Joe771476 Posted December 27, 2011 Share Posted December 27, 2011 I was going through some stuff the other day and I found this copy of Motor Trend special issue Volume 39 No. 12 issued in late '87/early '88. From cover to cover it describes and features every Ford branded vehicle with many Ford print ads mixed in! This was solely dedicated to Ford! No other carmaker appeared in this issue, feature-wise or ad-wise! The main highlight was the fact that in 1986 it had achieved $3.3 billion in profits vs. GM's $2.9 billion. Other highlights were for the first 6 months of 1987 the Escort, Taurus, Thunderbird, Mustang, F-series, Aerostar, Ranger, and Econoline were all number one in their respective categories!! Here's an excerpt from the article discussing Ford's becoming #1: "A stunning performance. Even more so when you consider that just a few years ago, Ford set another record. It lost 1.5 billion dollars in a single year and managed over the next two years to lose an additional $2 billion. Talk about comebacks. Never known for derring-do, the unexpected, the high risk -- with a few notable exceptions of course -- Ford found itself in a rather unpleasant predicament as the 70's stumbled to a close. The public, feeding on predictions of $2.50-a-gallon gasoline and suffering a worsening econmic situation, wasn't buying cars." The article continued that Ford's European operation was healthy, but the U.S. division was in trouble. So Ford Chairman Philip Caldwell convinced Ford to scrap what was planned and build a line that not only employed the latest in automotive technology, but embodied a corporate or family look that would set Fords apart from others. Does any of this sound familiar!? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boss444 Posted December 27, 2011 Share Posted December 27, 2011 You said the 'naughty words'....(Motor Trend) I've learned that you cannot praise any of the auto magazines as they haven't the first clue as to what they are talking about (that coming from a bunch of people in an internetz forum). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
akirby Posted December 27, 2011 Share Posted December 27, 2011 You said the 'naughty words'....(Motor Trend) I've learned that you cannot praise any of the auto magazines as they haven't the first clue as to what they are talking about (that coming from a bunch of people in an internetz forum). Why would you praise publications that are so blatantly biased and inconsistent? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hugh Posted December 27, 2011 Share Posted December 27, 2011 I remember that copy. I had to order it after purchasing the MT Buyers Guide 1988. It was there I read about the 'Modular' engine family including the 'T8'. The sales numbers reflected the acknowledgement that the imports would make an effect eventually but the planning still was to compete with GM. A very good read for information not opinion. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ranger20 Posted December 27, 2011 Share Posted December 27, 2011 I still have that issue in mint condition. My wife wants me to throw my old magazine collection away, but I'm resisting! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlackHorse Posted December 28, 2011 Share Posted December 28, 2011 The Ranger was number 1 in its class in 1987, . . . and never got updated again. lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aneekr Posted December 28, 2011 Share Posted December 28, 2011 Why would you praise publications that are so blatantly biased and inconsistent? The same reason why one would join Blue Oval Forums. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
akirby Posted December 28, 2011 Share Posted December 28, 2011 The same reason why one would join Blue Oval Forums. Nobody here is publishing their reviews or claiming to be media professionals. If you're publishing a magazine you should at least be consistent with your biases. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grbeck Posted December 28, 2011 Share Posted December 28, 2011 (edited) By 1987, Chrysler had tried to fill almost every segment with a stretched or rebodied K-car. That worked with the minivans, but as the decade progressed, and gasoline prices fell, buyers turned away from Chrysler in other segments. GM was in the midst of the chaotic Roger Smith era. The old medium-price stalwarts - Buick and Oldsmobile - were reeling as they introduced front-wheel-drive vehicles that lacked the distinction of their former offerings in the full-size and intermediate classes. By 1987, Cadillac was a joke. Chevrolet was struggling, as GM diverted money that should have gone to shore up Chevrolet to launch Saturn. GM also had major quality problems with its new automated plants. It was not uncommon at that time to hear people say that an N-body Oldsmobile Calais or downsized Cadillac Eldorado was the worst car they have ever owned. The Taurus had its teething problems, but park one next to a contemporary Chrysler LeBaron, Chevrolet Celebrity, or Oldsmobile Cutlass Ciera - it's no contest. The Fox-platform cars were also far superior to their GM and Chrysler counterparts. Edited December 28, 2011 by grbeck Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
630land Posted December 30, 2011 Share Posted December 30, 2011 I still have that issue in mint condition. My wife wants me to throw my old magazine collection away, but I'm resisting! Throw out her Beanie Baby, doll, thimble, plate or salt shaker collection! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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