Under Review: Ford Edition

"Andrew Seifert" (andrewseifert) 03/01/2014 at 12:01 • Filed to: Ford, Under Review, Mustang, F150

1

3

Today's featured carmaker is Ford. Like the other members of the Big Three, Ford has been on a roll since the bailout, completely revamping their image from the staid, unimpressive presence they had in the early 2000s.

Why Ford Is the Best Carmaker Ever: Ford has a lot to brag about this year, particularly the redesigns of two of their marque models, the F150 and Mustang.

The new !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! is perhaps the most technologically advanced muscle car to date, with independent rear suspension (finally!) as well as a myriad of other new features. There's also a 4 cylinder version floating around. Many Mustang fans have been deriding this idea, but it has the potential to draw away FRS/BRZ buyers with its promise of excellent fuel economy as well as decent performance. Fortunately, the V6 and V8 versions will remain on the order sheet for the traditional Mustang enthusiasts.

!!! UNKNOWN CONTENT TYPE !!!

The other big event at Ford is the rollout of the !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! , which should be arriving in showrooms later this year. An aluminum body as well as a new 2.7 liter Ecoboost are some of the highlights of the latest iteration of Ford's bread-and-butter truck. !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! , news of a successor hasn't stopped people from snapping up now previous-gen F150s from the dealer lots.

!!! UNKNOWN CONTENT TYPE !!!

Why Ford Sucks: The MyFord Touch system found in a lot of their cars gets a lot of hate. Like many carmakers recently, Ford has fallen into the notion that we consumers prefer a glitchy, distracting touchscreen over old fashioned buttons and dials. Consumer Reports even gave Ford their lowest overall score in years largely due to the baffling MyFord Touch/SYNC duo.

Recently they pulled off a !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! , ditching Microsoft in favor of Blackberry as the operating system of choice for their SYNC system. Considering that GM, Honda and others are going with Android or Apple-based systems, it's not a particularly smart idea.

!!! UNKNOWN CONTENT TYPE !!!

A lot of critics have panned Ford's apparent Aston Martin styling cues, which show up on the Fusion, the new Mustang and most recently, the !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! . It looks good to non-car people who could care less, but many enthusiasts see it as a horribly bloated affront to the Aston Martin brand.

!!! UNKNOWN CONTENT TYPE !!!

Breadwinner : The F150 has held the crown of America's best-selling pickup for more than a decade. Last year alone, Ford sold almost a million F150s in North America alone. They come in every flavor imaginable, from the stripped-down work trucks to the fully loaded Platinum and King Ranch versions.

Instant Classic: The 2005-2014 Mustangs should hold their value very well in the next few decades as they are the last of the old school 'Stangs. This particularly applies to the V8 GT and the Shelby versions.

The One We All Want: Defenitely a Raptor version of the new 2015 F150. Ford has not completely ruled out one so there is still hope. Other cars on the wish list include a Shelby incarnation of the new Mustang (probably going to happen) and the return of the Ranger pickup (not likely at this point).

Forgettable: Ford has made several cars in recent years that we'd love to forget, but the 2003-2005 Thunderbird stands out as a particularly disapointing one. Riding a wave of nostalgia-fueled cars like the PT Cruiser, the Thunderbird attempted to bring back the glory days of the 1950s. It fell short, as no one wanted to pay Corvette money for a roadster that handled and felt like a large sedan. Ford mercifully killed production after 3 years.

Final Take: Their trailblazing progress in technology like the Ecoboost engine will keep them at the front of the automotive world for years to come. The new F150 and Mustang look to be worthy successors and should attract new buyers into the showrooms.

Any questions or comments? Post them below!

jmaseV8 > Andrew Seifert 03/02/2014 at 00:17

0

Since the bailout? You mean since they didn't take a bailout because they had the foresight (luck) to get their financial house in order before the economy took a dump?

Philbert/Phartnagle > Andrew Seifert 03/04/2014 at 03:43

0

I'm one who votes for them to bring back the small Ranger pickups.

I have an 02 model that is still in very good shape and it has low miles, but I would like to replace it at some point in the future without my only option just being a newer used model.

I also think the Mustangs will always end up being classics and hope that they never stop making them.

HydraulicDragon > Andrew Seifert 03/04/2014 at 20:34

0

Not sure what makes you think the Mustang GTs will hold their value. A used 2012 GT can already be had for less than $25k, and some 2011's are nearing $20k.