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I remember my 87 T-Bird Turbo Coupe had a separate turning light on the side of the car that worked well.

 

I've wondered why these went out of style too--especially since car makers are doing so much to distinguish their cars by lighting these days (too much so!! I could see those monogrammed puddle lights seeming as gauche as coach lights in the future)

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And this assessment is based on what?

 

Ford had a very well designed exhibit area at the Detroit Auto Show this year, based on BORG's photos on this forum. Their Chicago Auto Show exhibit should be just as nice. At the same time, the unveiling of 2018 Mustang following the Detroit show and 2018 Expedition prior to the Chicago show seemed haphazard. That gives the impression that Ford is trying to accomplish a lot of things but without sufficient attention to detail. Disorganized in other words.

 

Ford never seems to put much effort into CAS.

 

It seems that way this year. Last year, Ford's effort was more extensive. Mark LaNeve was the keynote speaker at the Chicago Auto Show media day in 2016. http://www.chicagoautoshow.com/assets/1/7/2016-Media-Schedule2.pdf

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I've wondered why these went out of style too--especially since car makers are doing so much to distinguish their cars by lighting these days (too much so!! I could see those monogrammed puddle lights seeming as gauche as coach lights in the future)

 

 

This and door mirror turn lights just seem like a no brainer. It only takes a second in some fools blind spot to get run out of your lane.... Even a second warning seeing that lot pop up would be so nice.

 

The side lights would help another annoying situation when two people on on outer lanes of a 3-lane highway, and you try to merge into each other.

 

Love my fender lights

 

S5030372.jpg

 

 

Edited by probowler
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I've wondered why these went out of style too--especially since car makers are doing so much to distinguish their cars by lighting these days (too much so!! I could see those monogrammed puddle lights seeming as gauche as coach lights in the future)

 

I really like the adaptive HIDs on our MKX. The entire light swivels into the turn.

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Ford had a very well designed exhibit area at the Detroit Auto Show this year, based on BORG's photos on this forum. Their Chicago Auto Show exhibit should be just as nice. At the same time, the unveiling of 2018 Mustang following the Detroit show and 2018 Expedition prior to the Chicago show seemed haphazard. That gives the impression that Ford is trying to accomplish a lot of things but without sufficient attention to detail. Disorganized in other words.

 

 

I'll grant you they tried to different styles of introduction that could give the appearance of disorganization, but if their goal is to identify what method provides the best coverage for their vehicles then they have to start somewhere. If the next two or three intros seemed to be all over the map then I will concur that it seems disorganized.

 

I personally like the introduction of the vehicle before a show because the central focus is on your vehicle, and you subsequently get a lot of attention at the next show because the vehicle is new.

 

Now the 2018 Mustang introduction seemed to be a train wreck, and did not make much sense to me.

 

Time will tell.

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Ford had a very well designed exhibit area at the Detroit Auto Show this year, based on BORG's photos on this forum. Their Chicago Auto Show exhibit should be just as nice. At the same time, the unveiling of 2018 Mustang following the Detroit show and 2018 Expedition prior to the Chicago show seemed haphazard. That gives the impression that Ford is trying to accomplish a lot of things but without sufficient attention to detail. Disorganized in other words.

 

There is nothing haphazard about it. Those things are planned well in advance. They didn't just forget there was an upcoming auto show and this isn't new - they've been doing this for the last few years.

 

The 2018 Expedition was on the floor in Chicago so how did revealing it early hurt them? The only thing an early reveal disappoints is the press attending the event. Releasing it early may actually encourage someone who wants one to go to the show to see it when they may not have been planning to go.

 

Auto shows, auto show reveals, concept cars, halo vehicles and magazine comparisons do not sell vehicles any more. It's just not that important.

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I have to say that when I first started going to the NAIAS the biggest draw was the concept cars. Unless you are planning to buy a new vehicle in the near term you can see the same production vehicles at a local show or at the dealer. At that time there was also a much longer wait to see show coverage in print. Information technology has certainly changed all that. For me its no longer worth the drive or dealing with parking, the crowds, etc.

