*new

Solid rear axle? WTF?

I like this car. Very much in the vein of the 300.

heres the catch 22
Freeman Thomas also designed the Chrysler 300
Auto designers move from company to company, you can see there influence move from one car company to the next, all there cars look pretty much the same. i.e. ian whats his name whos with jag, hes jags look pretty close to the autos he also pened. So, its fitting mr. thomas penn this car, its a looker and should sell well since ford has to produce this car.

Um no Ralph Gilles design the 300

is that ford’s answer to chrysler 300???

1) it looks like they dusted off the 427 concept and put new badges on it…
2) from the name of the car, it sounds like they’re going to have the Interceptor and the Police Interceptor. New Crown Vic, anyone? Solid rear axle probably makes it cheap enough for police duty.

profile looks good

butt is UGLY

why dont they show the grill?

i like the sides and the rear, it looks really well put together. they need to redo the super chief front end, though, and replace it with something a little more angular.

please ford, get this into production as a replacement for the crown vic.

I, a die-hard Mopar guy who swore off Fords years ago, would consider this car if it were for sale. It out-300’s the 300.

LLN, where did you get the picture you used for the article picture (http://images.leftlanenews.com/content/ford-interceptor-concept.jpg)? It looks like a good shot…

Also, does anyone know if Freeman Thomas also designed the A8? Because I can certainly see some similarities in the profile.

Duh.. of course this is supposed to replace the Crown Vic, why do you think they call it the (police)Interceptor?? I have to agree with the guy above, though, that if Ford were really serious about this market segment they would have already put the similarly-proportioned 427 concept of several years ago on the market.

I wonder if it is not a mistake to saturate a market already laden with chopped-top look of the 300? The 300 was great with it first hit the streets, but now they are like ****roaches.

Great idea- copy a massive hit like the 300C to get the same sort of sales. (What a retarded idea) People are getting bored of the 300C because it is so common but ford thinks its smart to go copy them, No wonder they going bankrupt

By the way, Freeman Thomas designed the New Beetle,his biggest hit to date The Original Audi TT and Chrysler Crossfire(Obvious from the similarities of the TT). The Audi TT can be disputed as another current Ford designer (James May) also lays claims to the TT’s design.

Freeman Thomas has NOTHING to do with the design of the Chrysler 300C which was designed by RALPH GILLES.

P.S. This car is what the crossfire is to the TT. It will be unsucessfull in exactly the same way

“These people might need more space, but they still appreciate the power and attitude that cars LIKE THIS represent.”

Wonder what car he is referring to ????????? Maybe the 300C

Boring copy of 300C intent. Ugly front end, dull rear end, uninspired profile. Ford needs to be setting new trends, not copying dying ones.

If they were smart, they would build it.

Cool design. Like the 300/Charger/Magnum, this is a very American looking design, without being retro. The taillights are a great nod to Ford tail designs of the sixties and seventies, again, without being overtly retro. If the pricing is similar to a Dodge Charger, this Interceptor offers a car that is way more interesting than the large/mid-sized sedans from Nissan, Honda, Toyota, and Hyundai. I really like the concept of a back to basics, stripped down, RWD, V8-powered American sedan. This really can be the F-150 of cars, relatively affordable, and infinitely customizable.

There are shots of the grill on other sites. It is f-ing HIDEOUS. Rest of car is pretty cool, but the rear needs to lose the Acura-TL exhaust. That look was played out before it even started. Just two round pipes would suffice.

Alright, I would definitely rock this car, I dont care what anyone says, I like it, and I’m not a fan of domestics

Beautiful car, and it would make a great replacement for the ancient Crown Victoria. But I’ll be surprised if Ford builds it, and if they do, it’ll take them 2.5-3 years to get it in the showrooms, and then it’ll be dumbed down for us “ordinary consumers”.

And another thing: Ford is right to espouse “Bold Moves”, but to me, that means creative, elegant designs that GET GREAT GAS MILEAGE. This Interceptor ain’t it. So far, since they started this series of Bold Move videos, all I’ve seen is humongous vehicles with powerful V8’s. Nice, but hardly bold.

