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Ford Engineers Big Comeback with 2008 Lineup
Pop culture is full of examples of companies, athletes and celebs who have hit rock bottom only to bounce back bigger and better than ever. The biggest comeback king around is, of course, real estate mogul Donald Trump. In the boxing ring, George Foreman also had a crowning comeback when he stunned the sports world by regaining the heavyweight title at age 45. Oh, and let’s not forget former Miss America Vanessa Williams who survived a salacious scandal only to rebound as a successful actress and entertainer.
At the time of their pubic downfalls these folks were considered kaput. Finished. Over. But by being unafraid to take chances and by making bold changes, they all made their way to the top again.
 And the Ford Motor Company is obviously taking note. Because if you’ve seen the struggling Detroit carmaker’s newest lineup as I just did, then you’d know that we could be witnessing one of the biggest rebounds in recent automotive history. At a time when many have written off American cars, Ford is busy trying to reinvent the wheel.
To see this firsthand, I recently flew out to the company’s Dearborn vehicle testing facilities to get an up close look at the 2008 Ford, Lincoln and Mercury offerings.
As Ford’s North American boss Mark Fields proudly told us during the presentation, “this is Ford’s strongest lineup of vehicles yet.”
Well that remains to be seen.
 The ‘08 roster doesn’t necessarily deliver an all new lineup; some vehicles have only undergone mini makeovers and name changes. But to push what it calls its “Way Forward” plan, Ford is also relying on the addition of crossover vehicles to help boost profits and strengthen its auto arsenal. Through May, Ford’s crossover sales have grown 37 percent. That’s a huge financial incentive for Ford to unleash the 2008 Taurus X, a re-badged version of the Freestyle crossover. This seven-passenger CUV boasts toasty second-row heated seats, standard 17-inch wheels, and a powerful V6 engine.
Other crossovers include the newly designed Mercury Mariner, a small SUV that’s also available in a hybrid. But if you’re shopping for something bigger, look no further than the updated Ford Edge which also comes as a hybrid and features an “edgier” two-tone color scheme. The one I hopped in sported red and black seats, my two favorite colors. The new Lincoln MKX adds Ford Sync as a standard feature. New technology is also part of the master plan for Ford’s triumphant comeback. And Sync just might do the trick. It’s a first-of-its kind in-car communications and entertainment platform developed with Microsoft for cell phones and media players. It will be available in the fall in a dozen Ford, Lincoln, and Mercury vehicles.
 Sometimes it’s a nip and tuck here and there or a major overhaul that’s needed when you’re trying to make a serious comeback. Well that’s what Ford is banking on by adding three new passenger cars to its showrooms.
Right out the gate is the Taurus sedan, a renamed and updated version of the slow selling Five Hundred model. This new addition reveals a bolder exterior with a three-bar, Fusion-inspired grille. Then there’s the 2008 Mercury Sable which gets outfitted with a new 263-horsepower, 3.5-liter V6 engine. There was a ton of brand equity in the Taurus and Sable names, even though they were retired years ago. This was a smart move by Ford. And spanking new for ’08, is a first-ever Focus coupe, as well as a four-door sedan.
Not to be outdone, Ford trucks get super-sized for ‘08. The F-Series Super Duty and F-150 boast a host of new improvements.
Other vehicles that get tweaked in the fleet include the 2008 Ford Fusion, which adds available keyless entry and voice-activated navigation to name a few must-have features.
The Mercury Milan gets outfitted with four new packages and five new exterior colors.
 And my favorite, the growling 2008 Ford Mustang adds sexy cool ambient lights and 18-inch wheels on the V6 coupe. Also a nice fem feature that many of my girlfriends will love is the new “Warriors in Pink Package” which includes pink striping, interior stitching and floor mats. The best part about it is that all the money from this model goes to Susan G. Komen fund to help find a cure for breast cancer.
Americans love a great comeback story. So I wouldn’t close the book on Ford just yet. They still may have a rough ride ahead, but Ford’s 2008 lineup shows us that the company is poised and ready to rebound bigger and better than ever.
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