Ford

"Chairman Kaga" (mike-mckinnon)
03/10/2014 at 13:49 • Filed to: None

Does Ford have the overall best lineup for "people like us"?

The 2015 Mustang is arguably the best bang for the buck. The 2014 is no slouch.

The ST cars are arguably the best hot hatches in the American market.

The Raptor is unassailably awesome.

The Flex Ecoboost is irrationally awesome.

The new Fusion is overall the best mid-size sedan I've ever driven.

Even the Escape 2.0 Ecoboost is better driving than any CSV has a right to be.

On the whole, Ford has the best lineup going. Rebuttal?

DISCUSSION (39)

spanfucker retire bitch > Chairman Kaga
03/10/2014 at 13:51

The perennial Jalop favorite.

Kinja'd!!!

quarterlifecrisis > Chairman Kaga
03/10/2014 at 13:52

I'm gonna throw the fact that they do make the Taurus SHO, and diesel trucks with big power potential out there too. And I'm reasonably loyal to GM too. Sort of.

RacecaR > Chairman Kaga
03/10/2014 at 13:53

Sounds reasonable.

Kinja'd!!!

Chairman Kaga > spanfucker retire bitch
03/10/2014 at 13:53

I'd argue Ford has trumped Mazda. Granted they don't have a Miata equivalent, but in all other respects their lineup besta Mazda in just about every respect.

Still love me some Mazda, I'd have a hard time choosing between a 6 and a Fusion. But no problem at all picking a Focus ST over a Mazdaspeed3.

Yowen - not necessarily not spaghetti and meatballs > quarterlifecrisis
03/10/2014 at 13:54

Yeah, I was definitely going to say something about the SHO missing in that post, :P

Chairman Kaga > quarterlifecrisis
03/10/2014 at 13:54

Totally forgot the SHO, a car for which I have begrudging respect.

Lumpy44, Proprietor Of Fine Gif > quarterlifecrisis
03/10/2014 at 13:54

Ford diesels -entire body shudders-

Party-vi > Chairman Kaga
03/10/2014 at 13:55

They killed off the GT. This in my eyes is unforgivable.

OPPOsaurus WRX > spanfucker retire bitch
03/10/2014 at 13:56

Mazda has the Miata, Mazdaspeed, and the 6. I don't find that to be enough to compete overall comparison. They kinda lack anything beyond cars.

William Byrd > Chairman Kaga
03/10/2014 at 13:56

Seconded.

MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner > Chairman Kaga
03/10/2014 at 13:56

I'm going to say....yes.

I think they need a RWD sedan to lock it up though.

Yowen - not necessarily not spaghetti and meatballs > Chairman Kaga
03/10/2014 at 13:56

Yeah, Ford's lineup is very very strong at the moment, people are gobbling their cars up. There is a good reason Ford turned such a healthy profit last year, their cars are in demand and they are selling with strong margins.

I think the one thing that would make their line-up stronger, in my opinion, would be another RWD sedan/coupe platform in addition to the Mustang. Either in the form of a Corvette contender or in the form of... well... a Mustang with 4 doors.

Jayhawk Jake > Chairman Kaga
03/10/2014 at 13:58

Kia is actually making strides towards being a great lineup for us.

Rio is an okay small hatch.

You can get a new Forte with a 200 hp turbo in Koup or Hatch form. FWD only, but whatever

The Optima is the best midsize value on the market.

The Soul is a very nice funky hatch wagon crossover thing and is very affordable

Okay, so I'm grasping at straws a bit, but if Kia brings the Stinger to market, it's going to be a hot commodity for those of us that aren't brand snobs.

spanfucker retire bitch > OPPOsaurus WRX
03/10/2014 at 14:02

I'd argue if the OP is including the Escape, that the CX-5 deserves mention. Especially since they benchmarked it against the last generation Mazda3 as far as handling is concerned.

I also believe Mazda PR has said multiple times that the CX-5 is better at cornering than the older Mazda3 is. I'd definitely consider the CX-5 to be the best handling CUV, over the Escape.

Victorious Secret > Party-vi
03/10/2014 at 14:05

Not killed, just let die with grace.

The beauty of the GT is that it never needed to happen, it never needed to end, and it never needs a sequel.

Yowen - not necessarily not spaghetti and meatballs > Chairman Kaga
03/10/2014 at 14:06

Haha, what's not to like about 5000 pound AWD speed demon?

KirkyV > Chairman Kaga
03/10/2014 at 14:06

The Fiesta ST is probably the best new supermini-class hot hatch on sale anywhere - quite a leap, considering its more humdrum immediate predecessor - but I think I'd give the family-sized hot hatch crown to the RenaultSport Megane. Still, Ford are doing rather well at the moment.

Jayhawk Jake > OPPOsaurus WRX
03/10/2014 at 14:06

They've actually gone down lately in my mind.

No Speed 3 or 6 right now, and there hasn't been a speed 6 in a while. The 3 is an attractive hatch, but that's about all it really is. The CX5 is an okay crossover, but kind of bland if I'm honest. The 2 doesn't really hold its own against the competition anymore.

So in reality right now all Mazda has is the Miata and a pair of attractive cars (the 3 and 6)

Party-vi > Victorious Secret
03/10/2014 at 14:08

GM has the Corvette.. Dodge (ahem, *SRT) has the Viper, which has been brought back so many times you'd think Ralph Gilles had an ICD installed at Conner Avenue. Ford has nothing to offer on those levels. It's upsetting.

