: Ford - platform - Panther: Vic, Marauder, Town Car

Shelby vs Crown Vic cop car

Sat, 23 Dec 2006 00:45:52 GMT

Shelby versus 'vic cop car - and it isn't any faster...?

What makes a Crown Vic cop car?

Sun, 17 Sep 2006 13:10:52 GMT

Thanks to Ford's own website, you can see what goes into making a 'Vic Interceptor.

Ford has done an extensive amount of work preparing the car for police agencies.

And only official agencies can order one for their own use. So, while this might make an ideal family vehicle (kids locked in back, cage and spit-gaurd in place), the only way to get one is to buy one at auction after the cops are done with it.

Rare 2003 Marauder Press Kit

Sun, 06 Aug 2006 19:43:40 GMT

I'm working today on cleaning up my library (at last), which contains several hundred original brochures, press kits, and other enthusiast memorabilia. And, no, I'm not one of those cheap wads who collects this stuff en masse just to make a buck on eBay - this stuff is for me (although duplicates do go to eBay).

I came across a 2003 Mercury Merauder press kit that I didn't remember I had - complete including DVD. The DVD has some special footage shot by ford, along with a retrospective of the original Marauder and a Tommy Kendall test of the 2003. Both produced by Speed Channel for Ford.

Very nice video... and it makes me remember how much Ford has lost and fallen behind. This car could have been successful, it could have "held the line" until a new and more modern platform came along (a plan put in place by Jacques Nasser and then cancelled by Bill Ford - without an alternative plan). It's true it wouldn't have been competitive against the 300C that was then on the horizon... and they knew that. But, alternatives were possible including the stop-gap supercharged 4.6.

The other day I was looking at the 1999 SVT Dealer Training video thinking the same thing - they made an hour long promotional video of the car that was never made available to the public (don't ask why and how I have one) - it was just for dealer training. These were the salad days of SVT... before their quality record caught up with them. And before they gave up the idea of handling cars... versus only producing a single pointless straight-liner. By contrast, the press kit for the 2007 Shelby is all about bluff and appearance... it's not anywhere near as serious as the earlier SVTs were (spoken as an owner of 4 SVTs).

The Marauder is not my kind of car.. I may let go of the press kit/DVD. I don't know... space in my library is way beyond the breaking point. But I may also keep it just to remember these golden years... it will be a long time - if ever - before we have the kind of years we had in the late 90s and very early 2000s. It does seem to go in cycles... I was also looking thru my colection of early SVO and SHO memorabilia - another two sets of cars that were well conceived but couldn't make it (in both cases due to dealers who didn't know what they were selling).

Images follow:

Worst American Cars of 2006

Wed, 19 Jul 2006 22:05:30 GMT

Consumer Reports has published it's annual list of worst American cars... and guess what's the worst? The Ford Ranger.

The Crown 'Vic and E-Series van are also on the list. All three are - not coincidentally - the oldest vehicles Ford makes.

The Ranger is probably the worst of the bunch... since the E-Series is relegated mostly to commercial buyers who don't need any better... and the 'Vic is relegated to buyers who are either police officers or well above the median age of car buyers. And the 'Vic is on the way out in a few years anyway (long overdue!).

But the Ranger? The chassis dates back to the very early nineties - to the first generation of the Explorer (and architecturally back to the eighties and the small Bronco II). That means leaf springs, terrible torsional regidity, and meeting the crash standards of probably 1990 - if there were any then that applied to trucks. In any case, it's been obsolete for many years... and the handling of this type of suspension borders on dangerous by modern standards.

It's clear that Ford gave up on this truck many years ago... serious enhancements and even replacements have fallen out of the product plans. Ye olde SVT took a quick look at offering a model based on this.. and just as quickly gave up on what was a half-assed idea anyway. Not only was the engine they looked at obsolete itself (the 4.9 liter OHC V-8), it was finally and thankfully going out of production and the replacement mod-motor wouldn't fit. But none of that matters anyway, because the notion of a nose-heavy pickup truck has zero to do with any kind of sporting intention anyway.

This is a very mediocre vehicle... and a couple of new colors on the 2007 model won't make any difference whatsoever. The market for a truck this size has all but died... and the competitors from GM and Dodge have gone in very different directions anyway.

[Continue story at MSNBC on the link]

Mercury Marauder Concept - updates

Mon, 17 Jul 2006 14:48:02 GMT

Lots of updates to the Marauder section this AM, including production pics from 2003 and 2004 and a high-res image of the 4.6 DOHC 4V production engine.

Also, a new section in the Concepts area: the Supercharged Marauder Convertible Concept. Includes numerous pics (although not of the top up - it was non-functional) of the car including two unique pictures of the supercharged 4.6 SOHC 2V modular engine. that was intended for production, and later canceled. Shown here in production ready trim.

It's a shame this didn't go into production. In the great purge of "all things Nasser" led by Himself Bill Ford, the Marauder didn't have a chance. The reign of Bill Ford brought an end to an era.

Follow the Ford tab above to links of production and concept Fords for the complete coverage.

The Supercharged Mercury Marauder we never got

Mon, 17 Jul 2006 00:32:43 GMT

Here are two pictures of Mercury Marauder engines:

1) The first engine is the Marauder engine we didn't get - it was planned for a later model before the Marauder was suddenly cancelled. It's a 4.6 2-valve SOHC, supercharged and intercooled. Rated at 335 HP @ 5,250 rpm and 355 lb.-ft. @ 3,000 RPM. It was shown in the 2002 Chicago Auto Show show in another killed-off Marauder - a 2-door convertible prototype.