On the other hand, the thing that struck me back then about concept cars, and Ford's in particular, was that if Ford didn't actually build a car based on one of their concepts, someone else would, especially the Koreans. Either that or they would beat Ford to market with Ford's design. Anyone remember those funky little boxes on wheels that Ford made a big deal over at NAIAS? They never built anything like that but the Asians certainly did. Why spend money on design when you can just use someone else's? And why show your competition your future designs?

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This and door mirror turn lights just seem like a no brainer. It only takes a second in some fools blind spot to get run out of your lane.... Even a second warning seeing that lot pop up would be so nice.

 

The side lights would help another annoying situation when two people on on outer lanes of a 3-lane highway, and you try to merge into each other.

 

Love my fender lights

 

S5030372.jpg

 

 

 

Just to be clear, they were referring to cornering lamps that illuminate on an angle in the front of the car when the turn signal is on, not the turn signal itself.

 

That said, I do think side turn signal/markers should be standard on all vehicles for the exact reason you mentioned - I've had several times where I start to move into a lane, only to have someone in the lane two lanes over (traveling at a spot where neither of our front/rear signals are visible to each other) try to merge into the same lane between us, but even if using our turn signals, they're not visible from the side on many vehicles. It'd just be helpful rather than having to swerve back over after realizing we're both merging into the same lane.

 

I have to say that when I first started going to the NAIAS the biggest draw was the concept cars. Unless you are planning to buy a new vehicle in the near term you can see the same production vehicles at a local show or at the dealer.

 

Well, for some people, NAIAS (or the other big shows) are the "local show." Shows also put all the cars in one spot, rather than having to run around town to several different dealers, something the majority of people wouldn't do.

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Concepts were also a way to get publicity and brand awareness pre-internet. Today there is no real business advantage outside of showing future technology or styling directions.

 

What some people thinks sells vehicles and what actually sells vehicles can be two different things. Quality is no longer a big differentiator. Neither are features. It really comes down to styling, space and pricing (and capability for trucks and vans).

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Concepts used to be for entertaining the average Joes to go 'wow'. Or, to laugh at for being so "ugly". People I know take a count of all the "ugly concept cars" each year.

 

But while shows don't make a big deal about reveals, it's not the old days with "annual styling changes". Many go to see new vehicles* and not get harassed by sales folks going "you here to buy?". I do say that standard features are a big differentiator in sales. Folks I know will say they bought a product since "it has X" but other brand didn't.

 

 

*trucks are now 60% so need to include all types.

Edited by 630land
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Just to be clear, they were referring to cornering lamps that illuminate on an angle in the front of the car when the turn signal is on, not the turn signal itself.

 

That said, I do think side turn signal/markers should be standard on all vehicles for the exact reason you mentioned - I've had several times where I start to move into a lane, only to have someone in the lane two lanes over (traveling at a spot where neither of our front/rear signals are visible to each other) try to merge into the same lane between us, but even if using our turn signals, they're not visible from the side on many vehicles. It'd just be helpful rather than having to swerve back over after realizing we're both merging into the same lane.

 

 

 

More and more vehicles have in the US have Turn Signals on the Mirrors, they pretty much are standard on any Mid/Top range Ford now. Vehicles sold in US/Canada that type of signal is not required, under the rest of the world lighting requirements they are required to have signals on the side of the vehicle (Mirror, door, near the A pillar on the front fender) The US need to dump the full lighting code and just adopt the world standard for vehicle lighting.

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More and more vehicles have in the US have Turn Signals on the Mirrors, they pretty much are standard on any Mid/Top range Ford now. Vehicles sold in US/Canada that type of signal is not required, under the rest of the world lighting requirements they are required to have signals on the side of the vehicle (Mirror, door, near the A pillar on the front fender) The US need to dump the full lighting code and just adopt the world standard for vehicle lighting.

