Ford Gran
2007
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Ford Gran
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 Ford Lincoln Mercury Gran Torino Dash Mounted Headlight Headlamp Switch  US $15.40
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 1974 FORD GRAN TORINO ELITE 2 pg. AD US $7.99
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Just months after its much publicized release, the 7 passenger Jeep Commander is a major disappointment for DaimlerChrysler to the point where it has become an albatross around the automaker's neck. Stung with bloated inventories in excess of 100 days - an industry killer - the Commander is now commanding discounts of over $5000 per vehicle. What went wrong? Plenty, especially if you read what the pundits and prognosticators have to say about the new Jeep.
No vehicle introduction should be problematic however, as for the Jeep Commander this model has fallen well short of sales goals. There are many reasons why the Commander may be failing to live up to expectations including:
High Fuel Prices - Gasoline pushing past $2.50 per gallon cannot help any SUV. With the Commander's three thirsty engine choices, the price at the pump can be painful. Yet, the even bigger Chevrolet Tahoe is selling well despite high fuel prices.
Dated Styling - Jeep mentions the Commander's "heritage exterior design" as one of the chief draws for the vehicle. Take one look at the Commander, and the styling cues of the 1984 Jeep Cherokee quickly come to mind. While some vehicles successfully incorporate "the look" of an earlier model without copying the style, the Commander looks awfully like the earlier Cherokee, only stretched out. Personally, I find the style to be dated and awkward.
Cramped Interior - Put the Commander up against the next biggest Jeep, the Gran Cherokee, and you will see that the interior space is just about the same. This is bad because the Commander comes equipped with a third row of seats so there should be more room. Many have complained that only two small children could fit in the last row which, incidentally, does not completely fold into the floor like the "stow 'n go" feature on the DCX minivans.
Overpriced - Fully loaded Commanders are retailing for well over $40,000. While this price range can be expected for the likes of a Yukon, Tahoe, or Expedition, it can't for the Commander. Of course, the Commander is bigger than the Gran Cherokee which is priced just under $40,000. However, if you put the two models side by side, many would say that the Gran Cherokee is the better of the two.
So, will DaimlerChrysler actually discontinue the Commander? That isn't likely. Instead, look for big rebates to remain in place and production to be permanently cut back. For the long term, DCX will need to give some serious consideration as to whether the Commander will remain part of the Jeep line up. In my opinion, if it does, it needs to be seriously overhauled in order to compete in today's marketplace.
In all, the Commander is a costly mistake for the automaker. During these times of strong and aggressive competition, the Commander is a misstep that cannot be ignored by DaimlerChrysler. Goodness knows the Commander is being ignored by Jeep faithful who are spurning the model altogether.
Copyright 2006 – Matt Keegan is a full time freelance writer covering the best selling cars as well as niche models. To keep your car running well, shop the Catalytic Converters and Oxygen Sensors shop for the best selection of automotive parts.
Overhauling the Ford Crown Victoria
One of the most well known names in autodom is poised to get its first major overhaul in nearly thirty years. Ford's Crown Victoria, introduced in 1979, has had only minor changes since its introduction, but a new plan by Ford to overhaul the crown jewel of its fleet is apparently in the offing. Thanks to government assistance - Australian to be exact - the new Crown Victoria will be a clean break from the current model and will help to spawn additional models for siblings Mercury and Lincoln. Yes, you may not have considered a Crown Victoria up to this point, but the coming new "Crown Vic" may just change your mind about that.
You have to go back all the way to the late 1970s to when "downsizing" was a term used by the auto industry to describe a shell game where large cars were dropped down a notch in size to sit on a platform slightly smaller than the previous model. Indeed, throughout the 1970s Ford's full size offerings the LTD/Galaxie 500 were huge beasts of burden. By the time the then new Galaxie 500 Crown Victoria was released at the end of the decade, Ford was playing catch up to General Motors who had earlier mastered the whole downsizing strategy.
Initially, the Crown Victoria had a broad appeal for drivers wanting a big car with all of the trappings. As time went buy the car grew less and less desirable as consumer tastes changed, but the Crown Victoria's style did not. As a pursuit, government, or fleet vehicle the Crown Victoria has done very well, but Ford has only made modest improvements to the car over the years. Indeed, America's #2 automaker has invested heavily in trucks, vans, SUVS and select cars, but the Crown Victoria quickly began to show its age. Today's model is terribly outdated and it hasn't had a thorough refreshing in more than a decade, so an overhaul is warranted.
Ford's impetus for change is coming from an unlikely source: a foreign government. According to news sources, Ford's Australian operation has received a $1.4 billion grant from Australia to build a production and research facility that will be used to design and build several new models. One of the Australian cars slated to benefit from this move will be the Ford Falcon, a full sized car that will become the basis of the all-new Crown Victoria.
While some have theorized that the new Crown Victoria will be built in Australia and imported to the U.S., this is unlikely to happen. Instead, Ford will expand the Falcon's production to at least one U.S. plant, make some technical refinements, and sell the car as a Crown Victoria. It will be targeted to police departments and fleet buyers primarily with some residual sales for personal buyers. In addition, the Crown Victoria will spawn a new Mercury Gran Marquis while a slightly stretched and much more elegant version of the car will become the replacement for the current Lincoln Town Car.
Yes, the Crown Victoria is well past its useful age. Thanks to some help from down under, the 2010 model should be a refreshing change. At least Ford hopes you will think so.
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Should I buy a 1967 Ford Galaxie 500 Fastback or a 1973 Ford Gran Torino Sport?
The Galaxie has a 302 with 50,000 miles on it but has a better interior and exterior,however, the Gran Torino has a completely rebuilt 351 Cleveland bored over .30 but has a worse exterior and interior...I AM SO CONFUSED!!!!!
You should also consider that such a car may be expensive to insure. Check your insurance rates before buying one, for example here - carquotes.fateback.com
Computers Learn to Listen, and Some Talk Back
Artificial intelligence technology, especially computer recognition of speech, is moving into the mainstream.
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