Victorious Secret > Party-vi
03/10/2014 at 14:13

To Ford though, they don't want to compete on that level. As weird as it sounds. They want supercar or nothing.

The Corvette is not a supercar. The Viper is not a supercar. The GT was. And always will be.

I think Ford, regardless of potential lost sales, is happy to let the Mustang fill as many roles as they need it to till the day they actually pen a worthy successor.

Which just makes the entire process so special. It took 40 years to get a GT. And look at how amazing it was. While I don't want to wait another 40 years, I'm sure they've got something on the back burner.

OPPOsaurus WRX > spanfucker retire bitch
03/10/2014 at 14:15

I didn't know that. I'll give it to you.

SonorousSpeedJoe > Chairman Kaga
03/10/2014 at 14:16

Since the 2015 Mustang will launch with three 300+ HP engines and weigh over 3000 lbs, I feel like there's room for a Fiesta-sized (if not Fiesta-based) sub-3000 lb Toyobaru fighter with RWD and the 1.6T and 2.0T engines.
I can see people disagreeing on the basis that it would compete with the Mustang 2.3T, though.

revrseat70 > Chairman Kaga
03/10/2014 at 14:16

Kinja'd!!!

Party-vi > Victorious Secret
03/10/2014 at 14:16

I agree that the Corvette isn't a supercar, but I think the Viper makes a good case for inclusion. There's no pedestrian Viper. You can't order a more powerful engine with it (hell why would you need to?) and it's balls-to-the-wall. They're rare enough to be considered exotic (at least to me) and whenever I see one the same feeling as seeing a Ferrari or Maserati comes over me. A Corvette? You'd be lucky if I looked twice.

I think Ford needs a sports car. They've certainly got the engines for one and the profits to make the chassis. It just seems like something is missing.

MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner > Victorious Secret
03/10/2014 at 14:18

It also allows me to root for Corvette Racing and love the Corvette while being a pretty diehard Ford Supporter. They don't have a Corvette Competitor so I don't feel guilty hahaha

Victorious Secret > Party-vi
03/10/2014 at 14:21

I try to give the Viper that kind of love but it never manifests itself naturally, like it does with other cars.

There is no instant "giggity". I want my supercars to make me giggity.

I fully expect the next one to bow in the next 5 years. Everything is there and they can even harass Aston Martin for the One-77 chassis to make it happen if they don't want to overhaul whatever they have now.

Party-vi > Victorious Secret
03/10/2014 at 14:24

You need a blue GTS with white stripes to pass you on the highway with the taps open. That'll make you giggity.

quarterlifecrisis > Lumpy44, Proprietor Of Fine Gif
03/10/2014 at 14:37

Never said they were great, but, they can make power. The old man has an 00 7.3L though, not that that's exactly a Ford.

Yowen - not necessarily not spaghetti and meatballs > MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner
03/10/2014 at 14:51

I'm with you on that. Possibly at some point another limited run, GT type supercar.

MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner > Yowen - not necessarily not spaghetti and meatballs
03/10/2014 at 14:52

I just want something maybe in between the fusion and taurus, but RWD. I doubt it will happen because of their platform sharing policy, but I still want it!

Even if they only gave it to Lincoln, I'd be fine with that.

Yowen - not necessarily not spaghetti and meatballs > MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner
03/10/2014 at 14:57

What manufacturer, besides GM as a whole, gets away with both FWD and RWD sedans at similar sizes? So you are right, Lincoln needs an RWD platform, just like Cadillac is GM's rwd platform. But wait a minute... They also sneaked the SS in there. DAMNIT FORD! GIMME RWD BIG OR MEDIUM OR SMALL SEDAN NOOOOWWW!

MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner > Yowen - not necessarily not spaghetti and meatballs
03/10/2014 at 15:02

Thats my point exactly!

Dusty Ventures > Party-vi
03/10/2014 at 17:25

Nevada desert, 2 AM. I'm doing 75 (speed limit plus 5), white GTS blows by me like I'm standing still. Giggity

Chairman Kaga > Jayhawk Jake
03/10/2014 at 17:37

That's my thinking.

In all honesty, I can't tell the difference between the Escape and the CX5. They're both more competent than a CUV should be. When it comes down to choosing, I like the FOrd's interior and engine more than Mazda's, so that's the one I'd pick. But if you said I had to drive a CX5 every day, I wouldn't complain.

lingenfelter > Chairman Kaga
03/12/2014 at 17:51

I don't have a better suggestion, but aside from possibly a Mustang, I wouldn't buy anything from Ford right now - looks are a big part of a purchase for me and nothing on the lots fills me with want. Traditionally I've been a GM guy, but they don't have anything for me either, really. I'm currently on a Yamaha bike and loving it... looking at NA Miatas as a "winter" car since the bike is just not practical when the snow flies.

wiffleballtony > Chairman Kaga
03/12/2014 at 19:53

I completely agree. Its hard for me to think of a segment in which one of their cars aren't contenders. While like everyone else I wish for a GT successor, I am sure when the time is right they will unleash something.

derhoggz > SonorousSpeedJoe
03/13/2014 at 00:16

Somebody needs to make a small RWD hatch. Ford could just raid it's crypt and pull out the Merkur and I would give them all the money.

bob and john > Victorious Secret
03/17/2014 at 17:28

tell that to $kay

Philbert/Phartnagle > Chairman Kaga
03/17/2014 at 22:41

I have to agree.

Then there is always this....

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F8P5vG…