BTW—-has anyone else noticed the “clamshell” hood? There is a cut line on the sides of the front fenders, between the front edge of the side vent and the trailing edge of the wheel opening. A cool touch, in my opinion. Let’s hope they keep it if they build it.

Dude, this is sweet. Whoever said “out 300s the 300″ nailed it. If Ford built this with the quality of the Fusion, they’re back in this segment.

Nice Ford, very nice. This is the type of car America can do right.

Its a friggin cartoon that’ll never be built.

The inside? Too awful to show?

Next.

All you peeps who said Ford shouldnt be copying 300 cuz the style is dying, well, what else should Ford be styling? Similar to Five Hundred?? We already have the bland 500. There’s no other style to use!! Retro? No.

We’re stuck with three styles. Retro, Bland, and American style (a la 300).

No wonder why there are over 400,000 Camrys in America because all of u lazy ass-morons are too frickin’ picky with styling of american concepts including this Interceptor!! Get over it!

This is good, a Chrysler 300 copy from Ford.

Too much chrome/bling, but that would be easy to reduce for the production model.

Certainly better styling than any Toyota/Lexus, this can be a man’s car with a worthy V8.

wasnt this supposed to be lincoln interceptor??

Anyway its a seriously good looking car, i love it.

I hope they replace the five-hundred for this someday.

Nice concept, but too bad it’ll never reach production - not anytime soon or anything like this.

This is just another example of how SLOW Ford is because this should have been the 500 2-3 years ago, especiually after Ford teased us with the 427 and 49 concepts.

This is just another exercise that we’ll never see, or not until 2010 at the earliest in a focus-group water-downed blob.

Case in point: Have you noticed that when ever Toyota or Honda show a concept, they have a production version out within 1-year (or less) to take advantage of the execitement they create in the market place. Not Ford. Just an exercise so don’t get your hopes up - go buy something else thats like this but on the market today - like the 300C.

Ive seen the front of the car and its definitely the best part. The only bad part about the car is its like ford is trying to copy the 300c. But it does look better in the front than the 300c.

Too little, too late. Ford needs to stick with it’s own design, not rip of Chrysler/Audi/Acura/Whoeverelsehasahotproductrightnow. Then again, I suppose they need to find their own design first.

I do think that the 3 bar grill (or 2 in this case) is a good start though.

wow build it please

Errrr, I guess there is 3 bars, the bottom one is just in a strange position.

very cool, looks like a 7 series and a 300 c, cool stuff

This has to be one of the best concepts Ford has ever made. I would buy this over a 300 any day. They need to make this car quickly but still have good quality, and without changing it except to make it street legal.

this thing looks like a p.o.s the only thing that looks good is the hood the rear end looks like ****t!

thin out the bars in the grill, do sotin alittle diff with the headlights, and maby alittle less squared.
As is I think it’s a winner. But with a few changes it could be the new it car like the 300c was for awhile. And keep the 5.0, need to compete with the Hemis. And with the base v8 being 400 hp. it’s almost srt8 range.

looks like something old people would want

kind of like the crown vic itll probably replace.

Even this is a little big for a police car. Wonder how much it will weigh? 4300lbs?

I can’t see the live rear axle on an expensive sedan for the regular market, though. That’s a bit… how do you say…. ah yes…. stupid.

I doubt they’ll keep the back the same. Nearly every concept I’ve seen that had integrated exhausts like that was changed in the production version. There’s probably engineering reasons why dont’ they integrate them like that, unfortunately.

BUILD THIS ASAP!!!! This car is really sharp…If they can get something out that looks similar production wise it will definitely sell…Ford needs products like this…products that make a statement when you see them on the road…this car definitely does that whether you like it or not..personally I dont like the 300c but when you see one it still grabs your attention..

I like it!!!!

