them a few more column inches...
They might be better off actually reviving names like Cortina, Taunus and Capri which would at least get them a few more column inches...
bunyarra said:
Is it just me or are there remnants of the aborted horror otherwise known as Ford Scorpio? And WTF is up with the return of brown?
recently my missus went all gooey-eyed over a car in metallic chocolate brown with a brown leather interior, and i had to admit it did look fantastic......'course, it was a 997 turbo cab, but still, the colour suited it :-)
bunyarra said:
Is it just me or are there remnants of the aborted horror otherwise known as Ford Scorpio? And WTF is up with the return of brown?
recently my missus went all gooey-eyed over a car in metallic chocolate brown with a brown leather interior, and i had to admit it did look fantastic......'course, it was a 997 turbo cab, but still, the colour suited it :-)
If Ford used Vignale as a separate brand, devoid of Ford badging and with a design language of its own, this would stand a decent chance (especially if the forthcoming Mustang's RWD all-independently-sprung architecture was used). As just a posh badge on a Mondeo? Talk about tarnishing another great name. It won't succeed. Mind you, the new Mondeo is a rather handsome beast, especially in estate form...
keegs111 said:
You can't polish a turd.
Pointless cliche as nobody has ever suggested nor believes the Mondeo is a turd.Given the similarities in Skoda/VW/Audi products, it's hardly a heinous crime but I still think Ford have failed to understand the premium marque market (as is perhaps obvious from their sales of the last ones they had).
LuS1fer said:
Given the similarities in Skoda/VW/Audi products, it's hardly a heinous crime but I still think Ford have failed to understand the premium marque market (as is perhaps obvious from their sales of the last ones they had).
Agreed, I think the key is to remove the brands as far as possible.There are several approaches to this. VW/Audi has bought several brands and is sharing more and more components between them, covering lots of markets (Skoda for budget, Seat for styling,...) with the same components. Toyota has created another brand, but has also created a dealer network for the brand so that the two are far away in the eyes of the public. Styling has been quite different as well (aside from maybe the odd que).
Imho Ford should go the Toyota way. Renaming the mondeo but still calling it a Ford is just not going to cut it.
You know, this has bugged me and, after some thought, i have arrived at the conclusion that this is not an attempt to gain sales or compete but to retain satisfied and practical Ford customers.
Think about it, you've had a Mondeo for years. Mondeo customers are hard enough to find at the best of times but suddenly, Mr Mondeo quite fancies a BMW, Audi or Jag to reflect his wealth and experience. In the Mondeo range, he has nowhere to go bar a "Titanium X" which you can also get a Fiesta in but, unlike the old Ghia days, means nothing.
What if he went along to the BMW/Audi/Jag showroom and found his pound didn't stretch to the options list? Maybe the BMW/Audi/Jag doesn't actually drive that much better, if at all, than his Mondeo. If only Ford made something like this at a sensible price....maybe he would skitter back to a Vignale and think "You know what, this offers everything those poncy makes have for half the price".
That is my considered conclusion.
Think about it, you've had a Mondeo for years. Mondeo customers are hard enough to find at the best of times but suddenly, Mr Mondeo quite fancies a BMW, Audi or Jag to reflect his wealth and experience. In the Mondeo range, he has nowhere to go bar a "Titanium X" which you can also get a Fiesta in but, unlike the old Ghia days, means nothing.
What if he went along to the BMW/Audi/Jag showroom and found his pound didn't stretch to the options list? Maybe the BMW/Audi/Jag doesn't actually drive that much better, if at all, than his Mondeo. If only Ford made something like this at a sensible price....maybe he would skitter back to a Vignale and think "You know what, this offers everything those poncy makes have for half the price".
That is my considered conclusion.
LuS1fer said:
'you know what, this offers everything those poncy makes have for half the price".
That is my considered conclusion.
You could be right. I certainly think that Fords drive better than almost any premium car (some BMWs excepted ) Fiesta drives better than A1. Mondeo is a better steer than an A4....even the Kuga and SMax are good drives. Sprinkle a little Lustre on them and you may keep them away from the ubiquitous Germany brands. That is my considered conclusion.
Redlake27 said:
You could be right. I certainly think that Fords drive better than almost any premium car (some BMWs excepted ) Fiesta drives better than A1. Mondeo is a better steer than an A4....even the Kuga and SMax are good drives. Sprinkle a little Lustre on them and you may keep them away from the ubiquitous Germany brands.
Perhaps a 5- or 6-cylinder AWD option with the Mondeo/Kuga/S-Max platform could also win Ford some customers. I recall Top Gear loved the old S-Max 2.5 turbo (same engine as the Mk2 Focus ST).Zad said:
I just had a play with the Ford US configurator. They are offering the Fusion (next year's new Mondeo) with 2.0 ecoboost engine and 4x4 transmission, for $33,000. Sadly they are all 4-cylinder options, no muscle.
Makes ou wonder if the new Mustang will change that, given it will be smaller and offer 4, V6 and V8 options. Would it fit I wonder.Gassing Station | General Gassing | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff