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Ford to make compact Lincoln SUV called Aviator<BR>By Michael Ellis<BR>MONTEREY, Calif., Aug 19 (Reuters) - Ford Motor Co. (NYSE:F - news) said on Sunday that it will build an upscale compact sport utility vehicle for its Lincoln luxury brand called the Aviator.<P><BR>

 

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I personally think there is room for Mercury to remain. JMHO of course, but I think there is. Ford has some great cars sold worldwide that don't exactly get sold here, or versions of vehicles that do never get sold here. So here's my thought...<BR>First, redesign the Mercury logo into something a lttle more modern.<P>Mercury Lineup<P>Focus - Like Chrysler did with the Neon, sell the Focus under both brands. Rather than sell the exact same car, sell them with different packaging. Make Mercury Focuses have the European fenders with European sidemarkers and give them the blacked out headlights like those found on the SVT. Sell them in a GLS Sport and RS (or maybe resurrect the XR4 badge) models, the RS (XR3) being much like the European Focus RS and competing with Ford's SVT. Make Sport and RS versions of the Sedan and Wagon.<P>Mondeo - Replace the Sable and the Mystique with Mercury badged sedan versions of the European only Mondeo. Sell a sedan and stationwagon versions, make awd an option and sell GL, Sport and RS (XR6) versions of each.<P>Cougar - Make GL Sport and RS (XR6) versions of this car. Awd should be an option as well.<P>Mountaineer - Move this to the Escape/Tribute platform. Make it a more upscale and sporting version of the Escape. By doing this, Aviator can join Lincoln lineup and there is little crossover. Sell GLS, Sport and XR6 versions of the Mountaineer.<P>Villager - Move to Windstar platform, but give unique Mercury design. Add awd and do GLS Sport and XR6 models.<P>Grand Marquis - don't mess with a good thing. Though keep upcoming Marauder (XR8) in lineup.<P>Create a wing of SVT that focuses on Mercury called XR Engineering. They would handle Merc accessories, special XR model developement and racing endevours. <P>Mercury would be a sporting brand that appeals to those also buying imports. It would be an American equivalent somewhere between BMW and Volkswagen in Europe.<P>Mercury could develope a Mercury badged LMP 675 racecar for the American LeMans series as this is one up and coming series Ford has yet to embrace and it would be a sporting and fresh direction for Mercury.<P>

 

[rainandsun]

as what i know about lincoln deviator, it has this following features, Three hundred horsepower really gets your attention. And given that kind of thrust, even a vehicle weighing better than 5500 pounds is well motivated, as we found out.

Would you believe it took just 7.7 seconds to make the jump to 60 mph? And the quarter mile flashed by in 15.7 at 87.8 mph. That's absolutely smokini for a 21, 2-ton 4x4. Last monthis test of a '99 Navigator with the also-new 260-hp version of the same V-8 ran 0-60 mph in 10.2 seconds, and traversed the quarter mile in 17.4 seconds/78.9 mph. So, it appears that either we had a dog 260-hp vehicle or a "magic" 300-hp one. This is a quiet, civilized, smooth-running piece that never hints at the rock ini roll behind the grille.

got this from all of my friends who specializes the lincoln repair and engine.

 

[superbike81]

Wow! I think this is possibly the oldest post ever bumped by a new member in the history of internet forums! Almost 10 years to the day!