All this Edge ST hate

"If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent" (essextee) 01/11/2018 at 09:28 • Filed to: None

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Ford is attempting to make a mass-market crossover that’s actually interesting and (presumably) fun to drive, and y’all are poo-pooing it? For shame.

(This is addressed to the automotive community at large, not just Oppo)

Textured Soy Protein > If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent 01/11/2018 at 09:38

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I think folks are less bothered by the vehicle itself than they are with it being called an ST. Personally that doesn’t bother me, I have no attachment to the ST badge or what it’s supposed to mean.

It’s basically just a little-bit-sportier replacement of the Edge Sport that already had the 2.7T V6. I actually like hot rod crossovers but I wasn’t a huge fan of the Edge Sport when I tried one. The motor was very nice, plenty of room, comfy, boring interior with slightly low-rent materials for the price, handling was ok at best, and the variable ratio steering was awful. No feel and the logic behind when it would change the steering ratio was totally unpredictable.

crowmolly > If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent 01/11/2018 at 09:43

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Sorry it was your turn, ST crowd. We’ll buy the first round. Hopefully they’ll do something cool with it later on.

Love,

The GM SS and Mopar HEMI groups.

OpposResidentLexusGuy - USE20, XF20, XU30 and Press Cars > If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent 01/11/2018 at 09:43

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FIFY

Sidenote: Good for Ford. Should be a cool vehicle. Hopefully its AWD.

shop-teacher > If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent 01/11/2018 at 09:43

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I agree on the whole. I like it, and I think it looks good. That said, it does dilute the ST brand, and I think that’s what people are so upset about. If they just called this the Edge Sport still, I don’t think anybody would be upset. I am old enough to remember when GM stuck and SS badge on anything it could, with no substance whatsoever to back it up. Those were dark days.

If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent > Textured Soy Protein 01/11/2018 at 09:44

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It’s not like ST is a storied nameplate with years of performance history. The badge was introduced like 15 years ago and only recently has it been applied to models other than the Focus.

Now an Edge 5.0 GT, that would be scandalous.

If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent > shop-teacher 01/11/2018 at 09:45

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See my response to Textured Soy Protein

CarsofFortLangley - Oppo Forever > If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent 01/11/2018 at 09:59

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Edge 5.0 GT, that would be scandalous badass.

V8 crossover? yes please

WilliamsSW > shop-teacher 01/11/2018 at 10:00

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The funny thing about that is that Chevy stuck the SS badge on just about any Impala almost from the get go. In 1961, it was a performance option, but you could get a ‘62 Impala SS with a stovebolt and Powerglide, if you wanted to. It really became a true performance option from about 1966 on, in the Chevelle/Nova/Camaro.

For Sweden > If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent 01/11/2018 at 10:02

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FACTS: The Edge ST is good.

CobraJoe > If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent 01/11/2018 at 10:04

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I try to never hate on a “performance trim” that actually has performance related upgrades.

But the Edge ST just seems wrong.

I guess it comes down to the order of priorities on the different trim levels.

Sport trim always seemed to focus on content, then comfort, then speed.

The ST trim was Fun, then content, then comfort (Manual transmissions were even the only option)

The new Edge ST doesn’t seem to follow that priority. It’s an equal to the Fusion Sport, but they already ruined the Edge Sport name.

Prediction: The success of the Edge ST will cause the Focus ST to get an automatic option (or automatic only).

SmugAardvark > If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent 01/11/2018 at 10:07

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I don’t have a problem with it. Even if it turns out to be little more than a badge to replace the “Sport” model, it just is what it is.

I would love to see Ford make it a genuinely exciting crossover. But I won’t lose any sleep over it if they don’t.

CobraJoe > If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent 01/11/2018 at 10:15

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Don’t forget, there have been several Ford GT trims that are not storied and do not have a strong performance history:

Probe GT and Escort GT were the last two I believe (both ended in the mid-late 90s).

Honestly, I’d be more approving of an Edge 5.0 GT if it actually had a 5.0. That sounds far more interesting than a “slightly more powerful version of what is already available”.

