Ovaltine

Better yet - who made the ones for THIS model? LOL j/k ? -Ovaltine

What I want to know is - how the &%$#@ does the person who drove the vehicle IN the train car get OUT of it? Anyone on here familiar with the process on how large vehicles like these are loaded? Can the vehicle's door still open up enough (while inside the train car) for someone to squeeze out? -Ovaltine

I've been asking for this for the past 10 years! LOL ? -Ovaltine

Here's a working link (FROM 2014!!!) I found via Google: https://www.detroitnews.com/story/business/autos/ford/2014/08/15/large-solar-array-planned-at-ford-headquarters/14106855/ The question now is - did it ever happen? It sounds like it should have. Large solar array planned at Ford headquarters Michael Martinez The Detroit News View Comments Ford Motor Co. said Thursday it’s teaming up with Detroit-based utility DTE Energy to build a 68,000-square-foot solar array at the automaker’s Dearborn world headquarters. The solar panels, which will top a series of covered parking spaces in front of Ford’s world headquarters in Dearborn, will help power electric vehicle charging stations and corporate offices. It’s part of Ford’s commitment to showing it’s environmentally friendly, which includes everything from saving water to building lighter, more fuel-efficient cars and trucks. And it’s the latest example of an automaker harnessing the power of the sun. The project will include 360 parking spots and 30 electric vehicle charging stations under a carport. DTE — which signed a contract to construct, operate and maintain the canopy for 20 years — will begin building the structure in September and will complete it in early 2015. ( See link above for more details ) -Ovaltine

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/ford-says-could-face-1-142709831.html "WASHINGTON (Reuters) -Ford Motor Co said Thursday it could face up to $1.3 billion in penalties in a long-running dispute over import duties paid on Ford Transit Connect vehicles..... ....CBP ruled in 2013 that Transit Connects imported as passenger wagons and later converted into cargo vans were subject to the 25% duty applicable to cargo vehicles, rather than the 2.5% passenger vehicle duty. The vans were assembled in Turkey. The Justice Department said Ford "designed, marketed, sold, and delivered the van to consumers exclusively as a two-person cargo van. But to avoid the higher rate of duty that applies to cargo vans as compared to vans principally designed for passenger transport, petitioner imported each Transit Connect ... with a temporary, cheap rear seat that was designed to be immediately removed as soon as the van cleared Customs". The government noted the seats lacked head restraints and "was upholstered with cost-reduced fabric that did not match that of the front seats....." -Ovaltine

Bob Brown Ford has one listed for $62k+! Ouch! ?

My thoughts exactly. The exterior looks like a hot mess to me. But - as you say - the interior's very inviting! -Ovaltine

Interesting read: https://www.wired.co.uk/article/lithium-batteries-environment-impact The spiralling environmental cost of our lithium battery addiction EXCERPT: ....But there’s a problem. As the world scrambles to replace fossil fuels with clean energy, the environmental impact of finding all the lithium required to enable that transformation could become a serious issue in its own right. “One of the biggest environmental problems caused by our endless hunger for the latest and smartest devices is a growing mineral crisis, particularly those needed to make our batteries,”

The rock group 'Rush' predicted this situation back in 1981.... ? "Red Barchetta" By Rush My uncle has a country place That no one knows about He says it used to be a farm Before the Motor Law And on Sundays I elude the eyes And hop the Turbine Freight To far outside the Wire Where my white-haired uncle waits Jump to the ground As the Turbo slows to cross the borderline Run like the wind As excitement shivers up and down my spine Down in his barn My uncle preserved for me an old machine For fifty odd years To keep it as new has been his dearest dream I strip away the old debris That hides a shining car A brilliant red Barchetta From a better vanished time I fire up the willing engine Responding with a roar Tires spitting gravel I commit my weekly crime Wind In my hair Shifting and drifting Mechanical music Adrenaline surge... Well-weathered leather Hot metal and oil The scented country air Sunlight on chrome The blur of the landscape Every nerve aware Suddenly ahead of me Across the mountainside A gleaming alloy air car Shoots towards me, two lanes wide I spin around with shrieking tires To run the deadly race Go screaming through the valley As another joins the chase Drive like the wind Straining the limits of machine and man Laughing out loud with fear and hope I've got a desperate plan At the one-lane bridge I leave the giants stranded at the riverside Race back to the farm To dream with my uncle at the fireside -Ovaltine

Here's my T-Bird thread I submitted under 'Executives and Mgt.' about 7 years ago - before the automotive industry became "The Land That Sedans Forgot". ? I still say hold by my claim that if built right, I'd be in line to get one of these - and I haven't bought a Blue Oval product since '89! -Ovaltine

Now the BIG question is - what does THIS guy think of'em?!?!? ? -Ovaltine

Give me the BTU's of 15 gallons of easily dispensed petrol, ANY day - esp. up here in the Great White North! ? Btw, you can't do THIS with a 'Supercharger'! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fWsm3w-G8i8 LOL J/K -Ovaltine

One more "TRX" naming observation - Does anyone remember THESE "TRX"es? These should look familiar to a few old timers on here. I wonder if Ford and/or Michelin let the trademark on the name go? -Ovaltine See: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michelin_TRX

That moniker reminds me of a new version of Dolby Stereo! LOL ?

