When will Ford pull their heads out of their butts?

[alstensby]

I finally got around to seeing the new Mondeo Wagon...and she's one hot car! WOW! I wish they'd wake up and start bringing their successful cars stateside for a change! They're sinking as it is...why not take a risk? Cars like this could put a much needed shot in their arm. Now...if only they give it the ability to tow about 2500lbs, I'll go straight to the local dealer and put down whatever deposit they want for it. My options for towing wagons are so limited! Volvo's cost can be prohibitive for the fun one ($40K+) while the Outback doesn't get very good mileage due to the AWD...not to mention it's a little cramped in there. So any of your Euro's own one of these? They're pretty popular across the pond. Anyone work for Ford? Tell them to get to it!

More Mondeo: Ford's Prototype Midsize Wagon Revealed

[NCDave]

Seems like we've now come full circle with SUVs back to station wagons!

[pat0021]

styled like the dodge i think.

[trikebubble]

As you know, we just got back from 2 weeks in Italy. Over there, their are virtually no SUV's on the road, however they have perfected the art of the estate wagon. I even saw a BMW M5 wagon, how's that for a corvette killer station wagon?
And we saw many estates towing trailers, and the trailers looked much lighter as well.

I think the times, they are slowly a changing over here. Just be patient, the way fuel prices are rising eventually everyone will have to come to the realiztion that trucks and large SUV's are going the way of the Dodo bird.

[messer00]

Chevy, too.

That new electric car, I think it's called the Volt, is going to cost around $40,000 bucks. I've never spent over twenty for a car, so good luck to them.

[alstensby]

Originally Posted by pat0021

styled like the dodge i think.

Are you...on crack? Ha ha! I don't see much of the Magnum at all in that. Much more abrupt front end, taller body, not such a rakish back end, making it usable. But...they are both wagons. lol

[metalesp]

Interesting looking car.

[alstensby]

Originally Posted by trikebubble

that trucks and large SUV's are going the way of the Dodo bird.

I doubt they'll ever truly go away as there is a legitimate role for them. However, I think they'll fall from being the status symbol "I have to have one" item they have been for the last decade or so. Afterall, the only "off-road" action about 95% of the SUVs out there ever see is when someone accidentally backs over the flowerbed.

[metalesp]

Originally Posted by alstensby

I doubt they'll ever truly go away as there is a legitimate role for them. However, I think they'll fall from being the status symbol "I have to have one" item they have been for the last decade or so. Afterall, the only "off-road" action about 95% of the SUVs out there ever see is when someone accidentally backs over the flowerbed.

Ain't that the truth.

I mean who's going to take their $50k+ SUV off the road and risk getting it dirty or god forbid scratched

[alstensby]

Originally Posted by metalesp

Ain't that the truth.

I mean who's going to take their $50k+ SUV off the road and risk getting it dirty or god forbid scratched

lol...I know people with their little $20K "Cute-Utes" (think CRV) who won't even go on an "unimproved road". I've ridden my bike on worse roads than most of them will see! ha ha!

[trikebubble]

Originally Posted by alstensby

I doubt they'll ever truly go away as there is a legitimate role for them. However, I think they'll fall from being the status symbol "I have to have one" item they have been for the last decade or so. Afterall, the only "off-road" action about 95% of the SUVs out there ever see is when someone accidentally backs over the flowerbed.

Is it really honestly a "legitimate" use"?, or just our perceived one. The most popular well used four wheel drive vehicle in the worl is the Toyota Hi-Lux. While we all think we really need that Super-Duty, I doubt the majority of us really do. We can adapt our lifestyles to fit the new world I think. My Dad has an old Fiat Panda 4X4 car over there, that will go almost anywwhere.
The true "off-road' crowd in Italy all drive Toyota Land Cruisers, and not the massive Luxury SUV's we havem but the real thing, the 2 door Jeep type vehicle..........and 99.9% of them run diesel too.
Our little rental car had a 1.2 litre engine and could very comfortable cruise at 140km/hr. It had way more guts than my wife's 2litre Dodge Neon.

I think that the rest of the world has spent the past 10+ years adapting to high fuel prices while we in the west have been hiding from the impending truth behind the wheels of our SUV's.

The most popular estate (wagon) car I saw was the Audi A4, with a 1.8(ish) litre engine. They were everywhere.

[alstensby]

Originally Posted by trikebubble

Is it really honestly a "legitimate" use"?

You may have missed the point I was making. Only a select people have those vehicles for legitimate reasons such as a lot of heavy towing with a bunch of kids, etc. For instance, I have a neighbor with four kids, two dogs, the wife and a BIG boat so that's why he has a Suburban. Yes...it's due to choices he made, but he actually gets use out of it.

[A2rider]

This is a station wagon, durnit.

http://static.howstuffworks.com/gif/...uiser-1969.jpg

[B-Bob]

Originally Posted by alstensby

...while the Outback doesn't get very good mileage due to the AWD...not to mention it's a little cramped in there.

What do you find cramped about the Outback? When I was looking, I tried a lot of sport wagons (such as Toyota RAV4, Highlander, Ford Escape). Except for the RAV4, the other wagons were bigger than the Outback, but the Outback had 2" more driver's side leg room. That was what sold me on the Outback. The others I tried all caused me to bend my right knee in awkward ways.

Admittedly, the back seat is a bit cramped, but it's my car so I'm never back there!

BTW, my Outback gets 30+ highway, 20+ city, which ain't half bad.

[IPchief]

In the good ol' days, Ford could afford to make almost completely different cars in Europe and than those in the U.S. Ford has publicly announced that those days are gone and that there will be One Ford from now on with a unified product development struture. Entire plants are being refitted to make this happen as fast as possible. Stay tuned!

[SilverEagle]

True Carlo, I have not ever enjoyed driving a pickup or SUV. I haven't had much utility need either. And just a very few that I know actually use their SUV/Pickup for the need it is made fore. Most are never leaving pavement, when I bought this rear wheel drive Pontiac G8 GT most folks though I was loco, nuts or plain crazy.........for the snow belt here in Montana......truth is I never drive to any ski resorts or wicked unplowed roads ever in the winter time..........and how did we grow up? With rear wheel drive Pickups and stationwagons.

Now this Mercury I owned a few years back.....and it is the actualy picture of one......THIS is a SUV's great grandfather.

[A2rider]

Now THAT'S a station wagon!!!!

[SilverEagle]

Originally Posted by A2rider

Now THAT'S a station wagon!!!!

It was Tina, 5000Lbs of american iron..........and a biiiiig gas sucking 460 in it.........I paid 600 for it .......and traded a biiiiig 44 Magnum for it when I got rid of it


That Mondeo looks like a Mazda 6 wagon, they might be built on the same platform I bet? Since Mazda is owned by Ford.....ya never know.

[A2rider]

The first vehicle I had was a 1972 Olds station wagon. Weighed 4500 hundred pounds, got 10 mpg. It was a great party wagon. Anybody who wanted a ride paid $5 to go cruising. Ended up wrecking it, and a guy paid me $200 for it. He gutted it, and won the demo derby at the state fair in it.

[2WheelFun]

I want a flying carpet.