2) The second is of course the engine we did get - a 4.6 4V DOHC aluminum engine shared with the Mach 1 and Aviator (and note that this was *not* a Cobra engine, although it did use the 2003 Cobra heads). It made 302 HP and 318 lb-ft torque in this application (varying in putput across the applications because of intake and exhaust differences). Many of the early 2003 engines has a valve clearance issue with the cylinder wall and had to be recalled (yet another unacceptable mod-motor engineering issue). In the 2004 Marauder, this engine was enhanced with dual knock sensors to provide better part-throttle response, as well as improved tuning in the transmission.

So what happened to the Marauder? It lasted two years ('03-04) and was then unceremoniously dumped. Sales were an issue, safety of the base Panther platform was a very serious concern, Panther plans came and went with the wind, the plans changed for the modular engine family, and of course the car wasn't competitive against the upcoming Chrysler LX-platform cars (300C and Magnum). The Marauder, BTW, weighed in at only 150 pds more than the morbidly obese '07 Shelby 'vert - despite being 212 inches long.

On my site you'll find numerous pics of the production Marauder, as well as the concept. I've also located some convertible Marauder concept pics I'll add soon.

In January 2001, I was in Dearborn driving around after seeing the NAIAS show and came across a development Marauder driving between Ford sites. It was complete in every way, right down the Maruder lettering on the rear bumper, even though it wouldn't be announced for some time yet (was there an issue? This was a very early time to see this car in this final form - my theory was the engine wasn't ready yet, or budget for it was cut). Once the driver saw that I was following closely and had some interest, he floore dit and took off. And I noticed the exhaust sound was great!

So why bring up the Maruder now? Well, it was yet another example of Ford oding too little too late... they entered a market with a half-way product. Wrong platform. Wrong engine, Wrong transmission. Wrong timing. And then when it started to look good, it was abruptly cancelled. How maany times have we sene that?

And also because I watched the press announcement from Australia on the new full-size Holden sedan... which to summarize is everything the Marauder never was and never could be. It's very nicely done and more than makes up for the horrible old Holdens base don ye olde Catera chassis (aka GTO). GM now has a world-class rear wheel drive platform that makes economic sense for a variety of uses around the world - including the upcoming Camaro.

What does Ford have for a world-class rear wheel drive platform? Well:

- any number of Jags and Astons.

- The idea of an SVT Cobra that would have made a viable (and much cheaper) alternative to an M3 (a dream that was killed off with Nasser).

- A Lincoln LS that was never invested in (neither marketing nor follow-on updates) and was finally prematurely cancelled. And I say prematurely because despite needing a few updates this could have been Ford's own FM (Nissan/Infiniti) or LX (Chrysler/Dodge) shared platform. Yes, it was expensive to build - but modern and forward-thinking nd truly-innovative manufacturers have found it could have been built much more efficiently by sharing the entire platform with other major lines - including a volume line like the Mustang.

- The S197 Mustang? Don't even go there, it's unsophisticated and crude platform is under-suspended, overly large, and grossly overweight. And carrying around a dark pall because it was built on the remnants of the Lincoln LS chassis - minus all of the good bits. Every single one of them. What this car could have been, and what it ended up being - are sadly distinct.

- And the Australian Falcon... not exactly world-class engineering (it's old), and a platform that is coming to the end of it's lifespan. You'll have to admire the Australians for keeping this line going as long as they did and for making the most of it (despite a miniscule market, the platform was updated with SLA and IRS as it aged - as well as a big American 5.4 liter V-8).

Recently we've heard that Ford of Australia might be charged with creating a world-wide rear wheel drive platform. Having repeatedly seen the creativity of the Australians in nearly everything they do... there may be some hope here for a decent platform to get to the United States eventually. It depends entirely on budget, and perceived market. Budget because Ford of US is broke. "Perceived" market because there are serious energy issues in the mind of Bill Ford and getting back into the muscle market with large 4-dr sedans may not be in his strategic plan. So, in a scenario that is so familiar to Ford fans, we'll just have to wait and see. And wait, and hope, and wait. As usual....

References:

Cougar & Marauder: once important to Mercury

Sun, 11 Jun 2006 13:34:23 GMT

We came across this old press release from Mercury today - from 4 and a half years ago. Despite the statement in the press release, the Cougar and the Marauder both suddenly died the following model year. In media interviews at the time, many planned updates were discussed for both (a Cougar SVT version - announced and shown then suddenly cancelled, and a number of Marauder updates including a supercharged SOHC 2V 4.6 and even an aftermarket-supplied gauge package).

What happened?

The Cougar was based on the Contour/Mondeo chassis - which after several failed product plan churns was finally up for a replacement. The new Mondeo chassis - despite an early plan to bring it to the United States as a Mercury model - would not be seen in the United States (except from Mexican tourists driving them into the 'states - they get the full car and we don't!). So that had to change.

The Marauder, based on the Mercury Marquis, was initially a slow seller and a poor performer. Changes made to the engine (such as dual knock sensors, to allow more initial spark advance and low-end response) helped but major technology updates such as a 5-speed transmission weren't in the pipeline, and the supercharged engine was cancelled. As you know, "Panther" product plans would be kicked around for years before the decision was finally made to let it slowly fade out over time.

