Why no more GT?
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Elder User
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Thanks for your support NumberDummy. I think L/M needs an updated sedan. The Towncar has a good reputation, but it's getting long in the tooth and well overdue for a makeover. With gas prices where they are, I would think some SUV's buyers would be ready to switch if they had a sedan that was as updated as the Navigator.
Ford Parts Specialist
Joined: Nov 2006
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From: Simi Valley, CA
What L/M dealers need is something unique to draw 'young' customers into their stores. The last several times that Ford did anything with L/M Division fell flat on its face...Remember the Merkur XR4Ti...the supposed BMW killer? As bad as that was, the Scorpio was worse. The last Cougars were an insult to the name.
Fusion/Milan will have a coupe soon. A Milan coupe with a turbo, special interior and colors, unique Billet grille (kids love those...they remind me of a winterfront), would be inexpensive for Ford to create, and would help L/M draw in customers.
The problems facing Buick are the same problems facing L/M...the customer base is old (average age of Buick customers is 70), and both divisions need new blood..both in vehicles and customers.
Fusion/Milan will have a coupe soon. A Milan coupe with a turbo, special interior and colors, unique Billet grille (kids love those...they remind me of a winterfront), would be inexpensive for Ford to create, and would help L/M draw in customers.
The problems facing Buick are the same problems facing L/M...the customer base is old (average age of Buick customers is 70), and both divisions need new blood..both in vehicles and customers.
Last edited by NumberDummy; Dec 21, 2006 at 02:15 AM.
Post Fiend
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I disagree about the couger, I loved them, and they sure sold well a round here, the roads are loaded with them. My daughter inlaw had one, it was sharp, pretty quick and handled well and they could be had with a manual tranny, They were small like the original 67 and 68's were. It was all mercury, ford had nothing that looked like it. The folley was more the maurder, it was to big for the 4.6, I believe it would of done better with the 5.4 dohc and a manual option. That was sorta the promblem with the 4.6 dohc, it lost to much through the auto. However they looked good and are going to be collectors items now. Lets face it, Bill Ford was more of a tree hugger, lets give money to gay rights sorta guy, performance wasn't his strong suit, he all but destroyed the svt program
Ford Parts Specialist
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 88,826
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From: Simi Valley, CA
C7WY-D0WY .. the real McCoy
The real Cougars were the 1967-1970 models. From 1971 on they were bloated underpowered tubs. While the last Cougar was an OK car, it was a Cougar in name only.
Marauder's never stood a chance...they were poorly promoted by Ford...the ads were uninspiring, Ford lost interest, and that was that.
Marauder's never stood a chance...they were poorly promoted by Ford...the ads were uninspiring, Ford lost interest, and that was that.
Post Fiend
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The 69 and 70 cougers were ok, I liked the grill a little better in the 67 and 68's. What was cool about the 69 - 70 cougers were the power plant options, 390, 428 CJ and the had a boss version called the elminator with cool color choices. They even put a 427 in the 68 couger, it was detuned a hair, only one carb and I think it had the hydrulic cam instead of a soild lifter. I looked at one for sale in 1980 for 1,500.00, but didn't buy it because it was an automatic. I could kick myself now, a 427 couger would be awesome, auto or not. Merc had some nice cars back in the muscle car days, they need some of that back, instead of being known as an old persons car.
Senior User
Joined: Aug 2003
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From: Huntsville, AL
Say what u will bout the 71 and up cougars...but I have an 85 Cougar XR-7 2.3 turbo that will run over 140mph on the highway and still go sideways in the first 3 gears. Thats not too bad for a large car with a 4cyl. I would in no stretch of the imagination call it underpowered.
Post Fiend
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You got one of the good ones, it was = to the thunderbird turbo coupe, I saw a liincoln concept vehicle on blue oval news, it was a 2 seater, with 415 hp. It looked to be in the class of the chrysler crossfire. That would be a car that younger well to do buyers could sink thier teeth into.
Senior User
Joined: Jul 2003
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From: Millington,Tn
Well sounds like a Girlfriend of mine needs to hold on to her 97 Mustang GT (SHES ORIGNAL OWNER ) w/ the blown head gasket (shes now got a v-6 mustang 05 model 
) WAS HOPING she would had bought another Mustang GT OR THE GT Model it self
her dad & myself were discussing fixing her Mustang GT &the GT (not Mustang GT ) Situation in general the other day HE WAS TELLING THEY WERRE GONNA DISCOUNTINE THE GT series the other day due to sales what was telling me any truth to it ?
MAN THAT OLE 97 GT WILL RUN W/ THE BEST OF EM
What ashame damn tree huggers get what they want & everyone else suffers
later
Bulldog
) WAS HOPING she would had bought another Mustang GT OR THE GT Model it self her dad & myself were discussing fixing her Mustang GT &the GT (not Mustang GT ) Situation in general the other day HE WAS TELLING THEY WERRE GONNA DISCOUNTINE THE GT series the other day due to sales what was telling me any truth to it ?
MAN THAT OLE 97 GT WILL RUN W/ THE BEST OF EM
What ashame damn tree huggers get what they want & everyone else suffers
later
Bulldog
Last edited by B-61 Bulldog; Dec 25, 2006 at 08:19 PM.
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Senior User
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From: buckley WA
The ford GT was NOT discontinued because of sales. Before they even built one they knew they were only going to build for 3 years. You don't build a legacy car forever and drive down the value of the ones you did build.
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Originally Posted by Netfly
My fault. I should have clarified it better. I think the name is a bit of a blunder on Ford's part. They should have distinguished it better. Maybe GT50 or something.
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Elder User
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Mil1ion I see your point. Maybe GT40R1 would be better. Now they can discontinue it for those insisting in a limited run and release a GT40R2 with new paint colors maybe. Red Star that GR-1 looks sweet. I hope Ford mades that too. I'm sure they could sell a bunch. A smart salesman once said: 'It's a lot easier to sell a tie for $100 than 100 ties for a dollar each'. Wonder how many Fusions Ford has to sell to equal the profit they get from one GT sale.
Last edited by Netfly; Dec 26, 2006 at 03:44 PM.
Senior User
Joined: Jul 2003
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From: Millington,Tn
have a bud of mine who is a Ford mechanic @ the dealership here in town i wasd talking to him 2 day he told me that the Dealer here in town had 1 the owner of the dealer sold it even before it got here for around $225 or $250 grand.
later
Bulldog
later
Bulldog
Ford Parts Specialist
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 88,826
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From: Simi Valley, CA
?
There's always someone who wants the first of the first. On April 23, 1964...when the Mustangs hit the showrooms...a bidding war began...with some of them selling for over 4 grand. That was the time when a grand was a lot of money.
So may people crowded the showroom, that we moved all the 'Stangs to the shop, where we put them on lifts.
Considering what it costs today to design, engineer and produce a new car, I have to wonder if Ford made any money on the GT40's.
So may people crowded the showroom, that we moved all the 'Stangs to the shop, where we put them on lifts.
Considering what it costs today to design, engineer and produce a new car, I have to wonder if Ford made any money on the GT40's.