"Margin Of Error" (marginoferror)
06/11/2015 at 11:04 • Filed to: FORGOTTEN CLASSICS, FC, ESSAY
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"Margin Of Error" (marginoferror)
06/11/2015 at 11:04 • Filed to: FORGOTTEN CLASSICS, FC, ESSAY | 2
| 13 |
Always wanted a proper Volvo wagon, but the 240/740/940 are getting a bit old and difficult to find ? Well, I have excellent news for you, because you can know visit your local !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! dealer and ask for used 2005-2009 Ford Freestyle/Taurus X, and find yourself driving a 7-seater Volvo S80 wagon for the price of a used, unpopular domestic crossover. And don’t forget to ask for the !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! .
Welcome to Forgotten Classics
As demonstrated in the !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! , the goal of this series of essays is be to bring cars that are getting no love back in the limelight. FC is also a thorough analysis of why such cars remained obscure and never got the praise they deserved.
Based on the D3 platform, also shared with many Volvo cars and the with the Ford FiveHundred, the Freestyle was initially supposed to be called CrossTrainer. Unfortunately, Ford wanted to enforce their naming convention which consisted in having all passenger car’s name starting with the letter F,all trucks starting with the letter E, all Mustangs starting with the letter M and all GT starting with the letter G.
Just as its spiritual predecessor, the Volvo 245, the Freestyle was not exactly a looker, but it was meant to be useful by maximizing cargo and passenger space while maintaining a proper car-like driving experience.
As you can see in the picture above, all seats featured Volvo’s “lumbar support system”, even the rear jump seats, which are reminiscent of Volvo’s famed rear facing cargo bay seats and are looking even more comfortable than your average Acura front seats.
Under the bonnet, the Freestyle rely on the same engine that powered the equally awesome Mazda 6 V6 Wagon manual, the 203 horses 3.0L Duratec V6 engine. 55% of all Freestyle were sold with the Haldex AWD sourced from the Volvo XC90, which is coincidentally the only Enthusiast-SUV ever made.
That’s a lot of excellent enthusiast’s DNA in a single car. The modern Volvo chassis goodness, the classic Volvo wagon spirit and Mazda’s dab of zoom-zoom all contribute to make the Freestyle/Taurus X and excellent vehicle for the proper wagon enthusiast.
The Freestyle was renamed Taurus X for its last two model years. Didn’t help much, as Americans clearly don’t like buying wagons, but putting an X in the name of a car is always a good way to lure “truck” buyers, so you are more likely to find a nice used Taurus X on the market.
Don’t miss this once in a lifetime opportunity to own a truly special automobile at a ridiculous price !
Thanks for reading.
For Sweden
> Margin Of Error
06/11/2015 at 11:14 |
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This is actually a Volvo Outback
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Margin Of Error
> For Sweden
06/11/2015 at 11:15 |
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That’s actually very true.
MultiplaOrgasms
> Margin Of Error
06/11/2015 at 11:20 |
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As a matter of fact the XC90 is not an enthusiasts car. I know because we used to own one. With a five cylinder diesel and six-speed manual. Its a middle of the road SUV, not remarkable in any way.
The Volvo hype train is bullshit.
sm70- why not Duesenberg?
> Margin Of Error
06/11/2015 at 11:21 |
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If you fancy a bit more style and don’t mind dropping a little extra cash, you could have a Flex. I know where you can get one cheap ;)
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Margin Of Error
> MultiplaOrgasms
06/11/2015 at 11:24 |
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That’s not the general consensus on this site, sorry you had a bad experience.
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Margin Of Error
> sm70- why not Duesenberg?
06/11/2015 at 11:28 |
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The Flex is nice but so huge, I know it also runs on excellent Volvo underpinnings but it is more the size of a Buick Roadmaster.
Your boy, BJR
> Margin Of Error
06/11/2015 at 11:30 |
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This site’s general consensus is also that slow shitty rusted station wagons are better than the best modern sports cars, so one could make the case for this site’s general consensus being wrong.....
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MultiplaOrgasms
> Margin Of Error
06/11/2015 at 11:35 |
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We didn’t have a bad experience, it was a solid car all around and it even used to be my dad’s realistic dream car ever since its launch.
HOWEVER:
a) After owning one for a year he realized that a V70 offers sufficient practicality with better performance and running costs, so he got another one of those instead.
b) Hyping all Volvos to the moon is a bit exaggerated. Sure Volvos are good cars for the money, but neither do they surpass their competition in any way.
LongbowMkII
> Margin Of Error
06/11/2015 at 11:39 |
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I’d consider one. but the duratec 6 was hardly enthusiastic paired with a auto/cvt. And isn’t haldex AWD the worst AWD?
Under_Score
> Margin Of Error
06/11/2015 at 11:59 |
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Good article! I never knew that there was any Volvo in the Freestyle (knew about the engine from the Mazdas, but otherwise clueless about which other carmakers pitched in). That’s neat. I’ve always liked the Freestyle/Taurus X; really underrated compared to other mid-sized crossovers of the time.
RallyWrench
> Margin Of Error
06/11/2015 at 12:50 |
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“the Volvo XC90, which is coincidentally the only Enthusiast-SUV ever made.”
Wat.
Devon lost his burner, understands electric cars don't require front grilles
> Margin Of Error
07/06/2015 at 11:14 |
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The Mehari style body was pleasant on a hot day, but it had trouble passing side-impact crash tests.
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Devon lost his burner, understands electric cars don't require front grilles
> MultiplaOrgasms
07/06/2015 at 11:15 |
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Service writers seem pretty enthusiastic about them.