A dearth of product plans followed the installment of Bill Ford after the engineered departure of Jac Nasser. Jac was the target of a lot of unfair (and carefully orchestrated from the highest levels) negative attention after the Ford family decided to install the very-unqualified Billy Ford to protect it's financial interests. Many important product plans were cancelled in the political purge that followed the departure of Jac. Some of these plans include:

an all-new small rear wheel drive platform for Lincoln - smaller than the LS, purposefully designed to target the market known as the "3-series competitors". This is really astounding - Lincoln/Mercury would have had a platform that would compete with the G35 family. Unbelievable.
a major rev of the DEW (LS, T-Bird, Jaguar) platform, leading to many new models including a Panther replacement as well as a world-class Mustang chassis
all planned updates to the T-Bird and LS (supercharged engine, sport suspension, new dash, functional updates, and eventually a major platform update)
all advanced plans for Lincoln that were created as part of an effort to identify a "DNA" for Lincoln. These included a Lincoln Continental in the spirit of the early sixties model and a new Mark model. Both were built on a common version of an enlarged next-gen DEW chassis, but were very carefully and extensively tailored for their mission. If the production models had held true to the concepts, they would have been very unique and desirable in the marketplace.

So this leaves us with a struggling company, extensive platform re-use, a very poor financial rating (and getting worse), and many competitive issues.

CHICAGO, Feb. 6, 2002 - Since its founding in the late 1930s, Mercury has been a premium brand with products blending performance, comfort and luxury appointments. As Mercury designers, engineers and marketers begin work on a new generation of vehicles, the stylish convertibles, premium sedans, performance machines and family cars of the brand's past - and strong brand names like "Cougar" and "Marauder" - will provide ample inspiration for the future.

Early History

1937: Edsel Ford begins planning a new premium vehicle range between mainstream Ford "Blue Oval" products and Lincoln luxury cars. After considering a number of names, including "Winged Victory," Ford eventually named the brand Mercury after the winged messenger of the Roman gods, known for dependability, eloquence, skill and speed.
1939: The first model year for Mercury included four models, a sedan, two coupes and the Series 99A convertible. The Mercury coupes were considered by designers to be quite avant-garde for the era.
1945: The Lincoln-Mercury Division is established.
1948: Benson Ford, grandson of Henry Ford, is elected a company vice president and named general manager of Lincoln-Mercury Division.
1949: James Dean immortalized the 1949 Mercury when he drove a de-chromed six-passenger Mercury Series 9CM in the 1955 move "Rebel Without a Cause."
1949-51: Mercury coupes become the car of choice for performance tuners and hot-rodders who chopped the tops, removed body trim and filled the resulting holes with lead to create "Lead Sleds" - famous for their long, low, smooth appearance.
1950: Benson Ford drove Mercury's first Indianapolis 500 pace car, a Mercury Series OMC Coupe. The one-millionth Mercury rolls off the line in August.
1957: Mercury's second Indianapolis 500 pace car is a Turnpike Cruiser convertible.

1960-1979

1960: Mercury introduces the Comet, the first upscale compact car.
1963-64: The first Mercury Marauders, performance versions of Mercury's mainstream Montclair and Monterey sedans, debut at the dawn of the muscle-car era. Production Marauders capitalize on the success of the Bill Stroppe-prepared Marauder stock cars, including the one Parnelli Jones drove to victory at the 1963 Pikes Peak Hill Climb.
1965: Mercury Comets become drag-strip sensations thanks to Jack Christman, who developed the first Funny Car, a lightweight Comet with a supercharged, fuel-injected, nitro-burning 427-cubic-inch V-8.
1966: Once again, Benson Ford drives a Mercury pace car at the Indianapolis 500. His Cyclone GT convertible is super-tuned to achieve 0-60 mph in seven seconds.
1967: The first Cougar - Mercury's luxurious pony car - is named Motor Trend magazine's "Car of the Year." Chauncey, a three-year-old Cougar, stars in famous television ads for Mercury - "at the sign of the cat."
1968: Cale Yarborough wins the Daytona 500 in a Mercury Cyclone. Actor Jack Lord drives a triple black four-door Mercury Parklane Brougham on the hit television series "Hawaii Five-O."
1975: The Mercury Grand Marquis nameplate is introduced. Grand Marquis goes on to become Mercury's longest-running, best-selling nameplate, with more than 2.7 million sold.

1980-1999

1985: The aerodynamic Mercury Sable, offered as a space- and fuel-efficient front-wheel-drive sedan and station wagon, is introduced.
1992: The second-generation Sable is introduced.
1996: Mercury enters the sport-utility market with the all-wheel-drive V-8-powered Mountaineer. The third-generation Mercury Sable is introduced.
1998: Lincoln Mercury moves its headquarters from Detroit to Irvine, Calif. The Mercury Marauder Concept, powered by a supercharged 4.6-liter V-8, is unveiled at the Specialty Equipment Manufacturers Association (SEMA) show in Las Vegas.
1999: The fourth-generation Sable is introduced as a 2000 model. The new Sable offers a long list of safety and security features, including the Personal Safety Systemâ„¢, side-impact air bags for front-seat occupants and an emergency trunk release system.

