Detroit Rumble

I just read that Mercury will be badge-engineering the Euro Ford Mondeo. So, considering Mercury is just about up shit creak, maybe they could pick up the Barra Fairlane and make it a Mercury Caliante or something. A car like that would do wonders for the rather stoodgy image of the company. Barra Fairlane will probbably have a euro-yank look so it would fit well within the Mercury lineup. The cops would love them too!(falcon too small.

It would make a good flagship car, could sit between the Grand Marquis and cheaper Lincoln LS. Although Grand Marqis (aka Crown Victoria) would be a bigger car, a more compact rear-drive V8 vehicle with better engines, features, looks, mechanicles...etc. Just a thought. Suddenly you might find Motor Trend talking "Mercury" and "BMW" in the same sentence.

Or, mercury badged XR's? the Mercury Cyclone (XR6T) and Cyclone GT (XR8). Remember them?????? a practical four-door supercar is a good selling point, no?

The work Ford Australia has put into the BA would indicate some thought for export...why move the fuel tank?

At lest it would be a reletivly cheap image boost for the Mercury. Afterall the more cars Ford sells around the world, the more money there is for new and better products.

Mercury is a great Marque and it would be pleasing to see Ford exploiting their better cars to improve image and profitability.

Ramble, ramble, ramble...

Therse lots more to this story though...

cardinalred

Whilst the BA now has its fuel tank in front of the rear axle I do not believe it can easily be engineered for LHD. The amount of work required under the bonnet in relocating manifolds etc so the steering column can be located on the left is not economically viable.

Nice thought nevertheless!

Funkypig

But who's to say Ford did not engineer it for LHD from the start, as part of the Barra program? $500m is a lot of cash. Although the fact no one has seen any LHD test cars indicates I'm probably wrong.

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"Negative criticism is often more of a cry for dialogue. People just haven't had a chance to learn yet" - Chris Bangle

Detroit Rumble

Thanks Cardinalred. I do remember reading in Motor mag how Tickford didn't just 'convert' the Mustang , they "re-engineerd it". Maybe the Mustang was easy being the very old Fox platform and all. But I'm sure, even just the Fairlane, would sell better in the US as a Mercury, than the Muctang sold here, althogh all things are reletive i know. I'm no bean-counting economist, but it seems even a basic guess of some costs do favour a US export for Fairlane. I wonder about the costspread of developing a streatched Falcon anyway, considering AU Fairlane has been more of a sales flop than AU Falcon.

turbo4wd

I would like to see Ford go for some RHD markets at least.

UK, South Africa, Japan, Singapore, Hong Kong.

The BA is allready going to the UK but sold under some crap verte name - instead Ford should sell the officialy through selected Ford UK dealerships and maybe restrict the cars to the XR and utes.

Im not sure about South Affrica - I understand Australian cars have been sold there in the past.

Japan, Hong Kong and Singapore are hard markets because they mostly buy Jap cars. There is no Jap car quite like the XR6T and going on current exchange rates it should be very compeditive. Previous Australia cars would have been seen as too low tech but these would be ideal as the XR6T engine is the most advanced in the world.

T3man

What difference does it make whether LHD or RHD if you're using the V8?

And with the straight six there is probably plenty of room to move things around in the engine room anyway.

T3man

What difference does it make whether LHD or RHD if you're using the V8?

And with the straight six there is probably plenty of room to move things around in the engine room anyway.

Chinny

Ford didn't spend the entire $500 million in BA alone. Maybe $300 million that on AU carryover models (including XT[Forte]), the rest on the GT, GTP and advertising. They have an all new brand remember also.