The Taurus is Leaving us but it, and other models, may live on elsewhere...

China, with their craving for luxury and boasting of who has the biggest back seat, has a new Taurus. 

Just as we are having all of our Ford cars taken away, China is producing this unit along with a few other models, that we are never likely to see.

There is another unit, internally referred to as the 'Escort', that Ford China has either named the 'Forus', 'Fortune', 'Forex', or 'Fu Ruisi', (they have literally named it 4 different things on different pages of their website). 

They are also producing something called the 'Collar' or Territory, which looks an awful lot like the Range Rover Evoque, (which was built on the Focus / Escape platform). That turned out not to be the case, as we later found that it is, in fact, based on an existing model produced by Ford's Chinese partner, Jiangling, called the Yusheng S330.

They also have the RoadWalker (Australia also gets these as the 'Everest')and here is where it gets weird: It obviously has the front end of the new Ranger but it is an SUV, likely with a full ladder frame underneath. SURELY there is no way that we would get any of these, as it was the last ladder frame SUV that, (with a little help from Firestone), caused the huge roll-over controversy in 2000 and a major switch from american automakers to unitized bodied SUVs. I mean they wouldn't even think of trying that formula again, right!?!?

Oh, wait! The new Bronco coming out was said to be based on the Ranger and would have 2 & 4 door options. So this is basically a more aerodynamic version of the soon coming 4-door Bronco...

I know that it will probably sell fine but I also feel like we are going backwards a little. It seems like we always do this to some extent before we can move forward. The Mustang for instance, in its latest iteration, is a long way from its very retro, 2005 predecessor.

It is still a small world and even though Ford will not be offering me the exact vehicle that I want because I live in the U.S., it's nice to know that somewhere in the world, they are offering it to someone who can then sell me that vehicle or the parts to build it.

We're back. Here's why...

For a couple of years now, Ford had delighted us by bringing almost all of their overseas goodies to our shores. After much complaining and begging, we finally received the RS Focus. Even better, (thanks to what I assume was a lot of hard negotiations from Ken Block), it had AWD! We got a boat load of turbo'ed engines, which had been so popular in every other part of the world but here! We even received what would become the Mondeo in G.B., before G.B. got it. This was all too fantastic! Well, we have been slapped awake by the hand of status quo. All the cool stuff you were enjoying???Yah, um, we decided against cool stuff and enjoyment... But hey, more boring shit is on the way.

Here is some of the cool stuff you WON'T BE GETTING in the states!

These are the models Europe will no longer be getting:

Technically, there are a few models like the Taurus, (also getting nixed here in the states), the F-150 / F-250 / F-350 that the rest of the world has not had the joy of driving. and Europe never saw the  Explorer or Flex either, when other manufacturers were sending units like the Chrysler 300 Estate (the result of a Dodge Magnum rear-ending a Chrysler 300 at high velocity), overseas.

That being said, we finally get the Ranger from Australia and Europe will get the regular and Raptorized versions of that unit.

China will get all of these (except the Flex) plus a new Taurus, and... Well, there is a lot going on for Ford in China right now, so I will address all of those different China Domestic Market only units in another issue.


Anyway, it is just sad to see some very exciting units no longer on show room floors. Ford is just giving the people what they want and they understand that the sheep just want plain old hay.