March11
While walking the floor of the 78th Geneva Motor Show, we noticed quite a few cars we would like to see here in the U.S. Ironically, a lot of the European offerings we thought would be a good fit for the U.S. are actually produced by American companies. So we decided to tally a list — this time consisting of Ford vehicles — and come up with some reasons why these European models would be a perfect fit for the U.S.
Ford Mondeo
Between 1992 and 1996, the Ford Taurus was the best selling car in the United States. After that, the Taurus nameplate continued on a steady decline until it was discontinued in October of 2006. But, thanks to Ford CEO Alan Mulally, Taurus is back for the 2008 model year. However, the newest Taurus is a far cry from the original, and its extremely slow sales has Ford scrambling to create an entirely new vehicle for 2010.
But we have a much simpler answer for Ford. Instead of going back to the drawing board, import the Euro-spec Ford Mondeo and re-badge it as the Ford Taurus.
The Mondeo’s styling is light years ahead of the Taurus and the Mondeo’s kinetic design theme is much better suited for a sedan. That being said, Ford should not only bring over the Mondeo sedan, but also the five-door liftback. The liftback offers the room of a traditional hatchback but without the silhouette of a hatchback that most Americans despise.
And just as the Mondeo’s exterior trumps the Taurus’, so does the interior. The Mondeo actually has a proper sports sedan interior. Moreover, it can also be had with a third pedal and the ability to shift your own gears.
The only downside for the Mondeo in the U.S. is that it isn’t currently offered with a V6 — one of the most coveted engines in the mid-size sedan segment. However, the Mondeo is available with a range of four and five-cylinder engines — with four different diesel powerplants available. And rumor has it that a 240 horsepower gasoline unit and a 275 horsepower diesel are on the way, which should satisfy most drivers.
Ford Kuga
The Ford Kuga hasn’t even begun to roll off the assembly line yet, but we know we want it here. Ford’s U.S. crossover lineup is rapidly expanding, and the Kuga would be a perfect fit. Although the Kuga’s size might cut into some sales of the Ford Edge, the Kuga would do nicely as an Escape replacement.
Whereas the Escape’s boxy exterior says SUV more than crossover, the Kuga is extremely stylish and would once again give way to Europe’s more visually pleasing kinetic design theme. The Kuga’s diesel engine range would also be a welcome addition to Ford’s U.S. lineup.
Kuga, Edge, Flex. ‘Nuff said.
Ford Focus
We just got an all-new Ford Focus here in the States and we’re already looking for another all-new model. The 2008 Focus has some questionable styling cues — both inside and out — and has left many Americans wanting the European Focus. We concur.
Once again, Ford Europe’s kinetic design language looks far better than the Red, White and Bold we get here. Not only that, but the Euro Focus’ fit and finish are far better than what we get in the U.S.
And unlike Ford’s U.S. arm, Ford Europe lets you decide what body style you want, whether it’d be a sedan, hatchback or even a cabriolet penned by Pinifarina — not to mention the high-performance ST model.
I think the Mondeo with the ecoboost V6 would make a great SHO. you can ceck youtube and see a ford engineering vid with a 08 taurus with the ecoboost and all wheel drive it seems pulling away from a CTS and 330xi
EricTheRed, where can I see this video of an ‘08 Taurus with ecoboost?
I would take the Focus hatch over every car in its class, just ahead of the Mazda 3. The Kuga would sell so much better then the Escape.
Come on who actually thinks the Fusion is any good?
Ford NA seems to listen what it’s customers really want, then offer them the exact opposite. For years people everywhere… from people in automotive forums, to people on the street… even the automotive press have been screaming for some of their European variants, but to no avail. Even the FPV Falcons from down under would do well in the US I think. But the douche bags at Ford NA have other ideas. BRING OVER THE MONDEO, FOCUS AND KUGA DAMMIT!!!
bring over the Ford FPV from Australia while you’re at it
Ford Senior management is apparently not competent enough to bring a box of donuts from a donut shop so how the hell are they going to bring these great cars over from Europe?
By the way, they don’t need to import them at a loss but rather just build them here at a profit. Rather than waste time redesigning the Taurus (and then retooling to build it) just retool to build a Mondeo as is. You dont even need to design and refine the manufacturing. The same could have occured with the Focus (although the new one is not too bad). And about the Explorer, offer the Kuga as the new Explorer and redefine the vehicle, the segment, and your sagging image.
