ricers

[mappy]

Ahh... boy o boy. I think Ford has lost it. Not only are they crapping up perfectly good, dare I say legendary models, but they're making them worse and worse. I can remember back in the good ol early 90's. Escort GT's were crankin out the preformance and screamin @7000 when Civics and Eclipses and Celicas were screwing around with Turbos just to keep up. (When you've got 16 valve DOHC, you don't really need a turbo) Then there was the hideous Probe. What it lacked in looks, it made up for in preformance (it essentially lives on in the Mercury Cougar, anyhow) I guess what I'm saying is Ford used to build quality cars, now they're just taming them and turning them into show vehicles. I wish they'd introduce a new model that could compete with all the ricers of today. (I'm not really a big ZX2 fan) Something car nuts could soup up real nice like. Then once again we will leave the Celicas and Civic Si's in our dust!

[Jay!]

Two things:

1. Wasn't the Probe a Mazda car the Ford "borrowed" to sell in the U.S.?

2. Ford thinks they're competing in the sport compact market with the Focus.

Oh, there's three:

3. Welcome to AF!

[mappy]

Who cares if they "borrowed" it. Ford owns Mazda. They can do whatever they want. And don't get me wrong here... I love Mazda, the RX-7 is probably my favorite car ever. (bring it back, please. No RX-8 crap, no new stuff, just the RX-7, now) Ford should be paying a little more attention to Mazda, because they make some awesome "sporty" cars.

The Focus is the most non-sporty worthless thing I've ever seen. My god... I can't even begin to describe my distaste for such a hideous car. If they want to use that to get back into the sports compact market, they've got it all wrong. Kill it now and cut your losses! (or redesign it completely and give it a new name, essentially making it a different car)

[MercCougarXR7]

Hey threre Mappy.

Most of what you said rings true. But, Ford still builds the Mustang - nothing to sneer at .

I'm going to knock the sport compact market a bit here:

My view of compact cars (Civic, Escort, Cavalier etc.) is that they are for Transportation only. If a buyer wants a fast car - why do they buy a 1.6L 4 banger, and expect it to go fast?

Maybe that's Fords aproach - why build a screaming fast Fukas when they designed it merely for transportation? They have decided that the Mustang is going to be their fast car.

Don't get me wrong - I think the Civic, Escort, Cavalier etc. are excellent cars for their purpose (transportation), but you have to admit that's all they were designed for.

[mappy]

I see your point, but the mustang is a very different class of car. You don't go and race a Mustang Cobra GT against a Civic or Eclipse! That right is reserved for Trans Ams. Plus, people want affordable speed. And lets face it, the mustang isn't the prettiest car on the block since it's latest redesign, which I am not a big fan of. Blah. where am I going with this? Ah yes, poor gearheads who want affordable speed. That's the point. A tiny, compact speedy little number should be in a class by itself.

P.S. Cavaliers suck big time

[MercCougarXR7]

I dunno - the Mustang looks OK, but you are right - something is F'ked about it. And yes, I do realize that they are expensive, and cost A LOT on insurance.

I agree that tiny little cars should have their own catergorie - but why the heck do they keep trying to race me and my big cars then ? Not so much with the Marquis, but I always had to show people up with the Cougar... I never did race anyone I though I couldn't beat though !

Oh yeah - I agree that Cavaliers suck. Good for transportation only .