www.fordboldmoves.com

[Ferrer]

Originally Posted by deathfromabove

Ford doesn't make bold moves? How about the original GT? Ferrari pussed out of the deal at the last second, then Ford made the GT and owned the Le Mans Racing Series for nearly a decade. The ultimate middle finger.

It's been 40 years since this happened and this isn't going to save Ford at all. Move on.

[NSXType-R]

Originally Posted by deathfromabove

Ford doesn't make bold moves? How about the original GT? Ferrari pussed out of the deal at the last second, then Ford made the GT and owned the Le Mans Racing Series for nearly a decade. The ultimate middle finger.

Yes it was a bold move but that was a couple decades ago. If they were bold today they would have entered Le Mans, which they haven't because they're so "bold". The GT and Mustang are both bold. The Mustang is going pretty strong I give you that but there's a problem with the GT. If you go retro where do you go next? Even then they're not planning a replacement, so a Ferrari killer was made but it didn't last very long did it?

[NSXType-R]

Originally Posted by clutch-monkey

err...if the XR6T/F6 typhoon isn't a bold move i don't know what is
they weren't even sure they had a market for these cars yet they went ahead anyway

I don't see it in America. I'm sure there would be buyers for it but for some reason Ford can't get it through their thick skulls that it would sell here. I'd love to see it in replacement of the 500 and the Fusion. They're so boring. By the way, do you think sharing platforms with Mazda (in the Fusion) will help its boldness any further (along with the Zephyr)?

[fpv_gtho]

Youve got to start somewhere i suppose.

[F1_Master]

Originally Posted by deathfromabove

Ford doesn't make bold moves? How about the original GT? Ferrari pussed out of the deal at the last second, then Ford made the GT and owned the Le Mans Racing Series for nearly a decade. The ultimate middle finger.

I agree, and like Ferrari selling their cars on their heritage, I believe that's what really sold the GT.

So, I do believe the GT40 domination was a bold move, and to bring it back as the GT proved worthwhile.

[Ferrer]

Originally Posted by NSXType-R

Yes it was a bold move but that was a couple decades ago. If they were bold today they would have entered Le Mans, which they haven't because they're so "bold". The GT and Mustang are both bold. The Mustang is going pretty strong I give you that but there's a problem with the GT. If you go retro where do you go next? Even then they're not planning a replacement, so a Ferrari killer was made but it didn't last very long did it?

I hardly consider the Mustang a bold move at all. It builds on the success of a 40 year old car. It has a live axle and a engine that's not exactly new. How is that bold?

[adrenaline]

The original link to the bold moves site didnt work because i had the bold tags within the URL tags

[PerfAdv]

Mark Fields said, "...change or die, baby. That's what it's all about."

Change, how? Change what. Change preferences of what people want through marketing? Build more quality and value into a product than the Japanese; all while supporting UAW?

The only way I see it happening is if older, proven technology is bought from the Japanese and then modified and improved upon. Example, an engine that's capable of running 200+ thousand miles can be improved upon to run 220k miles, but a scratch built CAD engine will be "crap" for years... Really, much more important than the drivetrain is the total integration, so everything is built to last. That's real quality.

The Koreans and Malaysians didn't start from scratch, a lot of their original cars are Mitsubishis (Proton) and Mazda (Kia). Now they're making their very own successful cars...

Ford and the other US have done this as well, but it seems a lot of it was just to make some extra money and not improve the whole fleet. Ford sold Escorts that were Mazda powered. Chrysler sold some Mitsus and GM sold a bit of everything but the technology of build quality transfer never took place. If this is what Mark Fields means with Bold Moves, then more power to them.

After the WWII, the Japanese learned how to make cars from America. They never stopped improving their cars. The US got left behind, now Fields said "change or die". The only viable change is to learn and borrow heavily from the Japanese in how to build cars. There is no shame in that...

***Good call Ferrer, my avy is of a 250 GT Lusso.

[rev440]

Originally Posted by Ferrer

I hardly consider the Mustang a bold move at all. It builds on the success of a 40 year old car. It has a live axle and a engine that's not exactly new. How is that bold?

Are you kidding me that engines new. The old gt had a 2 valve the cobra had a 4 valve this is a 3 valve thats different isnt it? If you havent noticed its also done pretty well in racing.

[Ferrer]

Originally Posted by rev440

Are you kidding me that engines new. The old gt had a 2 valve the cobra had a 4 valve this is a 3 valve thats different isnt it? If you havent noticed its also done pretty well in racing.

Alright so they change the heads so that it has now 3 valves per cylinder. That hardly makes it what I would call new.

[adrenaline]

Forget the engine...LIVE REAR AXLE!!! Thats disgraceful. They'll fix it when the new Mustang comes around hopefully....which might be next century as Ford has so many plans right now for new models...IMO they have left it all too long and now have a shite load of un-inspiring or old cars (Crown Vic..*shivers*) and now they have to work to refresh them.

So far so good...the fusion was pretty good or BOLD. So too is the new Edge and Lincoln MKX.

[Ferrer]

Originally Posted by ADRENALINE

Forget the engine...LIVE REAR AXLE!!! Thats disgraceful. They'll fix it when the new Mustang comes around hopefully....which might be next century as Ford has so many plans right now for new models...IMO they have left it all too long and now have a shite load of un-inspiring or old cars (Crown Vic..*shivers*) and now they have to work to refresh them.

So far so good...the fusion was pretty good or BOLD. So too is the new Edge and Lincoln MKX.

What's strange though is that while Ford USA has been giving the states pretty rubbish cars (or should I say the did?), Ford Europe has been giving Europe some pretty competent cars. Why is that? Can't Ford USA and Ford Europe talk to each other and share technology?

[adrenaline]

Originally Posted by Ferrer

What's strange though is that while Ford USA has been giving the states pretty rubbish cars (or should I say the did?), Ford Europe has been giving Europe some pretty competent cars. Why is that? Can't Ford USA and Ford Europe talk to each other and share technology?

You're not wrong! Ford Europe has alot to offer and Ford USA needs to recognize that.

[NSXType-R]

Originally Posted by Ferrer

I hardly consider the Mustang a bold move at all. It builds on the success of a 40 year old car. It has a live axle and a engine that's not exactly new. How is that bold?

Good point. The only reason to spare the Mustang is because it kept Ford alive all because of that one model.