How such blindness can run a $100,000,000,000 north american operation I will never know, but if they continue the $ sales will soon shrink to that of the donut shop they should be running.
Ford should basically eliminate their current line up in the U.S. and bring all of these European Fords to America. The Mondeo should be slightly redesigned in the rear. I see most of these cars everyday and they look far more impressive than anything Ford sells in the United States.
Wow—the Mondeo is sexy. I agree with most of you that it’d sell well here in the U.S. If they could base price it at about $20K, and $28K for a fancy one, I think they’d have a hit on their hands. And the Kuga is really cool too, but I think I see a bit of Saturn Vue in the front end. The Focus is nice, but I hate the wheels on the car in the photos; they scream “made for the rental fleet”.
Allan Mullaly is still too new at his post to see any real results of his leadership, but he’s certainly had enough time to have put a few “irons in the fire”. I wonder if he has, and what they look like?
SoLoveLA—I have an ‘06 Fusion SEL that I bought used just a couple of months ago with 25K miles on it. I traded in an ‘03 VW Passat on it. So far, so good. In many ways, it’s easily the equal of the Passat (which I had very high regard for). The feel of the steering and the ride quality are actually better than the Passat. The one glaring shortcoming on it is the prop rod that they put on the hood; prop rods are for entry level cars only, in my opinion.
Anyone who’s walked through a rent-a-car lot at Heathrow Airport knows the worst Ford of Europe product is a better driver’s car than the best Stateside product.
The Mondeo is derided in the UK as a “salesman’s car” even though it is generations ahead of the decrepit Taurus and the clunky, slab-sided Fusion.
I would happily drive a Mondeo or Kuga. Send ‘em over. (But FoMoCo always has 100 reasons why it would never work.)
but its ugly with a nasty interior
the fusion i mean
please being all this over. seeing all these dealers close show how bland and about in fords stateside line-up.
Only what us LLNers have been saying for YEARS!
FORD’s patented excuses.
- “The Mondeo won’t make it in its current form, which suck because it is a new car, because it was not designed to American Safety standards but European standards. It would cost too much to bring the car up to US spec.”
Stupid and lame considering the First Focus was brought over largely as is. Further US and Euro safety Spec is largely the same, Heck Germany and GB have been selling their cars in the US for eons and they are nearly mechanically identical to those sold in Europe. Just another weak excuse by FORD, to not sell the good stuff here.
- “We [FORD] have no plans to ship the the Focus to the US. However as part of our plan to increase our focus on smaller more fuel efficient vehicles, the third generation Focus will be shipped to the US and Europe.”
What IS the hold up? The current Euro Focus is a Mazda3 with more attractive lines and powertrain options. Further, FORD is only shipping the new Focus because “that is where the market is going in the coming years.” Duh! it’s been headed that way for decades for different reasons, not merely the obvious, “to save money on gas”. The EURO Focus has had it across the board to compete in very much the same way as the Mitsubishi Lancer, from eco-box commuter car, to fire-breathing compact sports car, but we only get the boring end. Not even the good engine, but for one or two years of US Focus. Now we get a redressed version of the old car and they call it “all new”…
Bring over the Fiesta as well, the Focus may NOT small enough for some anymore, and include availability of both the Focus WRC and the Fiesta JWRC.
I have nothing on the KUGA except FORD has not said what they are going to do. Looks good sounds like a winner.
Also what ever happened to the FALCON? You know that car from Australia that is supposed to also underpin the 2012 Mustang and completely replace the Panther Platform cars?
Ford needs to follow through. If they ship just the newest Focus, they need to follow up with the entire line up and everything else they can ship or have built over here as quickly as possible. No dragging their feet to see how it turns out. We know how it will turn out: a strong and steady, not instant, return to prominence.
