ZanatWork

I see that as crowding, as well, but I'll wait and see what the actual results for each bring to market. That said, your examples typically involved an SUV with most options installed vs. an AWD boulavardier unlikely to experience anything rougher than a pothole or a well maintained dirt road. GIven the Bronco's dedicated hardware, this will be a different situation...albeit with a likelihood toward "soft roader" uses.

I'm admittedly curious about this, primarly as it's on the heels of strong rumors involving a 'Lincoln Bronco'. This would seem to be in-house competition.

I'm hoping that the eventual appearance regains some of the simple, handsome, uncluttered styling that makes original Rangers and Bullnose F-Series look dutiful...and timeless. Most modern pickups to me look like there's a silent competition to put as many unnecessary styling elements in the grilles and inside the headlight assemblies as possible.

...or, get a normal Dark Horse with the Tremec, and get the dealer-installed Ford Motorsport supercharger kit. That way, you keep 3 pedals and get nearly the same power...!

Healthy rivalries are a human side of business. The need to keep evolving one's game for sales/credibility is the best defense against soul-sucking routine. I hope, somehow, that this focus (pun lightly intended) leads to one more "real" Mustang redesign, allowing a lighter starting point and all the advances (reasonably) available.

Hmmm. That answers the very rare question: "what if Ford had supplied the vehicles for Demolition Man?".

I like this, but it's a non-street track toy being held up to the AMG and others that are actually (if barely) street legal. That makes it something of a hollow victory, at least to me. However, the rumors that the upgraded (with added canards for downforce) GTD also upped its standing is VERY interesting to me....

I think Ford will be in choppy waters for awhile, as the headlines are full of recalls and lost EV money as much or more than upcoming models.

The canards on the nose are interesting, albeit dangerous for the inattentive in the paddock....

Fluff packages for Ecoboost Mustangs...not my cup o' tea, but maybe the buyers are out there. The TLD appearance makes me think of the late 70s Ford stripe packages, reimagined by an artistic stoner and his airgun.

So, basically...diff, exhaust, Brembo bits, and a bunch of fluff for your Ecoboost 'Stang.

If they put the Mustang badge on it, then a V8 option should at least have strong consideration as it's certainly part of the Mustang heritage. If they want to separate it from the 3.0 Ecoboost, use the Dark Hose variant, and/or give it some more R&D to squeeze out more performance. This would be a performance vehicle, the numbers aren't just for numbers' sake. If the CEO wants Ford to be the "Porsche of off road", that requires the hardware to back the claim.

That money seems wild, as it's largely a GT500 switch-over. The banner ads around the story showed Dark Horse Mustangs commonly available for half of where the SC starts...with an entire aftermarket supplying all the blower kits, suspension mods, etc that anyone could want...while keeping their manual transmissions. Unless they found big weight savings and amazing suspension updates, that price range is completely whacked.

The Flex got minimal effort from Ford's advertising/promotion departments, which was ridiculous: available AWD, massive interior, good (and brand common) powertrains, and huge interior volume coupled with low lift-in height. Mine was magnificent in its time, dragging my guitar and PA gear around as well as 2-5 people.

I don't hate that, either, but it'd be lost in a Lincoln showroom amidst al the others CUVs/SUVs. I think that a real "Rover fighter" would need to have a more muscuar, truckike appearance to differentiate itself from its float-boat cousins.