 

Yeah, I know more of them have it now than ever, but there are obviously some that don't have it.

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Yeah, I know more of them have it now than ever, but there are obviously some that don't have it.

 

Which is another thing that seems disorganized at Ford again. The Ford Option/Standard equipment packaging is odd and getting back to where it is just crazy with all the option combinations and free standing options. F-150 I can see that on, but Fusions, Explorers, Escape are crazy. Edge has very few freestanding options, though keeps getting more, but the MKX has a $60 option for a security package and tons of packages and them trim levels on top. Talk about seeming to nickel and dime someone, it gets over whelming. A SE on a Fusion has different equipment than an SE on an Escape which is different than a Focus, then the Focus has an SEL model again, it never left the Edge or Flex but didn't come back on the Fusion or Escape. Some of that goes to what was talked about earlier that the organization of the company seems strained and that communication isn't happening between different products and groups.

Edited by jasonj80
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Which is another thing that seems disorganized at Ford again. The Ford Option/Standard equipment packaging is odd and getting back to where it is just crazy with all the option combinations and free standing options. F-150 I can see that on, but Fusions, Explorers, Escape are crazy. Edge has very few freestanding options, though keeps getting more, but the MKX has a $60 option for a security package and tons of packages and them trim levels on top. Talk about seeming to nickel and dime someone, it gets over whelming. A SE on a Fusion has different equipment than an SE on an Escape which is different than a Focus, then the Focus has an SEL model again, it never left the Edge or Flex but didn't come back on the Fusion or Escape. Some of that goes to what was talked about earlier that the organization of the company seems strained and that communication isn't happening between different products and groups.

 

Completely agree. Having different options on different vehicles is also confusing. They need some corporate standards that apply to all vehicles instead of leaving it up to the individual vehicle teams.

 

It's frustrating to get the highest model MkX (Reserve) and having to add the climate and technology and driver assistance packages not to mention the stupid $60 security package. This is why we don't have adaptive cruise - could not find anything in stock with all the options we wanted and didn't want to wait 8 weeks to order so we had to compromise.

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I was told as recently as last month to expect the MCEd Explorer at CAS.

 

If I had to guess, I'd say that they lost faith in the Dallas event to generate enough buzz for Expedition. Seeing how haphazard and clumsy that event was, I don't blame them.

 

Hmm, so New York then perhaps? Or maybe they unveil it at its' own event too?

 

Yeah, the Expy announcement wasn't well handled. I have no problem with them showing it ahead of the show, but with presentation issues and live stream viewers barely being able to see the video board they were showing at the event led to a sloppy overall presentation. Thankfully the vehicles looked good at least.

 

So I'm guessing your thought is that with the mess up of the event, they wanted to give Expy more time to shine at the show?

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Disorganization at Ford is more likely an explanation.

No, it's just the current trend in product reveals. Hasn't happened much in the auto industry yet, but other industries are increasingly turning toward independent events to unveil important new products rather than just doing it at all-industry shows. That way the new product doesn't have to share the limelight with everything else, and the company can better control the narrative for a few days rather than a few hours until the competition unveils something. The shows then become more about putting the best face on the current (for sale or soon will be) product line rather than what's next. Edited by Moosetang
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Well, for some people, NAIAS (or the other big shows) are the "local show." Shows also put all the cars in one spot, rather than having to run around town to several different dealers, something the majority of people wouldn't do.

 

The local show for me was Cleveland and Ford almost never brought the better concepts there.

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The local show for me was Cleveland and Ford almost never brought the better concepts there.

I have two local shows near me - Miami and Fort Lauderdale. Miami takes place in mid September and typically gets the previous years' concepts (for example, we got the Navigator concept this last September even though it was shown last January); Fort Lauderdale takes place toward the end of March and is a smaller show, and is often missing several brands, so it often doesn't get any concepts.

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