All I can say is I’d take any of those vehicles over any current American offering in the same segment. Wake up Ford…
What’s wrong with this picture? Bureaucracy. Imagine what to do with all Ford product management, marketing, design teams if European Fords come this way? Look at Saturn and GM birth pain. What do you think happened to a fabulous team of car designers who sired Ion for Saturn? How long it took to understand for GM leadership that the fastest way to consumer pocketbook is to simply bring Opel here. And it was here 30 years ago via Buick dealers, but management gets bigger bonus for managing bigger force ergo Saturn. Realistically, GM could sell rebadged Opels here 20 years ago and save investors billions of dollars. Realistically Ford can sell Euro Fords here at relatively small cost of certifying them with Department of Transportation. Mondeo as well as other models available with Volvo’s 5 cylinder engine in Europe, ergo no pollution certification. But what to do with an army of freeloaders who are loyal to the ruling clan? No European Fords for us.
lol we have all these cars in australia, u guys are really missing out and u need the new falcon that was just released too.
have a look at the newly released Falcon http://www.ford.com.au/servlet/ContentServer?cid=1178841241534&pagename=FOA%2FDFYPage%2FFullwidth1024&c=DFYPage
Thanks, Assuie.
Just the pick me up I was looking for.
LP640 - Mondeo Man no more - they are stopping fleet sales because private sales are popular enough at the moment and they’re trying to remove that stereotype of Mondeo Man…
Also the S-Max is great with the 2.5 I5 Turbo like the Focus ST has…
He’s right - google it!
jumpoffit, Aussie - Even in the UK I’m a fan of Falcons… FPV F6 Typhoon R Spec looks tasty, and the Cobra GT Boss 302 one is particulary beefy… I would love to see them in the UK but at £1.06 a litre average here it would be expensive to fill up… Oh, that’s $2.30 Aussie dollars to you
To Ford:
Yes.
Have all of you idiots gone mad. No Ford is proceding in the right direction. The Taurus has always had a great name here in the U.S. and Ford is doing the proper thing by redoing it from the ground up for 2010. Remember whiist you Simpletons forget this was the #1 selling Car in America you don’t want to depose it.
Ford is bringing over the Verve/Fiesta and that is also another good move. So don’t complain your getting a Euro-Ford ok dolts. The Edge is selling well. You don’t replace things that are selling well. And you don’t replace the entire US lineup are you insane.
Ford does need to replace the Escape ok- and before you say Kuga your already hap hazzardly replacing stuff with Names no one knows about. Ford would lose more billions and go out of business if they took your suggestions. But on the Escape let us not forget a New Escape I feel to be even more eye catching than the Kuga should be the Ford Iosis X Concept. That’s what Ford needs!!!
The Ford Explorer America will be Super for the Explorer- You don’t delete Vehicles that were #1 and people know what they are you really do a number on the New Model carrying the name forward. Ford has to be consistent. And you stupid Hodge Podge people would put Ford out of business fast with names like Mondeo people have no clue what that is.
And if Ford eventually wants to take the Mustang to the extreme Mustang Giugiaro concept that would be great too.
Let us not forget the Crown Vic and the Ranger have to go to. alright we can’t have overlapping product people.
You are the very same people that ask Ford to build stupid cars like the Go-Kart T-Bird-(no usable Trunk),
Ford GT, 500, Crossover Trainer that have almost Bankrupted the company. Please changing names and bringing over vehicles that don’t fit won’t help.
Mulally knows what he is doing.
THe Iosis Concept with the Escape name hey that would keep that brand. Mondeo is half baked and it looks European. So I guess some of you would’nt mind giving Ford half baked results either. meaning they bring it over and fold- half the people hate it and computer nerds like you tell Ford you’ll buy it and then after further review you pussyfoot and don’t buy it anyway so shut up. Your idiots
What Ford needs is are the top selling name plates again in America and you don’t get that done with vehicles that people don’t know a damn thing about.
1.) Ford F-150 #1
Ford is developing at least a 425HP Hurricane Boss V8 the right thing to do
2.) Ford Taurus #1-
Redesigning this 2010 that is the right thing to do-
3.) Ford Focus #1
Coming over with the Verve/Fiesta the right thing to do
(Euro-Focus is debatable its ok but still not that eye catching and its speak too much of that it belong on European roads not here.)
4.) Ford Explorer #1
Ford Explorer America - the right thing to do
5.) Ford Ranger #1- We don’t know what Ford is doing here. Ford wake up!
New Surprises - Edge is doing well.-you don’t change that. Verdict is out on Flex ok.
Large car needs to go or total redesign.
Ford has a good blend of Hybrid / Eco-boost cars and Trucks, but I feel the only area they are weak in is Electrics. Ford get to work with that area everyone else will have one by 2010 or 2012. Where is your Electric at? Hmmm you need a Triad offense with Gasoline prices that will never come down.
