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What Do You Think Ford's Future US Lineup Will Look Like?

All About That Whitespace

30K views 102 replies 20 participants last post by  wingsnut 
#1 · (Edited)
There are two concepts that Audi has made that I think would be very good candidates for a Ford whitespace competitor.
 
#2 · (Edited)
Source: TopSpeed

Audi TT Sportback:

The TT Sportback measures 4.47 meters (176 inches) long, 1.89 meters (74.4 inches) wide and 1.38 meters (54.3 inches) tall. This new body rides atop a 2.63-meter (92.9-inch) wheelbase. These dimensions make the TT Sportback 11.4 inches longer, 2.4 inches wider and 1.2 inches shorter in height than the TT Coupe. It also has a 4.7-inch longer wheelbase than the TT Coupe to make more room for the rear seats.
Audi E-Tron:

Moving over to the sides, you’ll notice a lot of the same cues that you saw on the e-tron Quattro Concept, but more refined. The Sportback Concept has beefy front fenders and rear haunches. Where things differ here, however, is that the sharp body lines of the rear quarters and fenders are now separated with a crease in the body just below them for a unique look. Down below, the Sportback gets the same styling we say on the Quattro, but the side skirts are toned down a bit while the area just above gets a long LED strip that helps to define the side profile. Of particular note here is the fact that the roof slopes down rather violently beyond the front doors, leaving little room for rear quarter glass. This model is also void of any door handles but does have the side view cameras mounted to the beltline.
...

Around back, the first thought that comes to mind here is “bubble butt.” It’s a rash generalization as there’s really not anything that bubbly going on back here, but the sloop of the rear hatch and the rounded appearance above the beltline area gives the concept an interesting look, to say the least. Honestly, it reminds me a lot of the rear of the Porsche Panamera, but that’s no surprise, really. After all, we’re talking about Audi here, and no brand under the VAG umbrella has had a unique idea in quite some time. The taillights on this concept feature a matrix layout similar to that of the Quattro Concept but have been fashioned so that together they look like a two-sided arrow. The rear fascia is quite obsolete as far as style goes, but down below there is a bit of cladding to add some character.
 
#3 ·
#5 · (Edited)
'K
I'll just leave this here :angel
from: BEYOND UNCOVERED: Lincoln's Future Lineup SPECULATION

...attaching "car-ish" examples

edit/AND...
digging up that camo^pic leads me to wonder IF
that THIRD new platformitecture —the SECRET one we know nothing about— ..."e1",
could [not will] be used for

can't get more white-spaced!! — –O lo
 
#6 · (Edited by Moderator)
copied from...

...KILL ALL CARS / #meToo !
I wonder if there would be a place for the Euro Ford S-Sax in North America,
it's an MPV but not so awful as some designs...

And this is the Ford Galaxy stable mate, much more of a mini van


from: Mission2020
was daydreaming about my ideal car and somehow started wondering what a C-Max would look like if it was re-skinned with the Macan?
very rough&quick:

if anyone isn't sure, the middle one is the re-skin
& fwiw
_ovl___wlb____w____ht________
184.3 - 110.5 - 76.7 - 63.9 - Porsche Macan
173.6 - 104.3 - 72.0 - 63.9 - C-Max
177.9 - 109.8 - 71.9 - 66.3 - Grand C-Max (not used nor harmed in this chop)
 
#7 · (Edited)
It visually makes sense for Ford to build something like either of these concepts.


Mid/Fullsize:



<-------



Compact/Subcompact:



<--------



They fit comfortably between the sedan and SUV.

Here's another example from Audi:



I've also linked full spec sheets for the Buick Regal and Audi A5 sportbacks vs. Mercedes GLC and BMW X6 crossover coupes.

https://www.caranddriver.com/bmw/x6/specs
https://www.caranddriver.com/mercedes-benz/glc-coupe/specs

https://www.caranddriver.com/audi/a5-sportback/specs
https://www.caranddriver.com/buick/regal-sportback/specs
 
#21 ·
Nihar, I like those designs. More fitting for Lincoln though. No reason why they both can't have something to that effect. I've always said that mainstream sedans aren't profitable unless they're totally radical, or they carry a prestigious brand name (that can attract a much higher price). Being radical also attracts a premium. When something looks and goes great you're leaving people without much but to want it. Case in point is S550; it's competition looks OK but is dynamically superior, yet can't outsell Mustang thanks to its captivating exterior design, a design bordering on exotic.


This is good news.
Your previous comment had me puzzled as Ford really needs to nail Mach1, even more than they nailed S550. No room for error on this one.
Could you tell if it was 2 or 4 door?

Hoping it cracks 2's to 60 as well.
 
#11 ·
Sure, in your post #5 above, showing the 9 vehicles, I would say the profile looks similar to the 1st or top left white vehicle. What I saw had a bit more rake in the back, less CUV-ish, which is what I disliked on the clay concept they showed. I am feeling better about it, as what we saw was probably very early. And again, I am not even certain of what I saw, and was to busy with testing our project, to ask.
 
