On Topic: Is Chrysler/Dodge/Jeep Doomed?

[syP]

you are banned

 

[Dasfinc]

you are banned

Guess I'm not allowed to prove people wrong eh? :gives:

Back on Topic, I wonder how many platforms Chrysler/dodge actually have since half their cars are based on a cobbled together Mercedes platform

 

[syP]

proving me wrong with wikipedia != proving me wrong

 

[Dasfinc]

proving me wrong with wikipedia != proving me wrong

I'll find a better article later about it, but I know the pre 06 S80 shared platforms with the 500 Per a Car and Driver I own.

*edit*

http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m3012/is_9_184/ai_n6215006

The January 2005 Detroit Auto Show mark the unveiling of the companies new midsize car line-up that includes the Ford Fusion Mercury Milan and Lincoln Zephyr.
The highlight of the Year of the Car for Ford will be the introduction of its new flagship sedan, the Ford Five Hundred and Ford's first purpose-built crossover, the Freestyle.
Both vehicles will share the same D3 platform (adapted from the Volvo P2 platform found under the Volvo S8 sedan and XC90 SUV), Ford's 3.0L Duratec 30 V-6 mated to an Aisin planetary 6-speed automatic of ZF CVT transmission and an optional all-wheel-drive system. From the sills up, both vehicles are very different.

And another

http://www.autofieldguide.com/articles/110403.html

With the introduction of the Five Hundred sedan and Freestyle crossover, Ford has achieved what might be the most clever bit of platform manipulation in its history. Using a largely common body structure, the company has designed two vehicles that look completely different and should appeal to distinctly different market segments–the Five Hundred to traditional big sedan customers and the Freestyle to minivan and SUV owners looking for something more carlike–deftly getting around the traditional problem of common-platform vehicles being look-alikes that cannibalize each other's customers.
Ford started with Volvo's P2 platform which underpins vehicles as diverse as the S80 sedan and XC90 SUV, and is one of the three key building blocks in Ford's future product strategy (see "Three's A Company," pg. 48, AD&P, September 2004), and modified it to create the Freestyle.

*Per the three's a company article*

http://www.autofieldguide.com/articles/090401.html#Three's A Company

In the coming years, Ford cars will have a distinctly global flavor. Three basic platforms will comprise the bulk of Ford's automotive lineup through 2008, with Mazda and Volvo providing the building blocks for Ford, Mercury and Lincoln.

• VOLVO S80: At a minimum the vehicles to be built off this platform include the Ford 500, Mercury Montego, two Lincoln sedans, the Ford Freestyle, its Mercury and Lincoln cousins (Aviator) in front- and all-wheel drive versions.
• MAZDA6: Eleven vehicles are to be built from this base, including the Ford Fusion, Lincoln Zephyr, and their Mercury cousin. Also expect to see the Escape, Mariner and small Lincoln SUVs to use this base, as well as the Ford of Europe Mondeo and (possibly) Jaguar X-Type. The next generation Ford Freestar and Mercury Monterey also will use this component set.
• MAZDA3: Ford's North American Focus willjoin this architecture in approximately three years when all Volvo, Ford, Mazda, and Mercury small cars and crossovers adopt this platform. Cost concerns kept Ford from launching the Focus on this platform this year.

Still looking for more.

 

[Angus]

I noticed a commercial recently for the charger advertising a 'free upgrade' like that jeep with the navi commercial, but its a 'free upgrade to the 3.5l V-6'

I had NO idea that the base charger came standard with the 2.7 V-6 until I saw that!!!!!! Is that even enough torque to reach 60mph in a car that big?

they bumped up the TQ a bit and had to lower the hp a bit from my engine's stats to do so. I think it's making around 200ft/lbs with 190hp in those lx platforms...

You just gotta ge tup in the rpm range to get it moving at a decent pace...

 

[Poopshinanigans]

I'm all for better gas mileage in a bigger car (European 7-series and S-classes have 6 cylinders in them), but the 2.7 in the 300 still doesn't get great mileage. its rated at 18/26mpg and the hemi is 15/23mpg. I've driven the 300C to and from florida and recieved 25 mpg with the A/C on. Maybe it got a boost because we went to the national corvette museum to see its american car heritage?

 

[Bob Kazamakis]

a 2.7 is the base engine??? hahahaha

the 3.5L is barely enough to get the LX platform moving!

 

[syP]

its sickening.

 

[Bob Kazamakis]

your sickening!

 

[syP]

 

[Bru]

s80 = taurus??


lmao



twin turbo taurus?

Das is right. That's where the platform for the Taurus, Taurus X, Sable and upcoming Lincoln MKS come from. And the turbo Taurus is already in the works -- there's an engineering video from Ford where it drag races a 5 Series and DTS Caddy on the proving grounds. The Turbo is for fuel economy and not necessarily power. Less displacement and turbo = better mileage with the same power.

As for the Taurus, the car is a nice ride and the engine/trans are top notch. But it's a boring piece of crap, for sure. All four of the aforementioned cars are built here in Chicago.

 

[Dasfinc]

Das is right. That's where the platform for the Taurus, Taurus X, Sable and upcoming Lincoln MKS come from. And the turbo Taurus is already in the works -- there's an engineering video from Ford where it drag races a 5 Series and DTS Caddy on the proving grounds. The Turbo is for fuel economy and not necessarily power. Less displacement and turbo = better mileage with the same power.

As for the Taurus, the car is a nice ride and the engine/trans are top notch. But it's a boring piece of crap, for sure. All four of the aforementioned cars are built here in Chicago.

If they atleast offered the 4.4 Yamaha V-8 in the new taurus it'd be nice instead of only the 3.5 V-6 engine option.

 

[Bru]

If they atleast offered the 4.4 Yamaha V-8 in the new taurus it'd be nice instead of only the 3.5 V-6 engine option.

The 3.5 is actually an entirely capable engine. I found no problems with it, other than being in a huge car. The six-speed auto was very smooth and always picked the right gear for the situation. There wasn't any hunting or dramatic skipping like some six-speed autos.

Edit: It's not for enthusiasts, though. But it's a nice engine.

 

[Dasfinc]

The 3.5 is actually an entirely capable engine. I found no problems with it, other than being in a huge car. The six-speed auto was very smooth and always picked the right gear for the situation. There wasn't any hunting or dramatic skipping like some six-speed autos.

Edit: It's not for enthusiasts, though. But it's a nice engine.

I agree, and its worlds better than the gutless 3.0 the 500 had, but I'm a big believer in bringing back the SHO taurus, which would have more standard options ala leather premium audio etc, and have a larger motor to compete with the bigger names *BMW/MERC* but at a lower price-point like the old SHO did.