Ford could have been perhaps the best of the Big 3. They made tremendous strides starting in the mid-1980s. Of course given where they started from all that says is that they were playing tremendous catch-up.

I would agree that the Taurus in particular was a home run for Ford. Not that I would ever want to own one but for the market it was built for it wasn't bad. If you narrow that market to cars built by American manufactures I would accept that maybe it was even best of class (maybe still is). Then again that isn't saying a lot, moreover, Ford has largely neglected this product line. The last generation (but not earlier) Ford Probe was also a pretty interesting car for it's nitch. However, the Probe is history and Ford's nearest replacement--the Cougar--really isn't comparable. Ford also started to do some pretty interesting engine design compared to their American peers.

But Ford lost focus and has been able to return to old practices as a result of the SUV boom. Don't worry about design or engineering. Stamp them out. Ship them out.

The details that have come out surrounding the "little tire problem" are really illustrative of the old Ford. The same Ford that decided in the 1970s that the few dollars it would cost to fix their defective seat belts wasn't cost justified relative to their estimates of the "value" of the human lives saved.

If the vehicle shows a tendency to roll over during testing with typical tire inflation pressures why not try it again with a lower tire pressure? Lets see, how about 26psi? Now that is what I call engineering!

I still think they should change their tag line to:

"Have You Rolled a Ford Lately?"

Let me be clear that the above is focused on Ford North American operations. In Europe they do seem to do better.

• New 9.3 ...... sick, sick, sick!, nick , Fri, 27 Oct 2000 14:56:40
  • Even if it is a recreation...., WLDock, Sun, 29 Oct 2000 10:58:43
  • pic probably an "artist's recreation", Derek Gentry, Sat, 28 Oct 2000 14:52:39
  • We need to see all models, Coolknight, Sat, 28 Oct 2000 07:49:46
    • Re: We need to see all models, Rob , Sat, 28 Oct 2000 09:51:13
  • See "Chicken Little" posted below...n/m, SS, Fri, 27 Oct 2000 16:11:36
    • Please. No dissension., AlexM, Fri, 27 Oct 2000 17:09:31
  • Please give it a rest..., Richard P., Fri, 27 Oct 2000 15:13:06
    • Thank you for the sermon on the mount. n/m, AlexM, Fri, 27 Oct 2000 15:21:15
      • I part water in my spare time..., Richard P., Fri, 27 Oct 2000 15:23:44
        • Nothing to worry about? HA!, Nigel, Sat, 28 Oct 2000 12:35:51
          • Re: Nothing to worry about? HA!, Han, Sun, 29 Oct 2000 00:51:47
          • Re: Nothing to worry about? HA!, saw, Sun, 29 Oct 2000 00:43:59
            • Ford in charge of Jaguar, Aston Martin, Volvo, Nigel, Sun, 29 Oct 2000 10:13:33
              • Ford could have been...., saw, Sun, 29 Oct 2000 14:42:23 <-- Viewing This Message
                • the new Taurus, not the old, Nigel, Sun, 29 Oct 2000 17:04:10
                  • Re: the new Taurus, not the old, saw, Sun, 29 Oct 2000 18:10:17
          • Do you realize..., SS, Sat, 28 Oct 2000 18:21:07
            • Of course I realize..., Nigel, Sun, 29 Oct 2000 10:18:26
              • What Data are you refereing to? n/m, SS, Sun, 29 Oct 2000 14:11:20
                • The data I'm referring to..., Nigel, Sun, 29 Oct 2000 17:07:23
                  • Nigel, I just don't get it, ....., GM, Wed, 1 Nov 2000 16:21:40
          • I'm not naive...I just don't knee jerk..., Richard P., Sat, 28 Oct 2000 17:33:12
            • Substandard, Nigel, Sun, 29 Oct 2000 10:27:52
              • Must be different literature..., Richard P., Sun, 29 Oct 2000 15:26:14
                • comparos, Nigel, Sun, 29 Oct 2000 17:16:25
                  • RE: Comparos, Richard P., Tue, 31 Oct 2000 11:42:35
              • BTW..., Nigel, Sun, 29 Oct 2000 10:30:01
                • Evil preys on stupidity..., jd, Sun, 29 Oct 2000 14:30:34
                  • Excellent post! n/m, Nigel, Sun, 29 Oct 2000 17:19:11
                  • Well said. n/m, SS, Sun, 29 Oct 2000 14:36:18
        • just cool headed, MJM , Fri, 27 Oct 2000 17:14:07

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