2000 and Beyond

2000: Lincoln Mercury-dedicated product development, design and manufacturing organizations are established.
2001: The second-generation Mercury Mountaineer is introduced as a 2002 model. The new Mountaineer rides on an all-new chassis with four-wheel independent suspension and offers innovative features, including a third-row seat that folds flats into the floor. It is named a "Best Pick" by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. The production version of the 1998 Mercury Marauder Concept is unveiled at the Chicago Auto Show. The 2003 model is powered by an all-aluminum 4.6-liter DOHC V-8 and incorporates significant chassis and safety improvements planned for Mercury's rear-wheel-drive architecture.
2002: Brian Kelley becomes president of Lincoln Mercury. Susan Pacheco is appointed as director, Mercury Product Development, Elena Ford is appointed Mercury group brand manager and Darrell Behmer is named Mercury chief designer. The Mercury Marauder Convertible Concept is unveiled at the Chicago Auto Show. The 2003 Marauder and Grand Marquis arrive in dealerships in the summer.

Ford of Australia - new investment

Mon, 08 May 2006 10:24:19 GMT

Ford of Australia has announced some significant new investment. This shows that they have come up with a model for the Falcon line of cars and UTEs that works... that is successful - and maybe - that is exportable.

Read what you will into this... some people are hoping it means that the Australian Falcon will be the replacement for our own Crown 'Vic. The 'vic is the saddest piece of junk in the Ford stable today... with a platform originally dating back to the seventies (minimally updated over the years). Only ye olde Mustang (FOX/SN95) also went back that far... and it took 25 years to finally put that aged mare in the glue factory (shameful). The 'vic is worse... dangerous even. How much longer can it go on like it is?

Nonetheless, despite some clues, we won't know if an Australian chassis will replace the 'vic. Today's announcement does not mean a Falcon or any sort of performance rear wheel 4-dr will ever be avalable in America. All it does mean is that a new rear wheel drive left-hand drive chassis is being designed. What Ford does with it internationally remains to be seen. Look for spy pics in a few years.

Ford of Australia Press Release:

FORD AUSTRALIA ANNOUNCES MAJOR NEW PROJECTS

Ford Australia has announced a new strategic direction for the company, including significant investment in new projects and accompanying facilities, totalling more than AUD1.8 billion over the next decade.

The company's Product Development team will take an enhanced role as an engineering and design 'centre of excellence' for the Asia Pacific and Africa region.

One of the first projects to be undertaken by a significantly expanded team will include the design and engineering leadership of a new global light commercial vehicle architecture that will eventually be used for product in more than 80 countries worldwide. In addition, the Australian centre of excellence will develop future Falcon and Territory programs for Australia and export markets.

Ford Australia has worked cooperatively with both the Federal Government and the Victorian State Government to ensure the successful outcome of these major investment opportunities.

"As we work to build Ford Motor Company's global competitiveness, it is critical that we continue to invest and grow our capabilities in the Asia Pacific region," said Mr Bill Ford, Ford Motor Company Chairman and CEO.

"The engineering experience and capability we have in Australia is a strategic advantage for Ford and it is important that we use this great resource not just to benefit Australian customers, but to benefit customers in markets around the world.

"The skills and technologies available in the Australian marketplace are some of the best in our global organisation.

"I am glad to see our strategic vision for Ford Australia is shared by the Federal Government and the Victorian State Government. We are very pleased to have worked closely with them to ensure the viability and future success of these major opportunities," said Mr Ford.

"For over 80 years, Ford has taken a leadership role in automotive design, engineering and manufacturing in Australia," said Ford Australia President, Mr Tom Gorman.

"We have been very successful locally with the Falcon range of vehicles, which have been a mainstay of Australian motoring for more than 45 years. More recently, with the launch of Australia's top selling sports utility vehicle, the Ford Territory, we have solidified our position as one of Australia's leading car companies.

"Our local success is now allowing us to capitalise on our strategic location within the increasingly important Asia Pacific region.

"Our new globally-oriented strategic direction will allow us to build upon the capabilities and intellectual excellence we have here in Australia. The Ford Australia team will deliver an exciting new engineering and design program for numerous markets around the world, while also investigating further future export opportunities for both Territory and Falcon."

Global light commercial vehicle architecture

Ford Australia will have lead design and engineering responsibility for a new vehicle architecture that is targeted to underpin a range of light commercial vehicles in more than 80 countries worldwide.

Engineered for both right- and left-hand drive and manufactured in multiple locations, the first derivative is most likely to be a pick-up truck, although the architecture has the capability for a variety of multiple configurations and body styles.

"We are at the very beginning of this exciting new project. Significant engineering and design work over a number of years is still required before formal program approval will be granted by Ford. It is anticipated that once this occurs, the architecture derivatives are expected to result in more than 400,000 sales annually," said Ford Australia Vice President of Product Development, Mr Trevor Worthington.

The design and engineering program is expected to generate in excess of AUD700 million in research and development revenues for Ford Australia during the course of the project.

The new light commercial vehicle project will provide Ford Australia's design and engineering teams with the opportunity to extend their technical knowledge and capabilities, and also represents an expansion of Ford Motor Company's global shared technologies strategy.

"Our success with Falcon, Territory and all their derivatives, has shown that Ford Australia can develop world-class car-based vehicles," said Mr Worthington.

"This new project will afford us with the opportunity to broaden that knowledge base and further increase our importance to the rest of Ford's product development community globally.

"Specifically, engineering for left-hand drive will ensure we have the capabilities necessary to develop possible opportunities for our local products in the future," said Mr Worthington.

Falcon and Territory

An all-new Falcon model and future Territory models will form the basis of potential export opportunities for Ford Australia's globally competitive large rear-wheel drive vehicle platform.

"Our current Falcon model has enjoyed modest export success to New Zealand, while the flexibility inherent in Territory has expanded the company's export reach to South Africa and Thailand," said Ford Australia President, Mr Tom Gorman.