I think we’re all forgetting about the Euro vs. the dollar. The price of importing from Europe would make all of these cars too expensive and un-competitive here.
I’d love to have a Mondeo, though.
One last comment- Future versions of a small car platform- then Ford should revert to its old and now new form of a World Car- aka Contour/Modeo, Focus.
The World car Ford Focus was the world best selling car.
The Verve promises to be the same kind of deal. so keep your pants on. And Mulally said future models will be sold worldwide. So shut up.
For the genuine Ford Europe feeling, you guys should get some white Ford Transits, preferably occupied by 10 Polish construction workers each.
Say what you want JS I think the Edge is sleek looking ok. And besides its beating the hell out of the GM TRIO and soon to be a Quad. JS you obviously have’nt read.
Ford did that before and their going back to doing that again ok. so Shut up. Ford took Stupid pills for awhile and Mulally is heading them in the right direction ok enough said
Heart64 - new focus (not the one just coming out, but the one designed for the future) is set to be another world car and is actually eyecatching again… Watch out for it!
I agree - bring them all over to the U.S. No need to rename the Mondeo a Taurus though. The Mondeo is a good name, and the name Taurus doesn’t bring anything to the table. It would actually hurt the image rather than help it (with the exception of the SHO’s, there was never anything sporty about the Taurus).
they wont bring it over but if they would they will make more money just as saturn did .
JohnnyBlazE I think your right I saw the New Fusion that rolled off the Ford Motor assembly line in Russia and its a beaute. Its Gorgeous. Here is the link and your right this Focus would be awesome. The Verve is nice too and they have alot going for them. Call them the Dynamic Duo. And check it out Ford is Doing well in Russia Sales wise. http://www.edmunds.com/insideline/do/MediaNav/articleId=124895/firstNav=Gallery/photoId=51953.
Zo6 blow it out your ass. Who cares what you think. The Taurus nameplate is still synonomous with success.
#1 Selling car in America- and was essentially at the Top with Accord and Camry - and no other car can claim that for almost 2 decades. Certainly not GM trash.
You only wish Ford would dump the name fat chance.
And you may not think the Taurus is sporty but it sure man handled GM pony cars whenever they were too foolish enough to challenge me in the moving lane.
And therefore I did’nt need an SHO Taurus to blow the doors off many Camaro’s and Firebird who hated Ford’s guts too. Courtesy Taurus SES
Dear Americans,
Would you pay 10000 Euro for a Fiesta with 75 HP? That’s $15000 these days.
No? Why? This is how much it costs in Europe, and it’s a promotion. http://www.ford.ro front page.
It’s not a bad car, it’s reliable, does not guzzle gas.
But no, you want to have at least 250 HP to go to the supermarket.
The new Mondeo with a 1.6 liter engine 110 HP is around $28500 (VAT included), and that’s the entry-level Mondeo with the least options.
Perhaps you’d like to know the price for a Mondeo suited to you taste: a 2.5 litre Turbo 220 HP (that’s the most powerful gas engine on the European Mondeo) and with better options, but not the max. That would be a mere $37000. Would you like full options? $41394
These cars are made in Germany, they are not taxed extra in all the European Union. So these are just regular European prices, VAT included.
So, what are you going to say now? Do you want the European Ford or not?
silviumc this is proof positive these guys don’t know what their asking for. The only two European models to be built here one to replace the Escape is the Iosis X Concept and the other is the Verve(it has some of the Focus intermixed I think) and that’s it.
Mondeo does not exist here.
The World car theme Ford will be throughout the World moving forward so everyone all over the globe will have the same car- just that the steering wheel will be on opposites sides will be the only difference.
This is the way it should be. Build the best of everything and offer it to everyone. I agree 100% with Mulally’s Philosophy on this.
These idiots want to throw a band(asking Ford Motor to bring the Mondeo over) aid on a deep laceration Ford has given itself with confusing models ok.
NO NO NO NO NO to bringing over the Mondeo.
And Yes yes yes yes yes to a World Car for Everyone at Ford- Same Great car all over the world.
I didn’t know about the Kuga. I like it
I say bring over allthe Euro fords,and add a RHD Falcon.
guys ok the european variants are nicer-looking, I agree. But what about Ford’s reliability??? I still wouldn’t buy a mondeo due to Ford’s track record.