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Lionel

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Everything posted by Lionel

  1. Lionel
    https://www.top10cars.com.au/2019-ford-territory-revealed-ford-revives-nameplate-for-new-suv/ As an Australian, it seems odd they've used this name that built up so much equity and goodwill here, but interesting nonetheless.
  2. Lionel
    http://www.top10cars.com.au/top-10-possible-australian-cars-restart-industry/ possible Falcon replacements in terms of police and taxi cars. Thoughts?
  3. Lionel
    Is there an official press release? Looks like the only Transit Custom FWD in the world with extended roof wheelbase and Ecoboost engine.
  4. Lionel
    The frame was I think, but the panels were recycled surplus cotton waste from the Soviet union, combined with resins and dyes. When the wall broke, they got floor shift and a VW Polo 4-stroke engine, but after decades of being forced to drive them, I guess they wanted West German cars instead...
  5. Lionel
    Anyway guys here is the finished product: http://performancedrive.com.au/top-10-last-cars-column-shift-manual-0300/
  6. Lionel
    Thanks bzcat, very sharp and insightful analysis.
  7. Lionel
    Crazy how Ford doesn't explore a partnership with this company considering they started using Ford engines and have development expertise. If I was a head Ford engineer, I would be clamoruing for a partnership - imagine Freevalve Ecoboost engines, Coyotes and V6's! Instead some Chinese company will be first to market (Qoros).
  8. Lionel
    Hi guys, thought I'd start this thread to speculate. Do we think these two will still be related? Moray Callum has said One Ford has done its job and cars will be more region specific, but a large car in Europe would need to be amortised I would think. I'm guessing it will also form the basis for the autonomous ride-sharing car, since the majority of these are currently Fusions. I'm also guessing the car will be several hundred kilos/ pounds lighter. The Fusion Lightweight would be a good indication- carbon fibre engine cradle and certain parts should be suitable for mass-manufacturuing by then. I think it would need this to compete with lighter Malibu and significantly lighter Insignia in Europe. This means a weight range of 2700lbs to maybe even 3200 for the Sport. I'm assuming they'll keep the Sport drivetrain, since V6's are still very popular in America, probably shift to a 9-speed automatic though. I predict the base engine will be the 1.5 3-cylinder Ecoboost seen in the latest Fiesta ST, giving it a weight advantage over Malibu 1.5T. Stop-start, cyl deactivation and a 3-cylinder engine for the hybrid will help the car meet 2025 CAFE targets. In Europe these will be far more aggressive. So I'd expect 1.0EB will be retained, and a 48V mild-hybrid added to petrol and diesel. Does anyone know if the 2.0 PowerBlue diesel engine is modular? Currently the 1.6 diesel used in Focus/Fiesta and Mondeo in Europe is PSA unit- I don't expect this to continue now they've purchased Ford's arch-rival... The Euro-centric hatch will take on more styling flair, so that an 'active' crossover verison would look like an X6 or Mercedes GLE Coupe. I expect a floating roofline etc. Sedan will be a US and China only proposition as it is today. Not sure about platform- 2018 Focus is expected to be carryover, so maybe an all-new one? I expect USA would call the shots here. I know it's early days but anyone else have some information to share?
  9. Lionel
    so far for my list I've found 1980's Fiat Ducato, a Mercedes W124 taxi special they made, Japanese Nissan Cedric and Toyota Comfort taxis made up until 1999, Toyota HiAce, 1987 Chev/GMC truck, XF Falcon. Do any ultra car nerd out there know of any other semi-contemporary manuals that were built anywhere in the world?
  10. Lionel
    Yeah in Australia it was available throughout the 1980s in the Ford Falcon, all the way up to the 1991 XF ute and panel van. I also discovered this by flicking through my mum's XE owner's manual.
  11. Lionel
    I am putting together a piece on column-shift manual transmission vehicles. Does anybody know which US vehicles would be the last to have this? I'm guessing it would be a Chevrolet, Ram or Ford commercial vehicle, but do not know for sure. Thanks.
  12. Lionel
    tbone, try this site- it's how I leaned everything I know about cars and the reason why I am now a journalist. http://www.autozine.org/technical_school/tech_index.html:-)
  13. Lionel
    It would have significantly more power and a better AWD system. If it incorporated elements from the 800lb-lighter Fusion Lightweight Concept then it could be... In any case I wish Ford investigated this type of car, it would be popular I think.
  14. Lionel
    I'm not too sad about that, from what I've read it looks too heavy and not really in the same performance league as the Falcon was. Be just like the Insignia VXR.
  15. Lionel
    Since the 3.5 Ecoboost from the 2017 GT is available, and there isn't likely a Taurus SHO successor, wouldn't it be great if Ford created a new performance sedan combining the two? With teh Focus RS' GKN differential it would be a great handler, too. Especially since we just lost a performance sedan icon down under, too (sob :'( ) http://performancedrive.com.au/top-10-engine-conversion-ideas-production-cars-vol-2-1617/
  16. Lionel
    I was always a proponent that if emissions testing more closely mirrored real-world conditions, this lunacy of tiny, highly-strung engines would stop. The only barriers to sanity now are Road taxes and capacity taxes like those in China. Now Mazda doesn't have to turbocharge the rest of its range.
  17. Lionel
    As odd as it sounds, I feel as though I have lost a part of myself with this coming to an end.
  18. Lionel
    As the Falcon enters its final week of production, I thought I'd revive this thread to ask if the American Falcon has touched anyones life as well? Or if anyone has any memories of it? Cheers.
  19. Lionel
    http://www.carscoops.com/2016/03/a-ford-falcon-rs-could-have-been-blast.html What do you guys think? If you like it, share like crazy
  20. Lionel
    Our's, of course but I find the Argentinian one appeals to my idiosyncratic side. It's still a Falcon in essence, and I didn't discover it until rather late into my fascination with Fords/Cars- that was an interesting day translating Spanish web pages lol. I have drawn up a (I draw cars too) platform basis for 3 different Falcons; A US one, an Aussie one and a spartan Argentinian one, incorporating elements which made the original special to begin with ( big interior volume compared to smaller external, clean, sleek styling and simplicity ) then adding attributes which made them popular in their respective markets, or in the US case what that market now goes for. Sometimes I have too much time on my hands, but it's always been an enjoyable hobby.
  21. Lionel
    Funny how the Argentinian Falcon got the Pinto 2.3 in the 80's and a diesel as well. We got a fourbanger Falcon in 2012, but no diesel- only the Territory.
  22. Lionel
    Yeah it's such a bummer- Lincoln could've had continuity of the LS and even a Continental much earlier- instead of a decade of soul searching via slightly altered Ford products. Ford's product planners were genius combining Euro and US lineup, but very myopic when it came to Australia.
  23. Lionel
    Thanks for the feedback and stories. Everyone in Aus/NZ has some kind of Falcon story I think. Our country is losing its identity in so many ways, and this is one of them.
  24. Lionel
    Sorted brutha.
  25. Lionel
    Ah shit. Yeah I meant to write 56, don't know what happened there. Can't edit it. Anyway hope you liked it.
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