August-31-10

Ford Fusion Subtly Replaces the Ford Taurus

Posted by admin under New Ford News

What is the new 2006 Ford Fusion? For most people, this new vehicle is something worth taking the drive. It has been equipped with a 3.0 liter V6 engine with the ability to produce some 221 units of horsepower. To assist the vehicle in providing a superb performance, also installed is a six speed automatic transmission system as well as a front wheel drive system.

What are its measurements? It has a length of 190.2 inches, a width of 72.2 inches, and 57.2 inches for its height. Its wheelbase definitely measures 107.4 inches. 3280 pounds would be the 2006 Ford Fusions curb weight. As per equipment, safety has been included and is given through four wheel disc brakes, front air bags, side and curtain air bags. As per other standard equipment, the list includes air conditioning, an AM/FM/CD radio, power windows, a cruise control system, as well as a tilt and telescoping steering wheel. If you have got $21,9995 to spare, this vehicle may be yours.

The 2006 Ford Fusion is said to be the replacement for the now defunct Ford Taurus. It is a sedan and is filling in the niche between the Ford Crown Victoria and the Ford Five Hundred. This vehicle actually has been built using the CD3 architecture of the Ford Motor Company. As per Ford history, the 2006 Ford Fusion made history already. This is actually the very first Ford vehicle to be conceived and designed on a computer. As per the machine that powers this vehicle, this new sedan holds a short and long arm front suspension, a multi-link independent rear suspension, as well as rack and pinion steering. It also is equipped with two different Duratec engines, which are also used by a Mazda vehicle. The standard engine is a 2.3 liter DOHC engine that has been built using aluminum. It has the capacity to produce 160 units of horsepower at 6500 rpm as well as 150 pound feet of peak torque at 4000 rpm. As per the optional V6 engine, it has a displacement of 3.0 liters, has DOHC heads, and holds 24 valves. It can produce 221 horsepower at 6250 rpm as well as some 205 pound feet of torque at 4800 rpm.

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Related posts

August-27-10

North Americas Ford Contour

Posted by admin under New Ford News

The Ford Mondeo sedan was for the European market. Travel to the lands of the United States and North American and you would find the Ford Contour. The Ford Contour would be the Ford Mondeos American counterpart. This sedan was actually sold by the Ford Motor Company starting from 1995 up until 2000. Fact is, this vehicle actually was the basis for building a version of this under the Mercury brand. And the result came to be the Mercury Mystique and later on became the Mercury Cougar. The Ford Contour was found in the Ford Motor Companys line up filling the niche between the Ford Escort and the Ford Taurus.

The Ford Contour has a DOHC V6 engine with 24 valves. It has an aluminum block and aluminum heads. This has a displacement of 155 cubic inches. It can produce some 170 units of bhp at 6250 rpm, and 165 pound feet at 4250 rpm. It has also been equipped with a five speed manual transmission system. The wheelbase of the Ford Contour measures 106.5 inches, 183.9 inches in length and has a curb weight of 2910 pounds.

From 1995 to 1996, the Ford Contour came to be body colored. The front seats were recessed to the back so as to improve rear seat leg room. This is compared to the first wave of Ford Contours that entered the American automobile market. After a year, changes were still done. Traction control no longer was given as an option. The remote fuel door release feature was deleted and the fuel door that this batch held had a flanged opening. Made available were an interior trunk light, a tilt steering wheel, and a power antenna. In 1997 to 1998, the Ford Contours that entered the streets sported front and rear end designs that were new. There were new alloy wheel designs. The sail panels on the rear door windows were now smooth and held the word Contour emblazoned on it.

As per the last years of the Ford Contour, it still continually received changes. In 1998 to 1999, the Ford Contour deleted one of its trim levels. There was a clock in radio available. There were also some color revisions. The rear window and the brake light designs had changed. For Canada, this was the last year of the Ford Contour. In the United States, 2000 was the last year for the vehicle.

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Related posts

January-10-10

2006 Ford Taurus: Swan Song

Posted by admin under New Ford News

The 2006 model year will end the heralded Taurus name and for this writer it is a bittersweet time as Ford retires what once the best selling car in all of America.

When Ford introduced the Taurus along with its cousin the Mercury Sable in the mid 1980s the car represented a radical departure from the standard American car of the day. Fairly large, front wheel drive, and very aerodynamic, the Taurus quickly rose to the pinnacle of the American car sales charts and was the best selling car for several years in a row. A much delayed reskinning did not occur until 1996, some ten years after the Taurus and Sable were first released. The new style, perceived by some to be ugly, quickly cost Ford sales as newer and more modern Toyota Camrys and Honda Accords out gained the line. Slight changes in style incorporated with the 2000 model year took some of the edge off, but by then the Taurus was considered to be too old and outmatched by the competition.

I purchased an all new 1994 Taurus and kept the car for seven years, racking up 117,000 miles before deciding it was time to trade in the car for something newer. I found the ride to be comfortable, the interior room to be expansive, and I enjoyed the overall style of the car. I was also one of the first people to purchase a Taurus in the then new Hunter Green color, an attractive deep green that was admired by many.

When 2001 rolled around, I elected to lease a Saturn L series instead of going with the Taurus. I needed something similar in size with the Taurus and at that time Saturn had a lease deal that could not be beat. In addition, I still wasnt impressed with the Taurus which I felt had been out-engineered by other cars in its class. So, I took home the Saturn and donated my Taurus to the Kidney Foundation.

The 2005 model year represented the final year that Ford would offer the Taurus through dealers; for 2006 the Taurus is only available as a fleet car and it is unchanged from the previous years model. The slow selling Sable was mercifully put to rest one year earlier.

For Ford, concentrating on trucks and SUVs meant neglecting much of their car line up, including the Taurus. Bigger and stronger SUVs, including the Expedition and Excursion, were introduced as Americas tastes continued to shift from passenger cars to SUVs. In addition, the ever popular F Series pick up trucks went through regular style and engineering changes every four years or so as did the Explorer, Fords midsized SUV.

Higher gas prices and changing tastes are once again impacting Fords line up. The beefy Excursion is gone and new cars including the Five Hundred and Fusion are now part of the line up. These two new models represent a fresh change for Ford and a promise that the attention once given to the Taurus would be given to the new models. For that, I am glad.

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Related posts