"While we have no concrete export plans to announce at this time, our new strategic direction as a company will involve us actively targeting additional opportunities for our outstanding domestically manufactured vehicles.

"The addition of left-hand drive engineering capability to our product development team will provide significant experience and assist us to develop a viable export program for our world class rear-wheel drive architecture.

"We have agreed with our Government partners, at both the Federal and State level, to aggressively pursue all potential exports for our technologies and skills. We look forward to making progress on this issue in the years to come."

Product Development

Ford Australia's Product Development team will take on an enhanced role within the company's global product development community as a design and engineering centre of excellence for the Asia Pacific region.

"The Asia-Pacific region is vitally important to the car industry globally," said Ford Motor Company Vice President and President of Asia Pacific and Africa, Mr Peter Daniel.

"The design and engineering capability built up by Ford Australia's product development team with the success of recent projects such as both the BA and BF Falcon, the Territory and, most recently, the design and engineering of a new Fiesta specifically for the Indian market, has ensured the team is best placed to lead major new projects in this region.

"This regional capability is critical as Asian economies mature and consumers continue to demand outstanding motor vehicles tailored to their specific requirements."

Importantly, Ford Australia's product development team will take the lead on developing new processes and methods for Ford's global product development community.

"Increasing the stature of our PD team goes further than just the additional projects we plan to undertake," said Ford Australia Vice President of Product Development, Mr Trevor Worthington.

"As a recognised key partner in Ford's product development world, it will be incumbent on us to develop new best practises and methods of operating that will improve quality and reduce the time to market.

"Our design and engineering lead role for a new global light commercial vehicle architecture will require us to share these best practises with our partners around the world and help drive their implementation."

Significant investment in world class facilities to deliver state-of-the-art vehicle dynamics, safety and refinement will take place at Ford Australia's operations in Broadmeadows, Geelong and the You Yangs to ensure the company can take advantage of strategic global opportunities.

Additionally, the company will also expand its core design and engineering staff.

Investing in the future

The projects announced by Ford Australia today, along with the company's new strategic focus, will ensure the success of Ford in Australia for the foreseeable future.

"Our business is changing," said Mr Gorman.

"We have been very successful with our business model over the past 80 years. Now is the time to take our company to the next level and grow our business even further. Today's initiatives and investment plans are the first step in a new strategic direction for our company.

"Although some of these plans are longer term in nature, the recognition shown to our product development team and the broader Ford Australia business through projects such as the light commercial vehicle architecture and the state-of-the-art rear wheel drive platform, proves that we are on the right track and that our direction is the right one for the future of our company."

Ford Australia history

Ford cars have been sold in Australia since 1904. Growing demand for Ford vehicles led to the establishment of the Ford Motor Company of Australia on March 31, 1925.

Ford began production of the Falcon in 1960 â€“ a vehicle that now holds the mantle of Australia's longest running nameplate. Seven generations of the Falcon have been produced and it is joined by Territory as the only two Australian vehicles that are wholly designed, developed and built locally.

Headquarters are located in Broadmeadows, on the northern outskirts of Melbourne, along with an assembly plant, research centre, engineering & technology centre, training centre and Ford Customer Service Division.

The company's proving ground is located in the You Yangs outside Geelong and casting, stamping and engine plants are all located in Geelong. A significant portion of the company's product development team is also based at Geelong.

Ford has 230 dealers located around Australia and also operates regional offices in each major capital city.

Ford GN-34 prototype... and my spy addiction

Tue, 04 Apr 2006 04:23:12 GMT

Surprisingly very little has been written about the Ford prototype code-named "GN-34". I looked thru another website earlier this evening that had the entire story wrong... and that needs correction.

Once upon a time... way back when, I was in Dearborn on business (not with Ford). Of course, when in Dearborn, the thing to do is to go past Ford's proving grounds. The best way to do this (at the time) was to get out of your car and walk past the wall around the proving grounds - and also past the infamous "experimental engines" building. These days, walking will result in several cameras being trained on you - and a call going out to remove you from the area (Ford security will follow you... hassle you...).

But back in the good old days, you could walk past the entrances to the proving ground - and see *cool* stuff inside (those entrances have since been blocked off)! On one trip, I saw a Mustang go into the proving area with dual exhausts - and Mustangs didn't have such things back then (I saw them again a few months later at Nelson Ledges during the 24-hour). On another trip I had the catch of a lifetime. As I walked by, suddenly a gate opened and a black 2-seat sports car shot out. It was black, long, sleek (not unlike a Pantera, but longer and narrower) and only lightly camouflaged. And the engine sang to high RPM - obviously a V-6 but with an exotic scream.

I didn't know the name at the time... but I was looking at the Ford "GN-34" prototype - a Yamaha-powered mid-engined 2-seater. I found out what it was when Autoweek published a picture shortly thereafter of the same prototype. The prototype (and planned production car) was powered by an enlarged (by rumor 3.8 liters) SHO engine with 5 valves (a Yamaha specialty), and used a 5-speed transmission (probably the one in the future SHO Taurus). Ford wanted to build this car - and even tried to find a way for it to be built less expensively in France. Unfortunately everything went downhill. Much later I would own a red 1989 SHO - one of the very first off the assembly line (before the car was even released for sale) - with a detuned version of this engine.

My personal encounter with the GN-34 started my long history of "drive-bys" while in Dearborn. I won't encourage you to do the same, and Ford will certainly not like it. But given enough trips, you will see many things you shouldn't be seeing.