Crocodile Dundee: <points to the white car> "That's nawght a Mawck 1!!!" Crocodile Dundee: <points at the red car> "Now THAT'S a Mawck 1!!!" ?

I'll bet that the story behind this crash is very similar to this early Tesla crash back in 2016 - https://www.tesla.com/blog/tragic-loss "....What we know is that the vehicle was on a divided highway with Autopilot engaged when a tractor trailer drove across the highway perpendicular to the Model S. Neither Autopilot nor the driver noticed the white side of the tractor trailer against a brightly lit sky, so the brake was not applied. The high ride height of the trailer combined with its positioning across the road." Also see: https://cdllife.com/2019/roof-sheared-off-of-tesla-in-fatal-crash-with-turning-semi-truck/ -Ovaltine

To paraphrase 'ole Crocodile Dundee - "...that ain't a Mach 1......THIS is a Mach 1!" ? ( In fact - the '69 Mach 1 was the *original* Mach 1!) -Ovaltine

To paraphrase Master Yoda though: "It will be......it..willllll...beeeeeee!" ? -Ovaltine

I'm a casual H/K fan - and I agree......*blech*. ? -Ovaltine

Here's the backside of the same car, which was the last year of the iconic 6 round taillights - a major styling selling point for me:

If I could pick an Impala to own, here's what MINE would be: 1965 Impala SS! (w/327 CID 300 HP / 4 speed) Original location: https://photos.classiccars.com/cc-temp/listing/117/3183/14852361-1965-chevrolet-impala-std.jpg

Wow..... this article covers A LOT of ground, but the section on future CEO Farley is alarming, if it's anywhere near being an accurate assessment of Farley's activities to-date. FORD’S HIGHWAY TO HELL. http://www.autoextremist.com/ Excerpt: "...Am I picking on Farley? Hardly. I have only scratched the surface in describing this egomaniacal character and his blatant power grab, and now that he has been given the reins and deemed to be the heir apparent, he could wreak havoc on the company’s future for years. And this simply shouldn’t be, of course. One bad actor shouldn’t be causing this much consternation and hand-wringing throughout the enterprise, threatening to jeopardize everything the Ford Motor Company stands for. " Hmmmm.... <gulp> -Ovaltine

I agree with that!

This particular thread reminds me of some of my earliest posts back in 2006 (still available on here, btw) about how impressed I was with a new design 2004.5 Kia Spectra EX I had purchased new as a go-to-work vehicle. It was very nicely optioned, and all for about $13.5k US out-the-door. I shared with the forums here my observations about how really decent the Spectra was, and I was practically laughed off the board. I later pointed out the quick rise of the H/K duo in the various quality ratings, and again was met with derision. So I must admit that I take a little pleasure in reading this thread. ? For the record though, I truly am happy for Ford that the Lincoln lineup is looking so polished and robust these days. And I actually would have to say that I prefer the Lincoln's SUV styling efforts over the Telluride. It's very heartening to see the resurgence of Lincoln over Cadillac, after all the years of Caddy looking like it was the one American luxury line that would survive and thrive. I just wish that Lincoln would revive a Continental Mark (or better yet - a new Thunderbird!) line in a nice 2-door coupe - but with the current trends for sedans/coupes, we all know that that isn't going to happen any time soon. I just *wish* Ford would do more towards avoiding the predictable vehicle launch issues, the usual "big ticket" engineering faux pas de jour (Focus trannys?), and the plethora of little-but-imporant-part breakages that only seem to happen on Fords and not many other high volume makes. In any case, I'd have to say looking back 13+ years now that my predictions and observations about the Koreans weren't too far off the mark. -Ovaltine

It looks like the DCT debacle is coming to a head.... EXCERPT: "DETROIT – They knew the truth and kept quiet. Their secret wasn’t a secret at all in engineering, product development, research, design or manufacturing within Ford Motor Co., say seven current and former employees who worked to develop and launch the Fiesta and Focus cars that would become known for defective automatic transmissions. “My hands are dirty. I feel horrible,” said an engineer who played a key role in developing the popular compact cars." https://finance.yahoo.com/news/ford-workers-break-silence-faulty-145800004.html