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Old 07-15-2008, 09:10 AM   #17 (permalink)
nadepalma
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Re: Is Huntsman Dead? Ford Rethinking It's RWD Future

Quote:
Originally Posted by igor View Post
OH c'mon do articles NOT do research anymore!?!?

Kuzack said: - we are rethinking the volume we can expect from the GRWD models
- we are rethingking how we will position the RWD models
- However the work was not even slowed down - it is going full steam ahead


(That besides the point that GRWD is NOT Huntsmen - and both are underway)

Ford might.may/will scale down its projected volume and might/may/will kill some models, but there are three already approved and they will come: Mustang, Falcon, MKR - and as long as Falcon stays RWD - GRWD is underway.

Hutsmen is a minor (relatively speaking) project - it is adjustment of Orion for the D35, and 5.0l V8, and replacement of Aus wiring harnesses and crontrols with new global ones. PERIOND _ DONE _ FINITO _VSIO - there is no more to Huntsmen than that - maybe minor sheetmetal and interior tweaks, but it is all technical, and hardpoints are all remaining.

GRWD is being built in Dearborn much the same as Zeta was in Australia - ground up as a new platform. Originally, 3 lengths were intended: Regular wheelbase for Falcon and MKR, Special Short wheelbase for Mustang, and Long Wheelbase for Lincoln Flagship (either future MKS, or a model above it) and return of Fairlane in AU. There were also rumors that future Taurus would use the LWB GRWD.

The Regular and Short wheelbase are safe and there is no way to kill them without killing Falcon. So the MKR, Mustang anf Flacon will come - and together there is enough volume to justify the expense. The Long wheelbase might be dropped, or some corners cut to reduce development costs - because the large sedan volume is dropping rapidly (see Mercedes S-class).

However Huntsmen is full speed ahead
GRWD is full speed ahead

PERIOD

Igor
Well that's comforting at least. And now I also have a good visual of what Huntsman is in relation to GRWD.

How long will Huntsman be used as an update to Orion? Will GRWD eventually supercede Huntsman Igor? If the project moves forward, can we expect to see GRWD used the world over?

Thanks Igor.
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