#12 · (Edited)
#15 ·
I'm holding out some blind, optimistic hope that one "white space" vehicle will be a Flex successor, because they really are useful as **** and thick on the ground out here on the left coast.

Having something with space to rival my Expedition but with much better MPG has been a huge deal for me. I love my ol' truck, but I can limit its use for truck-specific things, now.
 
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#16 ·
I too have wondered if Flex has turned back into favor to have a next-gen model. Obviously it won't be intended to light up the sales charts, but if it can continue to pull in high $$ sales, maybe they'll see a reason to finally give it a redesign instead of canceling it.
 
#18 ·
Is that a new signature, Zan? :thumb::thumb::thumb: can't believe I'd've missed it

&
imho/wondering/hoping whether the most innovatively-interesting vehicles will be on the secret3rd platformitecture - - Flex is a definite candidate imho
:nerd: ...think making a List would be a nifty idea
I've had that sig for awhile, and still believe in it. Mercury remains my first car-brand love, and that'll never change.

As far as the Flex goes...far and away, the most comfortable/usable vehicle I've ever owned. It fits my life like a glove.
 
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#20 ·





This is why Citroen is my favorite brand. Not Ford. (4th Favorite after Citroen, Peugeot and Audi)

If Ford is paying attention, these are some more whitespace designs they could use.
Pass.

All those flattened greenhouses fairly scream "claustrophobic driving experience", and other than that...eh..nothing all that original. The burgundy model's profile pic looks like the upcoming Focus squashed in a carnival mirror.
 
#25 · (Edited)


Is this what became the MKZ? Honestly Ford/Lincoln need to revisit their past concepts for new car shapes.

This could work as an A7 competitor:


I've never heard about this:
https://www.carscoops.com/2012/06/lincoln-mkf-concept-could-make/ (A7 too)

Lincoln MKF



Remember the Evos?


This time, make the Evos. 2 and 4 door versions. Maybe you failed by stretching out the back.

I would even call the Iosis a Sportback.

You had the chance to make some great cars, Ford. I've grown up seeing the concepts.

The biggest problem I have with this announcement is the fact that they are thinking of adding tons of traditionally shaped SUVs. I hope they prove me wrong.


After looking back on their concepts, I'm seeing how much potential they had to keep these interesting car shapes that could have become a revolutionary Fiesta, Focus, Fusion, Taurus, etc. and they could have avoided having to make a decision like this because people would love their traditional looking yet surprisingly practical designs.

That is what I want Ford to be, not a blue oval GMC.

In other words, they could have saved their car sales by making more A7/A5 SB style vehicles with more unique shapes and slightly higher ride height.
 

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#26 ·
After looking back on their concepts, I'm seeing how much potential they had to keep these interesting car shapes that could have become a revolutionary Fiesta, Focus, Fusion, Taurus, etc. and they could have avoided having to make a decision like this because people would love their traditional looking yet surprisingly practical designs.

That is what I want Ford to be, not a blue oval GMC.

In other words, they could have saved their car sales by making more A7/A5 SB style vehicles with more unique shapes and slightly higher ride height.
I agree but the caveat that is the elephant-in-the-room was that Ford, by their own decision making, became a platform-poor automaker. They could not execute your "could have" strategy because they allowed their chassis architecture to become dated and inflexible.

Many of their best past concepts were RWD designs and Ford gave up on RWD except for Mustang and only the latest Mustang platform, a derivative of a derivative of a borrowed 20th century platform, allowed for Independent Rear Suspension. Can you believe that Ford in its infinite wisdom against all rules of economies-of-scale manufactured a platform for only one model?

Platform wise, Ford had been shooting itself in the foot for decades. Only the development of the CD6 (not even yet arrived) gives us hope. The past is what it is (or was). The future is up to Ford/Lincoln.

BTW, I can see the Eros design language showing up in the Mach One.
 
#32 ·
I wonder if there is less dollars invested in next gen ICE platforms, because the future will be new EV platforms. And Ford will need a sub-compact, compact, midsize, large and truck EV platform in the next couple years.

I say this because Honda has already announced that they will offer a 150+mile EV at $18k sharing tech with their Chinese partner, and expecting over 100k units to be sold globally. Ford hopefully is doing the same with the Zyote? company. VW has already made the same statement that their upcoming ID models will match the price of ICE models.

Which indicates it's now possible to have a 200+ mile compact or midsize EV for $25k or $30k, and put side by side, based on how comfortable the consumer is with their home or public charging infrastructure, the EV will win for many reasons.

With that being the most logical case, lower expenditures on next gen ICE platforms make sense, and a reduction of those platforms is imperative, since those segment platforms will be replaced by EV platforms.
 
#37 ·
While the perfect car shape sounds like a good idea, here's the thing: What would you classify it as? What would cars.com, Consumer Reports and US News call it? It's a perfect 33% of all three types of cars, meaning it's as much a sedan as it is a crossover as it is an SUV.


My guess is that it would still be classified as "Sedan" by the EPA and them due to the shape, even though it has the height of a crossover and versatility of an SUV.
 
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