Ford to use Five Hundred platform for four new cars

[FordMan]

Ford to use Five Hundred platform for four new cars



Ford is planning to build "at least" four new vehicles on the Five Hundred platform, a top executive was quoted as saying today. Dave Szczupak, vice president of manufacturing for the Americas, made the comments during a Morgan/Harbour automotive conference in Dearborn, Michigan, according to trade publication Automotive News. Mr. Szczupak said two of the new cars would be for "future unique segments." Szczupak said the strategy will allow Ford to quickly create new models without "undue time and cost."

The Five Hundred platform is believed to be the basis for the production Ford Fairlane van-crossover, and the equivalent model from Lincoln. Meanwhile, the Lincoln MKS is also expected to use the platform. It's not clear what the fourth model might be.

The Lincoln Zephyr, Ford Fusion, Ford Edge, Lincoln MKX and Mazda CX9 all share a separate platform.


http://www.leftlanenews.com/2006/08/...four-new-cars/

[megeebee]

Ford: Five Hundred platform will underpin 4 new N.A. vehicles


Amy Wilson | |

Automotive News | 4:08 pm, August 8, 2006




DETROIT -- Ford Motor Co. intends to introduce at least four new products for North America off the platform underpinning the Ford Five Hundred, a top executive said today.

Dave Szczupak, group vice president of manufacturing for the Americas, talked about the new products during an address to analysts at the JP Morgan/Harbour automotive conference in Dearborn, Mich. He showed a slide that indicated two of the new products would be sedans, and two would be for "future unique segments."

Neither Szczupak nor a company spokeswoman would say anything more about the products or their timing.

But Ford's strategy of spinning multiple "top hat" vehicles off a common architecture gives the automaker "flexibility and market responsiveness without incurring undue time and cost," Szczupak said.

The Ford Fusion and its sibling vehicles are one example of that. The Fusion, introduced in 2005, was derived from the Mazda6 platform. It is shared with the Mercury Milan and Lincoln Zephyr sedans and the coming Ford Edge, Lincoln MKX and Mazda CX9 crossovers.

The Five Hundred sedan, introduced in 2004, was derived from a Volvo platform that also was used to create the Mercury Montego sedan and Ford Freestyle crossover.

It is widely expected that the automaker will use the Five Hundred platform to build two crossovers for Ford and Lincoln around 2008. The Ford version would be based on the Fairlane concept shown at the 2005 Detroit auto show.

Ford internally is calling those vehicles "people movers." The vehicles, code-named D471 and D472, are intended to replace conventional minivans in the automaker's lineup.

The Five Hundred platform also is expected to spawn a new sedan for Lincoln based on the MKS concept shown at the 2006 Detroit auto show. Ford told dealers last week that a production version of the MKS is slated for introduction in early 2008.

Plans for the second sedan are not clear. At one point, the MKS program, code-named D385, was paired with a larger companion sedan for Lincoln. But in recent months, suppliers and analysts have said the larger vehicle, code-named E386, was put on a back burner and may have been canceled.



www.autonews.com

[silverado_13]

A good idea to be sure. It's a good platform and could host many quality vehicles.

[Achelous]

Shame about the MKS being FWD/AWD though. I was kind of hoping for RWD.

[Member17739]

Originally Posted by Achelous

Shame about the MKS being FWD/AWD though. I was kind of hoping for RWD.

RWD is nice but there is a lot of money to be made in the FWD/AWD market also.

[Achelous]

Originally Posted by Member17739

RWD is nice but there is a lot of money to be made in the FWD/AWD market also.

Not from me!!!

[megeebee]

Originally Posted by Member17739

RWD is nice but there is a lot of money to be made in the FWD/AWD market also.

It's true. I really don't think Ford has any illusions about Lincoln. It is intended as competition for Buick, Acura, and Lexus ES. And depending on how its priced, could give the DTS a run for it's market share. Not everyone wants a BMW.

[ponchoman49]

Originally Posted by Achelous

Shame about the MKS being FWD/AWD though. I was kind of hoping for RWD.

Shame about it's name also!

[civilzues]

This is good! I would like to see Ford get some more Sedans and with the Fusion doing as well as it is, maybe the designers will work on that project too! GOOD LUCK FORD!

[ViperDVMan]

I just hope Ford does well with these new cars, especially with Lincoln getting better. Yes, I am rooting for Ford simply because it's an American company also taking it to the Japanese imports.

[gryphon928]

Originally Posted by silverado_13

A good idea to be sure. It's a good platform and could host many quality vehicles.

As long as they can put some nicely designed bodies on that platform

[FoMoCo Fan]

How is it that FWD/AWD is ok for Audi but not Lincoln?

[jbernie]

I hope like crazy that Ford takes the money it saves by using the same platform and invests it in providing unique sheet metal for the various new vehicles.

My biggest problem with Ford is the rebadging they do across the brands. Obviously GM does it as well, but if they can get away from the identical styling i think they can do even better sales wise and we all know Ford needs a good sales boost and at close to msrp.

[1931Chevy]

I can imagine the fourth vehicle is for mercury, right now mercury need some jumpstart kind of what gm did with pontiac, Mark give mercury the cougar and a another car to the lineup maybe a miata for mercury so we can compete against the solstice

[paul3230]

Won't matter...at least 2 of this cars won't be in Showrooms till 09