One of my trips revealed a Taurus SHO with the front end of a Mercury Sable. It took me until the following spring to understand that what I had seen was indeed the next-generation Taurus SHO.

A later trip involved driving around (not past, but around the outside on all 4 sides) the original 1994 Mustang '"Team Mustang" development building - the location of which wasn't exactly a secret. Driving past open doors... revealed lots of 1994 Mustangs! Unfortunately, I never saw a "mule" - a FOX Mustang with an SN-95 front end or other parts. Later, the same building was used to develop the all-new F-150.

How about a Mercury Marauder two years before it came out? Full production trim, right down to the undisguised name in the rear bumper. I pulled up near it - the driver looked over at me - and took off to get away. Revealing a nice sounding high performance engine.

A less interesting find was a highly revised Windstar... spotted near a Jack Roush building.

A far more interesting find was a 2000 Cobra R prototype - actually several of them during a period when I was traveling thru Detroit regularly. Both the earlier prototype (built on the earlier SN-95 chassis and with a very different rear wing) and several later prototypes on the late SN-95 body. Including a final prototype driving thru a snow storm!

And there was lots more. How about a~98-vintage Explorer - with the future 2002 fully-independent suspension underneath? Fully instrumented underneath with every sensor you could imagine. It had already been reported that the Explorer was going to move to an IRS, and this vehicle or one like it had already been photographed. The chance to see it up close and personal was *very* interesting - especially in the "mule" engineering underneath which adapted the production prototype pieces to a cut-up and re-sectioned older chassis. Even to the point of fabricating the gas filler on the opposite side (with a pop-riveted aluminum plate over the old hole).

One of the easiest finds was a black Expedition with a Lightning front-end and trim. Some Ford execs took it to the airport to pick up some people just as I was coming out to get my rental car. This same vehicle was later photographed and identified as an SVT prototype that didn't make it into production.

But the best find was a Lincoln LS with a strut-type front suspension. As I reported in an earlier blog, when I saw this (confirming a talk I had with Tom S of SVT a year earlier, otherwise it might only have been an experiment), my heart sank. This was probably proof that the new Mustang would have a strut front end (although the rear on this engineering car was still independent... that probably didn't mean anything). And this was in 2000... I didn't know it but the Mustang program was in trouble and temporarily on hold. When it came back it was dumbed down even further (and any platform-mates that may have been planned were gone from the plan).

The LS was in what I called the "mule car junkyard" - in an open lot next to a popular restaurant and watering hole. It was actually sometimes used as spillover parking for the popular chain restaurant - so it was fair game for me to park in there. I used to eat lunch in there myself sometimes - and I heard a number of interesting things being discussed. Discussions I wanted to join... but of course couldn't. At that particular time, the lot also included several Aston Martins and some European Fords (Euro Fiestas and Foci were commonplace).

BTW, that lot is no longer used for that purpose... perhaps partly because they noticed me (and certainly lots of other folks) climbing under various cars to look around. Of course it was a public lot... a poor choice on their part. At this point I got methodical. I started staying in the Dearborn Hyatt (which looks down onto the track – but don’t specifically ask for a room that faces the track or they will place you in the opposite end of the hotel). I also started checking out locations further and further away from the "main campus". Driving by SVT's HQ usually yielded a bonus or two... including a Ferrari being driven by Coletti for evaluation purposes (I have a very small supply of the bumper stickers he had made up: "My other car is a Ford GT").

And I have seen several interesting things out west, including several convoys of future Ford models in Arizona north of Phoenix. There is a Ford test track outside of the south end of Phoenix... but it is very well protected. You have to "catch" them outside of town.

Then there was the time I was walking (escorted in a secure area) thru GM's downtown Detroit headquarters after a meeting. I came across an office with pictures of the future C6 on the wall... and a very aggravated worker who slammed the door in my face. I didn't get much of a look at the details... and whoever that was should have known better than to leave it in the open.

Of course I was never more than an absolute amateur at this. I never even had a camera with me! One of the more famous professional finds (with a camera) was a fully complete Lincoln LS prototype sitting by the side of the highway - all by itself and without it's keepers. That mistake revealed all the secrets of the LS for the world to see - a year before production (itself delayed by various problems). An even worse "accident" was during the removal of a full-size clay of the 1994 Mustang from a Ford design center viewing. It was covered, but he cover blew off. A lucky spy photographer got pictures and caused an uproar inside Ford. The pictures immediately showed up on the cover of a big car magazine (which allegedly sold more copies than ever before). I have that cover in my library.

Ok, I'm mentioning more than I probably should... and things have changed these days. The development groups are more dispersed, and you have to go further out to find the cars. They're still there, and these days a lot more people are photographing them. These photos used to be lucky shots (too bad I never was able to drag a camera along on business trips)... nowadays anybody determined enough can get them (next year's California Special Mustang has already been seen in several colors.. and it's not so special that seeing it would be a scoop). But somehow it's not like the "good old days" anymore... when such a find was a very special occurrence. Nowadays, everybody gets to see these cars... this is routine instead of a special experience.

Ford Plant Closings

Tue, 24 Jan 2006 04:35:24 GMT

Ford Plant Closings

As part of today's "Way Forward" announcement, Ford has announced that it is closing the following plants. I have included the products produced at these plants (source: Wikipedia )

St. Louis Assembly--Explorer, Mountaineer (which are also produced in Louisville, KY)
Atlanta Assembly--Taurus, Sable
Wixom Assembly--Town Car, LS, GT
Batavia Transmission--CD4E Transmission (Ford Escape/Mercury Mariner)
Windsor Casting--Engine blocks, crankshafts
Two additional assembly plants, TBD

Update: Mark Fields announced that Ford will build a new "low cost" assembly plant to be located in North America. Note that he didn't say "United States", which means it could be located in Canada or Mexico.