But without the chrome and huge wheels. Looks nice from the side and rear. By the time it gets toned down for production and to save on all the expensive machined parts, it will probably look meaner than a Charger/300C which isn’t a bad thing. Let’s hope it makes at least 360hp in top form because if it’s as heavy as a 4 door Mustang sounds like it would be, it will need a good amount of power to haul itself around. Also the live axle seems like an odd choice give the competition, BUT it will probably launch harder and accelerate quicker…

it’s a cheaply done 300. thats all. once again, ford is one step behind.

Egads!!! This is hideous.

Not to mention the complete lack of windows to see out of the vehicle. Oh, wait… now that I brought out the microscope, I can see the windows.

Yeah, that oughtta be REAL fun trying to drive. I can see it now.

“Honest, officer, I just couldn’t see the cars to the left and right of me!”

After further review, I take back what I said, the nose is hideous and the taillights dont do it for me

well hey the nose isnt as bad as i expected before they put that shot up

I was born a die-hard Bowtie boy, but I would want to be seen in this bad mutha. Until it got played out like the 300. But this chop-top cruiser is what an American sedan should look like, in much the same way the 300 is, but even more so. Now its Chevy’s turn. Where’s my real Impala SS?

Looks brash and bold with its Suv-like from. I wish they could retain those monster rims to production. This is a car that is sensitive to its rim setup. It could make or break the design simply with the proportions of the wheel/body.

Looks brash and bold with its Suv-like front end. I wish they could retain those monster rims to production. This is a car that is sensitive to its rim setup. It could make or break the design simply with the proportions of the wheel/body.

dont worry… the impala SS is coming.. and it will be epic

No thanks I’ll take the upcoming impala ss

BTW,

Before slaming the car, see it in person FIRST! And for some posters on this forum, get a license, job and income to buy a car before slamming them….

This car is stunning. The only thing that remotely resembles a 300 is the chopped roofline. Everything else is way too sophisticated to even compare the two. It might share a thematic similarity with the 427, but this seems to have way more surface development and better detailing. I love the way they incorporated the Three-Bar grille instead of throwing it out and starting over again with yet another new look.

Freeman Thomas did design the TT, he didn’t design the Crossfire. He did design that odd Dodge concept that became the precursor to the 300, which Ralph Gilles designed. I definitely see some A8 in the fenders and stance, but I don’t know who ultimately designed that.

Oh, and the most intelligent part is how they designed it so the American plant workers don’t have to worry too much about panel alignments! (see gaps around headlights and rear bumper.) :))

Some of you guys are just whiners. This car looks much better than any Ford currently built not named Mustang, but you still find fault. IF Ford builds it, and it looks close to the concept, they should be commended.

ttspeedo - I am sure 100% that while Freeman Thomas was at Chrysler he did design the crossfire.

As for this cars design, it has become a terrible day for the american car industry if they need to copy other brands to design a car. The worse part of all this is that Ford has some of the best designer around.
I am not exactly GM biggest fan but I would give them credit for designing their own cars at least. Even Toyota or Honda are more original.

The “bold” nose on this, which shares design theme with the Super Chief truck concept, was the wrong way to go. Strip the nose off, keep the car the same from the doors back, and come up with a nose reminicent of a ‘66 fairlane. 2 round headlights stacked on each side, a bit more angular lines, and a real grille, not 3 plastic bars. I think something along those lines, with this body and that rear would be real cool. I like the blocky, in your face look of Charger, Challenger, or even the Mustang. This slippery-sleek areo nose doesn’t fit the rest of the car. Nothing wrong with retro…

I’d rather see something like this from Ford than another SUV or crossover. They need to build some good cars again.

It’s not bad looking. If they put it into production it will look a lot better. And yeah, Ralph Gilles designed the 300.

the same front end as the fairlane concept…

A solid rear axle and a V8 is no longer a performance setup, but more of a boulevard cruiser. If they really want to make it go, then give it the 415 HP turbo-6 from the Lincoln MKR. Less mass, better weight distribution, and more power. And of course, a differential not designed in 1977.

To settle the debate click on the following link -

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freeman_Thomas

He did play apart in the 300C design but in conjunction with Ralph Gilles. Just a shame a talented designer like him needs to copy other designs from other companies.

