In the CUV/small-SUV department, Toyota pours two flavors: the Highlander and the RAV4. Period. Ford has the Edge, the Lincoln MKX, the Five Hundred/Taurus wagon, the Montego, the Flex, the Escape, and there’s probably more on the way. I just don’t understand it.

Mulally would really impress me if he did something shocking that gave the Dearborn oldtimers cardiac arrest — like command an end to badge-engineered Mercury vehicles and make the Mercury division the home of European, Australian, and/or green-chic, alternative-fuel vehicles.

(For some reason Lincoln thinks I fit the MKX target demo and keeps sending me these huge, expensive, lavish pieces of direct mail. My wife looked for 15 seconds and decreed that the MKX is one car we will never, ever, ever consider… she took an instant, visceral dislike to it.)

I agree with most of what you’re saying about Ford’s US lineup accept the Flex needs to be built as the new standard of minivans instead of a small suv. Ford has hinted at this but they really need to jump on the idea because modern minivans are the most bland and boring vehicles out there so taking sales with a new refreshing idea would not be hard.

Kind of an idea that I had that would get more publicity to Murcury and get them out of the shadow of Ford would be to make them a hybrid only manufacturer. All the new green innovations in powertrains would be showcased through the Murcury brand which is still very alive and kicking and has lately been known for its great quality ratings.

All technological innovations should be showcased through Lincoln since that is what they have always been known for. If you don’t know they were the first to use the HID, projecto, neon, and halogen I believe in their lighting fixtures. They have pretty much patented every major lighting design in automotive history.

Volvo if not sold should always stand for safety.

as far as selling volvo, they are gonna suffer if they aren’t able to borrowvolvos great products and produce ford and mercury versions

If they sell Volvo and fail to use the cash to make a “bold move”, though, this will be seen as idiocy. Volvo right now is a better business than Ford North America.

I personally think selling Volvo is bad for the business. But if I had the $8 billion from the sale in hand I would:

** Rebuild the North American Ford car line around just five products: Fiesta, Fusion, Taurus, Mustang, Edge. Kill all other cars and CUVs, including the Flex and the Taurus CUV (it’s stupid to throw four same-sixed CUVs at the same niche).

** Build one SUV: the Ford Escape. That will be our SUV. Kill the Explorer, the Expedition, etc.

** Either rebuild the Mercury car line around Australian and European specialty vehicles that do NOT have evil-twin nameplates at Ford (Falcon, Euro-Focus, etc.)… or kill Mercury outright.

** Build two trucks — the Ranger and F-150. Prioritize the Ranger renovation.

** Build two Lincolns: the sedan (Zephyr? MKZ? Whatever) and an up-market Flex. Kill all the weird bloated black trucks, the Navigator and the ridiculous Edge knockoff.

** Commit to getting hybrid versions of everything on the market by 2012, especially the bigger vehicles.

That is all. Mulally better grow a pair and make some damn moves or there won’t be an Americam car company here pretty soon, Volvo or no Volvo.

Of course that would take some real “Bold Moves” to ever do a thing like that.