MKII

"What we would never do is compromise," he declared. "If it's a Mustang, it'll be a Mustang. Whatever is offered will be a Mustang and live up to the Mustang expectation." ??????????

Quality or any thought of it as a priority left the building with Mulally

I don't think akirby has read or listen to Mulally. Hard to miss the words "improve quality" spoken by Mulally over his tenure. As an example in this autonews article 6 weeks into Mulally tenure mentions "quality" multiple times . 1st one is the first paragraph "Six weeks into his full-time stint as Ford Motor Co. CEO, Alan Mulally has already tweaked the automaker's product plan with a focus on improving fuel-efficiency, reliability and quality. https://www.autonews.com/article/20061110/SUB/61110080/ford-ceo-to-employees-new-product-top-priority

Ford UK site on its build and price is showing the gas engine only but Titanium trim and above. Not sure if they are not going to sell the lower spec'd Zetec. Also the Titanium price which is just 100 quid lower, is being compared to a base base Focus Zetec spec. Here they are selling the base Puma for a couple thousand euros compared to the base Focus

It is just a jacked up Fiesta, so yes the Puma is priced lower then the Focus line up.

I think you are saying Ford has not mentioned a gas only Puma? Technical stats (not including the 7spd dual clutch which is whenever) 2020FordPuma_TechSpec_Drive_EU.pdf

Hackett turning the company over to the beancounters is beginning to show. Pitiful.

Out of all this Ford noise about 2019 Hybrids, only ONE is actually available , the OLD Mondeo sedan. I understand the wording "launching" is the key, but both the Fiesta & Focus "MILD" versions are still in nowhere land. And with the current impression of the OLD Mondeo Hybrid sedan being that it was never any good does not help that the face lift wagon gets the same OLD Hybrid tech. WTF Ford!!!!

The 2.0L EcoBoost and 2.3L EcoBoost are produced in Spain.

I found an english version of this engine story https://jgautomotive.com/en/ford-will-manufacture-in-almussafes-100000-engines-for-the-plant-in-canada-in-2019/

Maverick outside of North America. Last year I read from a Spanish news outlet that Ford was calling a new engine Maverick that would be built in Spain. Not sure what happened to this engine, I have not read anymore about it.

New article posted yesterday https://eu.freep.com/story/money/cars/ford/2019/07/31/ford-focus-fiesta-transmission-issues-lawsuit/1870852001/?fbclid=IwAR2WGduxoS1NKHUYQTs4y15zbs1oXmJs6K401PafU9QvZmkyyZN3l7PegQs Ford Focus and Fiesta owners from around the country say they experienced new rejection at Ford dealerships when they took their cars for repair after the automaker quietly issued a special service notice in response to a Free Press investigation into the cars' defective transmissions.

18.390 Source http://carsalesbase.com/us-car-sales-data/ford/ford-c-max/

Looks cheap & with the smiling cartoon face, cheerful.

DPS6 DRY dual clutch 6DCT250 Powershift transmission -While the base design is Getrag’s, the finished transmission bears the stamp of TDE (Ford Motor Company Transmission and Driveline Engineering) engineers. Ford dictated the relevant specifications such as the package envelope, center distance, gear ratios and functional SDS requirements. (Ford)TDE have, for example, full responsibility for calibration and for software development. As a result, (Ford) TDE has more control over how the product drives and feels. While Getrag markets its own version of this transmission, the Ford DPS6 Powershift is differentiated by its software and controls. Ford Motor Company Transmission and Driveline Engineering (TDE) 36200 Plymouth Road Livonia, MI. 48150 I don't believe Ford Europe had their hands in this soup

Lots of deleted bits and pieces, it's easy to tell when a Ford car is being killed.

Joy Falotico, Lincoln's president, said customer research found that would-be buyers were fearful of giving up power if they chose hybrid powertrains. Duh, no shit sherlock. Fords past Hybrid powertrain experience doesn't help the perception of their Hybrids performance. The so called new Mondeo wagon Hybrid is getting lambasted by the reviewers in Europe for it's lackluster performance. Great around town but once on the highway it's a weezy slug.

Volkswagen carried out a software update costing 23 million euros in 2014 in an attempt to cover up the true reason for the elevated pollution emissions during regular driving Volkswagen has paid more than 27 billion euros (currently $31 billion) in fines and civil settlements with authorities and car owners in the months and years since being caught. Volkswagen says it plans to spend 30 billion euros to develop electric vehicles by 2023. Reading these massive amounts of money pouring out of VW, I find it amazing they can still operate with any confidence. But compared to the announced amounts Ford is spending on future stuff, makes Ford look like a small player. So the VW friendship could be very lop-sided. Also Ford N.A and FoE have always had big difficulties working together with the cultural differences and opinions, how the hell are they going to get anything done with one of the biggest, hard headed, arrogant companies on the face of the earth?

Engine line up for North America 2020 Escape

The “Go Further” experience will start at 16:15 CET on the April 2, and will be available to watch live or through replay at www.gofurtherlive.com. News releases, photos, video and media assets will be available at gofurther.fordpresskits.com.

"Worlds most trusted company" is a new one. When did FOMOCO start using this slogan or start striving to be this?

^ The world according to akirby. What’s clear is that if you’re a Ford loyalist (not a stock holder) and a track enthusiast and want factory performance upgrades and you can’t abide by a (high center of gravity) truck, your options are going to be limited, and well past the average new car transaction price. Bring on the Focus replacement = EcoSport ST woohoooooooooooooooo

Ford's biggest issue in the here and now? Its product cadence borders on the piss-poor. Its inability to execute new products in a timely fashion is glaringly inexcusable. The delayed delivery of the Bronco is just one painful example of this – that it may see showrooms by the end of 2020 (let's face it, that means early 2021 in Ford time) is simply incomprehensible. In fact, it has now achieved status as the worst running joke in the industry. If Jim Hackett had stood up on his first day at Ford and said, "It's about the product, it has always been about the product, and it always will be about the product" I would have given him the benefit of the doubt at least.

You definitely missed the point ?

What about them? Any of these vehicles can and are imported quite easily to EU countries with simple changes such as rear amber turn signals and and in some countries a rear fog lamp. There are GT350s,' GT500's & Raptors over here. Edge ST and Explorer ST I am not sure these are such wanted vehicles, I am sure there are some who desire these high riders in performance guise , but much easier if one really wants one here and much more economical to do to Europe than to the USA. Not quite the same story if one is trying to import a Focus ST or RS or for any EU built car to the USA. Even if you wanted to import the new MK4 Focus base trim, the costs to meet the registration regs you could buy a brand new Porsche.