The announcement that Wixom is closing is a real blow to Michigan. There were hopes that the plant could be saved.

Source: The Auto Prophet;

New Ford LTD MkII

Sat, 05 Feb 2005 14:08:48 GMT

.. in Australia.

Guess they missed the reviews on the LTD II over here...!

[Continue at link]

NEW ARMORED LINCOLN TOWN CAR

Thu, 17 Apr 2003 22:34:29 GMT

**John Jraiche, Manager, Special Engineering Operations, with Lincoln Town Car Ballistic Protection Series test vehicle**

NEW YORK, April 17, 2003 – The new armored Lincoln Town Car Ballistic Protection Series is making its public debut at the New York International Automobile Show. Scheduled for production in mid-2003, the Lincoln Town Car BPS will provide a high level of armored protection, with high quality, at a competitive price.

"For more than eighty years, Lincoln has symbolized American luxury and elegance," said Al Kammerer, executive director, SUV and Body-on-Frame Platform Team. "Now, those who travel well can travel well protected in Lincoln's first armored vehicle, the Town Car BPS."

A key goal of the Town Car BPS development process was to build a vehicle that sets a new industry benchmark in the areas of protection, affordability, driving dynamics, and noise, vibration and harshness (NVH). The vehicle is designed, engineered and tested by Lincoln to provide protection from powerful handgun and high-power rifle rounds. Historically, the top original equipment manufacturer (OEM) competitors in the U.S. commercial armored vehicle industry have only offered handgun-level protection.

"About 300 OEM tests will be performed on Town Car BPS, including crash tests, which will make it one of the most thoroughly tested armored vehicles in the world," said John Jraiche, operations manager, Lincoln Special Engineering Operations. "Additionally, we've conducted extensive ballistic testing at independent labs to validate the ballistic performance of our materials."

The global market for armored vehicles has grown rapidly in recent years. But nearly all protection vehicles in the marketplace today are up-fitted on an "aftermarket" basis often resulting in poor quality, vehicle dynamics and customer satisfaction.

"Town Car BPS customers can be assured they are getting a high-quality product which is proudly backed by an OEM," said Jraiche. "We've developed this product with the right blend of luxury, security and discretion."

Although the U.S. currently accounts for a relatively small percentage of the global market, demand is growing. Prospective customers include corporate executives, political dignitaries, government agencies, private citizens and leasing agencies.

It's expected that the vehicle will introduce new customers to the Lincoln brand. "We believe Town Car BPS will bring a whole new set of clientele to Lincoln that most likely would not have purchased a Lincoln before," said Mark Bentley, product marketing manager, Lincoln Town Car.

"This vehicle has been under development for almost three years and addresses the growing global demand for armored protection products," added Bentley. "With its body-on-frame construction and higher gross vehicle weight capabilities, the Town Car was a natural first choice for Ford Motor Company."

Lincoln Town Car BPS: Right Blend of Luxury and Security

The Lincoln Town Car BPS wraps occupants with comfort, luxury and serenity while employing North America’s highest standard level of OEM ballistic protection. Some of the advanced ballistics materials employed in the vehicle are the following:

Advanced Ceramics: Key to the bullet-resistant characteristics of Lincoln Town Car BPS is advanced, defense-inspired ceramic composite technology. Used for many vertical surfaces, this ceramic composite material employs an acutely hard strike face to break up bullets and disperse their energy.

Ballistic Steel: Lightweight bullet-resistant plates of ballistic steel help fortify the advanced ceramic technology used in Town Car BPS with the integrity only steel can provide.

Ballistic Transparencies: Attackers tend to shoot at what they can see. For this reason, Lincoln Town Car BPS is equipped with thick ballistic transparencies – nearly twice the standard thickness specified by most other manufacturers, and capable of stopping high-powered rifle rounds.

Interwoven Aramid Fiber: A thick ballistic blanket of aramid fiber helps provide limited blast protection from underneath. Similar to the material used in soft body armor, these sophisticated threads are woven together and act like a catcher’s mitt to stop shrapnel from entering the passenger compartment.

Run-Flat Inserts: Lincoln Town Car BPS comes equipped with run-flat inserts that allow the vehicle to keep moving even when tire pressure is completely compromised. These polymer wheel inserts allow 30-mph speeds for up to 30 miles.

Modified Fuel Tank: An optional modified fuel tank is offered to reduce leakage after a ballistic event.

Protection, Performance and Discretion

Lincoln Town Car BPS delivers the highest standard level of ballistic protection commercially available from any automotive manufacturer in North America. With this protection comes the ability to neutralize bigger, faster, heavier rounds. There is more power behind these shells and they impact with more energy. Within this class of ballistic threat are two main categories: bigger bullets that travel fast -- and smaller, piercing bullets that travel even faster. Lincoln Town Car BPS is equipped to stop them both, in addition to the many handgun levels that other armoring companies address.

"When under attack, passengers must escape the field of fire as quickly as possible. This is where Lincoln Town Car BPS excels with V-8 power and specially tuned, heavy-duty springs and shocks, " said Jraiche. Utilizing advanced ballistic materials enables Lincoln to not only achieve a higher level of ballistic protection, but to also limit vehicle weight. The result is a durable and well-balanced chassis that can be driven with confidence.