Just a clone to the Lincoln MKR. The rear end is hideous and the front looks Japanese.
What’s with the high beltline?
Ford will not build it. If it does, it should be called the 600 because it will stay in dealer lots the same way the 500 does.

Ford is gambling that it can fool people into ignoring an agricultural solid rear axle?
That may have worked with the Mustang, but the Camaro and Challenger will take customers away with their independent rears.
Why not give it rear drum brakes too, that should save about $20 per car!

It’s better than a Crown Vic that’s for sure. Ford needs SOMETHING to replace that aging barge. I would recommend larger windows and available AWD in the final product. The small windows on the 300 make for a claustrophobic ownership experience to be polite.

The roof looks straigth off the 300 and the front looks like an F-series pickup

This car is all attitude. Build it please. Love it.

dood: what does the camaro and the challenger have to do with the interceptor?

You guys can’t say ford copied chrysler with this design. The profile of the chrysler 300 looks a lot like the lincoln continental concept in ‘02. i think they are just reusing the same idea but on a ford.

by the way, i like the car. the front looks a lot like a 99-03 silverado, but its still nice.

Unless they tone down the grill a little, and give it a 6 passenger/column shifter option, a Crown Vic replacement it is not.

**** dang thats pretty sweet. The body lines are very bold and futuristic. looks like a Ford Fusion and the 300C got there freak on and made this sweet ride

i would definately drive this ford 300

Is anyone else but me worried by the fact Ford/Lincoln and others are pushing e85 fuelled engines? We can’t even yet get e85 to 5% of American stations, so what’s smart about an engine optimized for it? Ethanol can’t be transported by pipeline, has lower energy density and pushes up corn prices. And please stop with the “cellulosic ethanol will save us” speech. It’s not a marketable technology and when it is, we’ll have to more than make up for the depleted production coming out of granny oilfields (Ghawar, Cantarell, North Sea, West Texas). Thanks for the sham, Ford.

Seems like greenwashing to me, especially with the wind turbines in the background of the MKR concept photos. Maybe they need to revisit electric propulsion, maybe with a small ICE generator of less than 100 HP.

I rather like this one. But sadly I don’t think FORD with build it even when they dearly need a straight replacement for their “Panther” cars. Heck I like this machine.

The front end looks almost not-gonna-happen as does the rear. But If they can be as faithful to this design as they were the Mustang, then They have another homerun.

Don’t tone the grill down anymore than is needed to pass standards, and do like long and hard at that IRS developed for the Mustang. Maybe in a Mercury Maurader (Sedan) and Cougar (coupe).

Either way, FORD can’t keep dragging their feet anymore on this subject… or many others.

AWESOME…STEP AWAY AND LOOK AGAIN…IT GROWS ON YOU…at first I thought…no, this is too freakin weird, such a radical design, but it is super modern and looks like a Ford, the rear end - old sedan, the front end - derived from their strength - trucks. The interior does not look as great…too retro and cold, but even this would need me to see in the flesh for a final call. It could use some nipp and tuck but the basic look is great…Ford has to build it

This one was instant for me, but the dash DOES need to be reworked, Those “retro” gauges are impossible to read at a glance, but are cool. They also need to put everything, radio, nav sys, and whatever else, in to see how it would work. The rest of the interior, aside for the nice leather wrapping here and there, is too dark and “evil” looking… not cool.

The grill comes from their previous “Super Chief” truck concept. This design works brilliantly, but it’ll be ruined if they have to put a real bumper on this thing. The Tailights… Agreed… Retro but cool, ditch the flush tailpipes, and lastly… BUILD THE DARN THING ALREADY!!!

One can hope, can’t they?

nice ride (would purchase) as for all you chrysler nuts at least the wheels stay on fords and they take care of their customers were dodge will screw you…..

Wicked!!! love it!

Ford needs to add Hidden Headlamps with a Modular 390-needs the hump around back wheel wells. Cops need a new car. so do Fire departments, etc . I mean the last one was invented back in 1890’s