Its not Ford. Its CAFE.
Why, What are you doing Ford?
- Thread starter JExpedition07
- Start date
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I get that to a degree - but somehow GM offers V8s in their big SUVs and manual transmissions should get better mileage. I know new autos are pretty good at that but they are still heavier and weight is a big factor in mileage. And somehow Toyota manages to offer manuals and still meet cafe.
The round shift dial is really unrelated. That is just making the controls weird for no reason. It you want to manually down shift it is not intuitive and you need to take your eyes off the road.
They can blame cafe all they want but I’ve been buying only Fords for since the early ‘90’s and and they are managing to make me look elsewhere just by not offering some basic things.
The round shift dial is really unrelated. That is just making the controls weird for no reason. It you want to manually down shift it is not intuitive and you need to take your eyes off the road.
They can blame cafe all they want but I’ve been buying only Fords for since the early ‘90’s and and they are managing to make me look elsewhere just by not offering some basic things.
We have been watching the European-ization of what was thought to be an American vehicle. The EU has many places small cars are a necessity. Wasn't it Japan that taxed by dimensions of vehicles so we got small cars in America.
The Kia Soul is taller for us old Americans to get into and out without breaking our bodies. This vehicle looks to be a round Kia Soul. High clearances, short wheelbase, no overhang, easier access. Ford now is not only accommodating California pollution demands but European dimensions for tight city streets and smaller parking space.
This Ford is a mix of Mini Cooper with rounded looks and Grandma's rocking chair, sized to park on the sidewalk.
The Kia Soul is taller for us old Americans to get into and out without breaking our bodies. This vehicle looks to be a round Kia Soul. High clearances, short wheelbase, no overhang, easier access. Ford now is not only accommodating California pollution demands but European dimensions for tight city streets and smaller parking space.
This Ford is a mix of Mini Cooper with rounded looks and Grandma's rocking chair, sized to park on the sidewalk.
G213
Full Access Members
This is an interesting point; other automakers are continuing to offer V8 options while still abiding by the rules.
Now this is a total guess (and someone please correct me if I'm wrong); but I believe this is due to Ford's choice of R&D and budgeting. FoMoCo has for the past decade spent millions of dollars in joint ventures with companies like Robert Bosch GmbH to create and improve the EcoBoost line of engines. This technology continues to be a major initiative for Ford and they want their ROI for the money spent.
Additionally, because the EcoBoost 3.5L specs were better than the V8 offered up until 2014; someone probably made a judgement call and decided it was cheaper to sell the Expy with only the EcoBoost option and not have to spend money creating and offering a V8 option.
On the other hand, GM has spent a large amount of R&D on technology to shut down half of the cylinders in a V8 during light usage. Just a different approach to the same end of increasing gas mileage across a fleet.
Also, (this is total speculation so please jump in and correct me) I believe CAFE regulations treat passenger cars and light trucks differently. Remember, the gas mileage requirement is across the entire fleet, not by model. With FoMoCo's decision to stop selling passenger cars, I'm speculating that they needed a different way to meet the CAFE numbers, since they wouldn't be able to include passenger cars in the calculation.
I would also speculate that Toyota meets it's CAFE numbers across the fleet partly because they continue to offer passenger cars with high MPGs; but also due to their offering of Hybrid options across almost all of their passenger cars. CAFE dictates what the manufacturers overall fleet must equal out to; whether or not people actually buy the offerings made is a different story.
As far as not offering the manual transmission in the new Ranger, I believe that is just a result of lack of market demand. I recently read an article where they mentioned that the last full-size sedan one could purchase with a manual transmission was a Honda Accord and they've dropped the option for the upcoming refresh.
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Gregg Eshelman
Full Access Members
Remember the original Fiesta was designed to be a direct competitor to the VW Rabbit / Golf. Just about identical shape.
Ford is aiming Expedition sales at soccer mom/women drivers. They want men to buy the high profit, F150. All the 'improvements' have been like better mileage V6, with no optional V8, knob shifter, lower stance(for short drivers). My complaint is the boring styling. A Explorer front end with a Tahoe side and 2014 rear end. The high gas price spike of 2008-2009, put the Expedition re-design on the back burner. Ford did not even print the Expy dealer brochures for a while. Ford took a Billion dollar loan to develop the EcoBoost. They are trying to justify it, so they offer 'ecoboost rebates' and no 'optional engine'. GM has achieved almost identical power and mileage, using a high tech, LS small block V8. Toyota even has a V8 in its full size Sequoia.
The youngsters don't want to drive, they'd rather take uber. Think they have any desire to learn how to shift manually? Manuals are quickly becoming obsolete. Heck motorcycle companies are looking at making them automatic to attract young motorcycle buyers.
OP
OP
Looks like the pickup faired much better and if there was a passenger in the ecosport they’d likely be dead on impact
Fixed.
There's cheaper new F150's starting in the mid20's (yeah I was shocked too), and quite decent ones just below 30.
Expeditions, otoh, start at 2x that.
What they REALLY want is for guys to buy fully loaded Superduties. For almost $100k.
Seriously.
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Trainmaster
Old School Member
The market is changing, and Ford knows that. We are generally dinosaurs. Led by a misguided socialist government, Ford is struggling to guess what demands it will have to meet when laws change again. It's amazing they are still in business. They are downsizing so they are not investing in stuff that the socialists outlaw when they return to power.
Meanwhile, younger generations have bought the koolaid and want these flimsy econoboxes. I'm just glad there are enough of us left to keep big trucks on the market. Another ten years and it will be difficult to find a car like the Expedition we know.
Meanwhile, younger generations have bought the koolaid and want these flimsy econoboxes. I'm just glad there are enough of us left to keep big trucks on the market. Another ten years and it will be difficult to find a car like the Expedition we know.
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