Textured Soy Protein > If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent 01/11/2018 at 10:25

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I agree with you but I can see how people who associate the ST badge with their sainted hot hatches might have their jimmies rustled by the same badge being applied to a dreaded crossover.

Overall the Edge ST seems like a nice package for a hot rod crossover, on paper. It’s got a power bump over the Edge Sport, a newer transmission although the old one didn’t really strike me as a weak point, and supposedly-sportier suspension tuning with optional bigger brakes (that commit the cardinal sin of painting single-piston calipers red) are nice. The grille is a little too pointy/squinty for the blocky rest of the car but it’s not like the grille on the old one was that great either. No mention of if there’s anything sportier done to the awd system which as far as I know is the typical crossover fwd-based transverse engine + power takeoff unit type setup.

I’d dig it if they’ve managed to fix the steering, but there’s also no mention of that so far.

crowmolly > CobraJoe 01/11/2018 at 10:26

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Let’s be real here:

Scorching hot take alert

The 2000's Ford GT was/is considered a tarnishing of the name by the GT40 crowd

Jayhawk Jake > If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent 01/11/2018 at 10:39

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It won’t be fun to drive. The edge is miserably bland, giving it more power won’t help that.

CobraJoe > crowmolly 01/11/2018 at 10:52

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The Ford GT was tarnishing the name of the GT40, but the Probe GT (available in non-turbo 4cyl and in purple or teal) didn’t tarnish insult the GT40's name?

No, the probe didn’t make a difference to what people thought about the GT40, but the GT did because it was styled and built to directly follow the GT40's lineage (which I guess is debatable in it’s success).

Point is, the GT trim was once as widely used as GM’s SS trim. And while I’m sure the Mustang guys would get up in arms about an Edge GT, a 5.0 automatic powered Edge is much closer in line with the Mustang GT than the Edge ST is in line with the other ST models.

Sampsonite24-Earth's Least Likeliest Hero > CobraJoe 01/11/2018 at 10:53

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also look at the SVT name, they took what was known for hi-po mustangs and gave it to the focus and contour, and a pick up truck.

Sampsonite24-Earth's Least Likeliest Hero > OpposResidentLexusGuy - USE20, XF20, XU30 and Press Cars 01/11/2018 at 10:53

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the edge sport and fusion sport is so i dont see why this wouldnt be

Sampsonite24-Earth's Least Likeliest Hero > SmugAardvark 01/11/2018 at 11:02

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they did say it would get some ST specific suspension treatment so hopefully that translates to fun

Out, but with a W - has found the answer > Jayhawk Jake 01/11/2018 at 11:19

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So is a basic Focus, and that turned out fine.

crowmolly > CobraJoe 01/11/2018 at 11:30

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Not sure I follow you.

GT is not a Ford exclusive trim, it’s a trim level used by a lot of brands.

I brought up the GT40/GT thing because that’s a Ford example of people griping about “tarnishing the lineage” even though it doesn’t really matter as they built the brand equity to begin with. Same with the HEMI trademark.

CobraJoe > Sampsonite24-Earth's Least Likeliest Hero 01/11/2018 at 11:31

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SVT cars were always highly modified over the “normal” versions though. They were “Special Vehicles” made by the “Special Vehicle Team”. The Focus had a highly modified engine, completely different transmission, and heavily modified suspension in addition to the visual and interior upgrades. Same for the Contour. Same for the Mustang. Same for the F150.

Every single one of the SVT models were modified heavily from the base versions. It made sense for them to all carry the SVT moniker.

CobraJoe > crowmolly 01/11/2018 at 11:41

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“GT” is not a ford exclusive trim, but right now only 2 models carry the GT name: A Mustang and the Ford GT. Both performance models, both highly historical.

However, the GT trim for Ford was not exclusive to high performance models, 20 some years ago it was even applied to a couple models that were “sporty” in looks alone.

Unlike the ST, which has only ever been applied to small and fun oriented models (Focus, fiesta, mondeo).

The Edge ST has far more in common with the Fusion Sport in spirit than any other name.

Carbon Fiber Sasquatch > If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent 01/11/2018 at 11:42

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JustAnotherG6 > If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent 01/11/2018 at 12:06

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The hate is b/c this is what they could have brought over instead: