Comments on: Spied: 2008 Ford Five Hundred with less disguise

By: Aussie#1

Aussie#1 — Sun, 24 Dec 2006 11:42:43 +0000

sidindica, the guy who posted the link about the Fiesta in India just if u wanted to know that car is Australian Desgined throughout, u may think its European but its not. As for where its built i am unsure of that. As for the 500 its an absolute disgrace that ford US would waste time and money on updating that peace of ****, Just scrap the whole car u don’t need to have that car wait for the Orion platform Falcon from Australia then Ford can get back into that market with a BANG, with a break like a year or so before the Falcon people will forget the pile of **** 500 and will be willing to buy another large sedan from Ford.

By: avlight

avlight — Sun, 24 Dec 2006 02:13:53 +0000

one word

“Maxifusion”

Ford is going back to the paradigmmed engineering that they did in the eighties. Remember in the 1980’s when Fords started looking like egg shaped Thunderbird? Remember when Fords in the nineties started to look like deviant versions of the Taurus? Now it seems that Ford is redesigning their cars to be deviant Fusions with a grill that looks like the vent louvers of my old high school gym locker.

By: autonutt

autonutt — Sat, 23 Dec 2006 17:05:02 +0000

jimmy8: “1) I have seen pictures of the production version of this car without the mask and it does look great. Very similar to the Ford 49er concept and the current Fusion.”

There is no way in hell that a new grille and headlight treatment will make the 500 look like the forty-nine concept in any way, shape or form! What are you talking about?

By: bigjob

bigjob — Sat, 23 Dec 2006 14:28:10 +0000

seems I stuck a nerve Lambo…mmmmm…knows all about the messageboards…perhaps to much time on the boards, and not enough time with your school work?

You are always on here bashing. The point of the Five Hundred, and this is knowledge based, is it is a good car, for the masses, which 60% of the USA are. Moms and Dad’s with 2 kids, and 2 jobs that need a dependable car that runs well, is not always in the shop getting fixed (again, knowledge based) not at a price catagory that just kills you, and a car that gets good gas mileage. It is a fine car that fits these needs, but as posted by a few, it does have some bland exterior styling. They are trying to upgrade this a tad, which the post was about. Maybe it will not succeed in that area. Alot of posting on here, and an example, is 18-year old kids, saying man, produce the euro Focus ST and bring it here, that is what will save Ford. They have no clue. That is a car that will appeal to 1%, of the buying public.

Just curious, how much seat time do you have in the Ford Five Hundred to give us a very good knowledge base rundown of this car? Some others have made some good points about this car, owners of the car, that maybe you should open up the ears, and listen. I am not expecting you to love it, or like it, but can you see it is a automobile that fits the needs, and the market, for the middle-age American population?

The Brittney post works again….YAADENCP

By: LamborghiniZ

LamborghiniZ — Fri, 22 Dec 2006 22:36:49 +0000

bigjob: Like i say to numerous douchebags on this site, I would really prefer if you would stick to insulting me with things you can actually back up. Like for instance, you can target me on my anti-GM or pro-Toyota comments, because you have hard evidence that I say such things, you’re insulting me on something that has substance behind it. I really find it idiotic, however, when people such as yourself try and insult others using variables that they have no knowledge of whatsoever, such as your cutesy little “bedroom” comment which simply backfires and makes you look moronic for insulting me regarding something that you know nothing about, since you clearly don’t know me at all.

And here’s a tip buddy, when you’re telling someone to go back to the “Britney Spears message boards”, it’s generally not a good idea to include “LMFAO” in your post, considering that’s probably one of the most overused acronyms by little teenage girls whose idol is the very Britney Spears you insult me with. I mean let’s be real, little online chatty talk like that is for the teeny boppers and the grown up losers, though I’ll refrain judgment as to which one you are. Maybe YOU’RE the one that should go back to those message boards…

By: bigjob

bigjob — Fri, 22 Dec 2006 14:56:30 +0000

Oh Lambo…another insightful post by you. Hmmm, I gather you do not like the 3-bar grill LMFAO. Really, go back to the Brittney Spears Message boards where you belong, and take down those BMW posters off of your wall, your mom needs to paint your bedroom.

By: LamborghiniZ

LamborghiniZ — Fri, 22 Dec 2006 14:44:50 +0000

JD from Detroit: Please don’t tell me you’re comparing BMW’s classic, kidney shaped grille to the ****ty ass three bar bull**** Ford has been putting on its latest products, the difference is one is a classic, definitive style that defines a brand, and the other is a pathetic domestic company trying to look “hip” but really looking like garbage

By: dl_caldwell

dl_caldwell — Fri, 22 Dec 2006 14:43:51 +0000

It will be interesting to see what Ford does with the interior. The web is flooded with complaints regarding the “pebble” tan interior causing dangerous reflections on the windshield. Stupid design. Also, will Ford finally add Stability Control to the list of safety features?

By: IH8GM

IH8GM — Fri, 22 Dec 2006 05:18:01 +0000

Bwhahahaha I don’t even know where to begin. Ford styling trying to be like GM? Like thehuge successes the Aztek and Avalanche were? The trucks were butt ugly before, but now they seem to be ripping off the Ford Super Duty. Rental car fare? Sorry, the Impala has that market cornered already. It’s OK. They’ll take any rental car snoozer, put a big engine in it, slap an SS badge on it and call it excitement. Malibu SS? Let me catch some air. I’m having a hard time breathing. I shouldn’t be hard on GM, after all, fixing them is cheap because parts are cheap. The junkyards are full of them.

I’ll be keeping my 05 Five Hundred a while.It will hang with the usual 3.5 Impala any day of the week and GM hasn’t come up with anything to combat the AWD system, and I like a car that doesn’t sound like it’s going to fall apart in my lap after 100k miles.

By: Saud

Saud — Fri, 22 Dec 2006 05:09:05 +0000

I dunno, I prefer the old ones look.

By: JD from Detroit

JD from Detroit — Fri, 22 Dec 2006 03:39:14 +0000

“I don’t know why Ford (and Dodge for that matter) continue to put all their eggs in one basket by making all of their cars look alike. If the three bar grill worked for the Fusion.. leave it there.. give the 500 and Focus their own niche. This one track mentality is what will drive Ford out of business.”

So, um, how many decades has BMW used the same grille on all their products?

By: chevy490

chevy490 — Fri, 22 Dec 2006 02:16:12 +0000

man this looks so cheep just the way it forms the siding the doors somthing about just screems im made in mexico kinda cheep, evan the hhr is made in mexico and they look super nice this looks cheep!

By: Captain Spadaro

Captain Spadaro — Thu, 21 Dec 2006 19:56:53 +0000

What counts is under the hood. That new 3.5 liter V6 better be under there, along with the new 6-speed automatic trans.

By: GarbageMotorsCo

GarbageMotorsCo — Thu, 21 Dec 2006 16:55:02 +0000

All the GM hyping by one or two folks here rather than actually talking about the Ford…

By: MikeFX

MikeFX — Thu, 21 Dec 2006 16:36:50 +0000

For all the posters who seem to think no one cares about this car…did anyone notice the post count is currently over 60? Interesting.

By: bigjob

bigjob — Thu, 21 Dec 2006 16:26:39 +0000

I understand most people that post on here are just domestic haters, like LamZ. I will admit, the car does have a bland look. I am driving one right now, and in terms of the driving dynamics, this is a pretty nice car for the money. SO many keep saying, by this or that etc etc, but some of these listed are $10,000-to-$15,000 more money. The interior has alot of room, and is very comfortable. The AWD system is awsome if you live in a Northern Climate like I do. The new motor will make a difference on the power. It has a CVT tranny that just does not break. It is overall a nice car, with some bland looks. They are attempting to dress it up a tad, but this car is not marketed to the single 25-year olds and younger, which seems to be 60% of the posters on here who think europe rules LMFAO. You have to drive the car to apprieciate it. These people who knock it, but have never driven it, are the same people who think you should buy(insert your europen product here), have never driven those either.

By: jimmy8

jimmy8 — Thu, 21 Dec 2006 15:30:50 +0000

1) I have seen pictures of the production version of this car without the mask and it does look great. Very similar to the Ford 49er concept and the current Fusion. I agree the first gen 500 just looked like an overgrown Taurus. The 2007 500 with the chrome package is an improvement though.

2) It will be getting the new 3.5L engine with the 6 speed auto. Is 265hp enough for you?

3) Have you ever driven a 500 or Montego? Absolutely the best driving cars on the road. The command seating does wonders. You just have to get past the looks, which the new bodystyle will help. Consumer Reports loves the car, so it must mean something.

By: Syrax

Syrax — Thu, 21 Dec 2006 14:34:43 +0000

is the dalmatian paint extra cost option? it would be a hit! now seriously, quite like this car (fusion copycat IMO but, what can we do?)

By: GMrules

GMrules — Thu, 21 Dec 2006 14:13:22 +0000

Look at Ford trying so hard to be like GM. Face it assholes, you are always going to be **** next to the mighty General. The American Revolution has got your number and you are about to be wiped off the map. Ford needs to learn that nobody, but nobody will ever compete with the mighty General. They have superior engineering, quality and refinement that no crap from Japan, Germany and certainly some mexican Found On Road Dead pile of garbage could hope to match.

By: Carnut4ever

Carnut4ever — Thu, 21 Dec 2006 13:10:13 +0000

Why don’t Ford North American design studios design more trucks, Suvs, and niche retro cars and let the Ford European design studios(New Mondeo, Smax, New Galaxy) take over the job of designing sporty cars. Ford’s North American design studios doesn’t have any idea how to design proper cars.

By: Syrax

Syrax — Thu, 21 Dec 2006 12:41:00 +0000

sidindica said it all (btw that fiesta looked a lot better than the current fiesta sedan on brazil….)

By: bepsf

bepsf — Thu, 21 Dec 2006 04:48:22 +0000

Too little, too late…

By: sidindica

sidindica — Thu, 21 Dec 2006 04:31:24 +0000

now, coming back to this 500, i still think its not a bad looking car after all (i would like to see this without disguise ASAP so we still cannot make out what this car will look like.)
if still u guys r bashing this 500 just not for having a V8,consider the technology you get with this 3495 cc V6 engine with 265 hp like DOHC 16V,VVT-I instead of impala’s V8 which has only 303 Hp that too from an engine displacing 5328 cc and runs on antiquated pushrod technology and 2 valves per cylinder.

To all Gm lovers, impala’s family of V6 engines also have less power from their large displacement engines.
(3.5 v6-211 hp and 3.9 v6-242 hp).calculate the displacement to power ratio and the 2008 ford 500 beats the malibu,impala (even the V8 SS)pontiac grand prix etc.
and, to me, it looks far superior than both the impala(with that ugly front head and the grand prix-too many creases and curves.)
lets see the final car and give it what it deserves.

By: autonutt

autonutt — Thu, 21 Dec 2006 04:25:07 +0000

sidindica — that would be the perfect Aveo competitor for Ford US.. but of course, by the time they figure that out and make some production plans it will be woefully out of date.

By: sidindica

sidindica — Thu, 21 Dec 2006 04:20:22 +0000

I agree with you guys bashing Ford for making crappy products in USA but still,you cant get away with the facts that Ford makes some best Family sedans in the world,I have a Ford mondeo and i think its the best handling car ford has ever made.(i live in India)also,there is a version of ford’s subcompact sedan-fiesta-sold exclusively here with one of the world’s best duratorq diesel engines,and of course,there is the euro focus.
What ford needs to do is to make these cars worldwide in more plants to bring down the cost of production and hence, they can have a lineup(Fiesta,euro focus and mondeo)instead of those s*** cars(fusion,500,US focus etc.)
i request u guys to take time and have a look at this version of fiesta sedan which made its global degut in india in jan 2006.the styling may be a bit dull(but who cares, since it competes with aveo,accent,honda city,kia rio etc.)but it has geniune technology and underpinnings that could give its competitors a run for the money.

http://www.india.ford.com/servlet/ContentServer?cid=1137382932921&pagename=Page&c=DFYPage

By: VDuv Kux Klan

VDuv Kux Klan — Thu, 21 Dec 2006 03:41:09 +0000

Look at the Mazda CX-5 its a big crap, mazda should’ve stoped doing this thing another ford’s crap
http://www.mx.autocosmos.com/noticias/expand.asp?id=13987

By: Ricardo Head

Ricardo Head — Thu, 21 Dec 2006 03:40:18 +0000

WOW! It’s like night and day to the current car!
.
How freakin more lame cant a facelift get?

By: ALMSfan

ALMSfan — Thu, 21 Dec 2006 03:27:14 +0000

It will have a bigger, more powerful V6 when it’s introduced in Detroit. Closer to 255 hp than the 203 or so it has now.

By: ironpony42

ironpony42 — Thu, 21 Dec 2006 02:59:16 +0000

When I heard “THE NEW FORD 500″ back when this car first came out, I had visions of the ‘49′ concept car. I had visions of the old Galaxy 500 I had in highschool. Then they showed me this… Bland, uninspired, and just plain unappealing. The 500 could have been cool dammit. It could have been a retro styled classic Ford 4 door sedan with flair. Something with the IT factor… an instant classic. However the 500 left IT on the table…

By: MikeFX

MikeFX — Thu, 21 Dec 2006 02:13:02 +0000

There are several comments in this thread defending the 500, and with good cause. For anyone well over 6′ tall and needing to have someone sit behind them, the pool of ANY car to buy is extremely slim. The fun cars (3-series, A4, any Acura) are out of the picture. So for about $30K that leaves the Impala (looks like old Sebring), 300 (trend is fading), Avalon (I’m not 75 years old), and the 500 (needs some style and horsepower – which it is now getting). However, it may be too little too late for the 500.

Bring on the Mondeo!

By: autonutt

autonutt — Thu, 21 Dec 2006 01:33:58 +0000

I have to agree with TomF.. I was also a bit disappointed when my rental company dealt me a Sonata, but by vacation’s end, I actually considered buying one. As far as the Five Hundred, the new styling “enhancements” probably won’t do much for business, but the larger engine should. Why they don’t raid the corporate V8 from Volvo I will never know, especially considering their main competitors (Impala, Grand Prix, Lucerne, 300) all offer V8s.

By: LamborghiniZ

LamborghiniZ — Thu, 21 Dec 2006 00:31:08 +0000

Jizum aint gonna like that comment above.

By: Mojitos

Mojitos — Wed, 20 Dec 2006 23:39:14 +0000

Did somebody seriously write ” Chrysler is a luxury brand”?

Ha Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha Ha Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha Ha Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha Ha Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha, pauses for breath, Ha Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha Ha Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha Ha Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha.

What drugs you on girlfriend coz I wants me some of them?

By: LamborghiniZ

LamborghiniZ — Wed, 20 Dec 2006 23:23:44 +0000

mujician: there are PLENTY of family sedans out there that actually make driving somewhat enjoyable. And you’re wrong, you’re totally 100% wrong about this car, it is NOT classified as a mid-size family sedan, it is classified as a fullsize sedan. The Ford Fusion is a family sedan, competing with the Accord, Camry, Legacy, Altima, Malibu, G6, Mazda6, Sonata, Optima, Sebring, etc. The Ford 500 is a fullsize sedan competing with the Avalon, 300, Azera, and Impala. Get your classes right. And just because it is a fullsize sedan doesn’t mean it can’t have any driving fun injected into it, consider the Chrysler 300, even the Avalon is supposed to be relatively quick off the line, even if its not much of a corner taker, it’s better than the 500. Ford can do better, lets not make bull**** excuses and try and make it seem like the 500 is all it can be, because its not.

By: stick2clutch

stick2clutch — Wed, 20 Dec 2006 23:15:53 +0000

I don’t know why Ford (and Dodge for that matter) continue to put all their eggs in one basket by making all of their cars look alike. If the three bar grill worked for the Fusion.. leave it there.. give the 500 and Focus their own niche. This one track mentality is what will drive Ford out of business.