Great effort has been taken to ensure that Lincoln Town Car BPS outwardly appears like any other Town Car. This includes ride height, special window cavities to accommodate thick ballistic transparencies, and exterior badges and trim that are no different from the base car. "The first line of defense for anyone at risk is discretion and the Town Car BPS epitomizes discretion in typical Lincoln fashion -- with comfort, security and elegance," added Jraiche. "Such attributes are the hallmark of Lincoln and the benchmark for an industry that demands absolute confidence in the mind of the consumer."

_________________________________________________________

2004 LINCOLN TOWN CAR BALLISTIC PROTECTION SERIES

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS*

Vehicle Type

Four-door, Five-passenger full-size sedan

Ballistic Protection Features

High power rifle level ballistic resistant design encompassing the passenger compartment

Advanced technology materials used include:

Advanced ceramic composite panels

Bullet resistant steel

Bullet and blast resistant Aramid fibers

Bullet resistant glass

Summary of Upgraded Features v. Base Car

Revised Heavy Duty frame side rails

Higher Steering Pump Boost Relief

Heavy Duty Front Lower Control Arms

Unique Engine / Transmission Calibration

11.25" 155K Torque Converter

Engine Oil Cooler

6G Alternator, 135 Amps

78 A/H Battery

3.55 Traction – locking differential

HD P245/60R17 Michelin reinforced WSW all-season

Heavy Duty Jack

Upgraded Body Mounts

Unique Brake Actuation

Upgraded Brake Rotors & Calipers/pads

Upsized Parking Brake Assembly

Exterior Dimensions

	(inches / millimeters)
Overall length	215.4 / 5,470.8
Overall width	78.2 / 1,986.6
Overall height	59.0 / 1,498.9
Wheelbase	117.7 / 2990.4
Track width, front	63.4 / 1,610.7
Track width, rear	65.9 / 1,673.3
Ground clearance	5.7 / 145.3

Interior Dimensions

	(inches / millimeters)
Headroom
1^st row 2^nd row	38.5 / 977.27 36.3 / 922.67
Shoulder room
1^st row 2^nd row	60.3 / 1,530.79 60.0 / 1,522.06
Hip room
1^st row 2^nd row	56.3 / 1,431.24 56.0 / 1,421.30
Leg room
1^st row 2^nd row	45.8 / 1,163.9 41.1 / 1,044
Hip-point to ground
(@ curb height)	21.8 in. / 554 cm
Total trunk volume	21.1 cu.ft. / 0.583 cu. m.
Steering
Type	Variable ratio rack and pinion with Speed-sensitive assist
Overall ratio	18.5:1
Suspension
Front suspension	Independent short and long arm with monotube Dampers, steel coil springs and stabilizer bar
Rear suspension	Live axle with Watt's linkage, monotube dampers, air springs and stabilizer bar
Wheels and Tires
Wheel size	17-inch x 7, 9-spoke aluminum
Tire Size	P245/60R17 Michelin reinforced WSW all-season (run-flat inserts optional)
Safety and Security
Air Bags	Dual stage driver and passenger front air bags
Safety belts	Three-point, fixed safety belts for driver and outboard front passenger seat, with load limiting retractors and retractor pretensioners; three-point belts for rear seating positions
Child safety	Child-proof rear door locks and rear seat LATCH Mounting points
Security	SecuriLock passive anti-theft system, remote Keyless entry
Base Curb Weight	(pounds / kilograms)
Executive BPS	6220 / 2821
Gross Vehicle Weight Rating 7500 lbs. / 3401.82 kilos
Engine Data
Engine type	SOHC two-valve, 90-degree V-8
Displacement	4.6 liters / 281 cu.in.
Bore	3.55 in. / 90.2 mm
Stroke	3.54 in. / 90.0 mm
Compression ratio	9.4:1
Horsepower and torque	239 hp @ 4900 rpm, 287lbs.-ft torque @ 4100 rpm
Head	Aluminum
Block	Deep-skirted cast iron with cross-bolted main bearings
Intake manifold	Tuned composite
Exhaust manifold	Cast iron high-sili moly
Crankshaft	Forged Steel
Valve sizes	44.50 mm intake, 36.01 mm exhaust
Pistons	Hypereutectic with low-friction coated skirts,low-tension rings
Connecting Rods	Cracked powdered metal
Engine management	EEC-V with fail-safe cooling
Fuel induction	Sequential multi-port electronic fuel injection
Oil capacity	6 quarts / 5.67 liters
Emission control	EEC-V with EGR and catalyst
Emission level	Interim Tier 2 Bin 7
Recommended fuel	Regular unleaded (87 octane)
Transmission
Model 4R70W four-speed automatic, with overdrive lockout
Ratios
1^st	2.71
2^nd	1.53
3^rd	1.00
4^th	0.71
Reverse	2.18
Rear Axle	3.55:1 Limited Slip (Traction-lock)
Fuel Economy
Highway	20 mpg
City	14 mpg
Fuel Tank Size	19 gal. / 71.92 liters (base tank)
Brakes
Four-wheel power disc brakes with ABS, electronic brake force distribution (EBD) and dual-rate panic-assist booster
Front disc diameter	12.2- inch / 305 mm ventilated rotors, two-piston calipers
Rear disc diameter	13.0-inch / 330 mm solid rotors, single-piston calipers
Pad Material	High Friction, Semi metallic