The Energon Pub

http://editorial.autos.msn.com/landingpagehybrids.aspx?cp-documentid=870805&landing=hybrids&topart=hybrids&icid=765&GT1=22006
If you know me, you'll understand why this is one of the best things I've recently read.
If not it osuld still make sense, I'm just happy.
I won't spoil the surprise too much, but..
Fordmadeahybridthatmightactuallykickthepriusintheexhaust.

Thats because Ford rules!

Wait a minute, isn't the actual execution of the hybrid idea about as counterproductive as putting out a fire in your kitchen by burning the rest of the house down?

Sherade, I don't think I've ever seen you this excited. You've made about four spelling errors.

Which is okay. Because you're excited.

YAAAJ! another treehuggermobile!

*yawn*

sorry i don't feel the exitement..... bolt a V8 in there and I might actualy call it a car.....

*more yawns*

might just be me...

bossbot wrote:YAAAJ! another treehuggermobile!

*yawn*

sorry i don't feel the exitement..... bolt a V8 in there and I might actualy call it a car.....

*more yawns*

might just be me...

Here ya go!!

Scrap the Fusion, bring over the Mondeo with the Diesel:

The Mondeo is on its way, Getter, along with at least two other European models.

And the paradigm shift begins...

Jeep? wrote:Wait a minute, isn't the actual execution of the hybrid idea about as counterproductive as putting out a fire in your kitchen by burning the rest of the house down?

Not really, because we have to start somewhere. It's the logical step between internal combustion and full-blown electric propulsion. The Hybrid Fusion should be able to run up to 40MPH before the gas engine kicks in. That is combustion-free city driving. The battery is re-charged using the brake friction...instead of converting kinetic energy to heat energy, it converts it to electric energy. It's really quite impressive.

PorQPine wrote:The Mondeo is on its way, Getter, along with at least two other European models.

And the paradigm shift begins...

Jeep? wrote:Wait a minute, isn't the actual execution of the hybrid idea about as counterproductive as putting out a fire in your kitchen by burning the rest of the house down?

Not really, because we have to start somewhere. It's the logical step between internal combustion and full-blown electric propulsion. The Hybrid Fusion should be able to run up to 40MPH before the gas engine kicks in. That is combustion-free city driving. The battery is re-charged using the brake friction...instead of converting kinetic energy to heat energy, it converts it to electric energy. It's really quite impressive.

Is it going to actually be the Mondeo or are they just going to rename some random car from their lineup as "The Mondeo"? And if they do end up bringing it over, what are the actual chances that they won't change it up to look completely different?

GetterDragun wrote:Scrap the Fusion, bring over the Mondeo with the Diesel:

Or we could keep the Fusion, paint the Mondeo orange and call it a Torino.
Oh, and why not black out the grill? And develop some newfangled V8 hybrid? Oh! Black rims! Turbo 4-cylinder! Two door and four door!

Actually, that isn't sarcasm...I might need to photoshop this...

I NEED a new Torino, European or not.
NEED.

TheMuffin wrote:

PorQPine wrote:The Mondeo is on its way, Getter, along with at least two other European models.

And the paradigm shift begins...

Jeep? wrote:Wait a minute, isn't the actual execution of the hybrid idea about as counterproductive as putting out a fire in your kitchen by burning the rest of the house down?

Not really, because we have to start somewhere. It's the logical step between internal combustion and full-blown electric propulsion. The Hybrid Fusion should be able to run up to 40MPH before the gas engine kicks in. That is combustion-free city driving. The battery is re-charged using the brake friction...instead of converting kinetic energy to heat energy, it converts it to electric energy. It's really quite impressive.

Is it going to actually be the Mondeo or are they just going to rename some random car from their lineup as "The Mondeo"? And if they do end up bringing it over, what are the actual chances that they won't change it up to look completely different?

That's my point. I hope Ford doesn't say to us that the new Fusion has similar lights to the Mondeo and think they got it done. Ford to me is the US automaker with the best chance to succeed. We know the Fiesta is coming, which was runner up for car of the year in Europe, and supposedly we get the next European focus, which is a phenomenal car. I just hope the Mondeo gets here untouched.

Come to think of it, why doesn't Ford just make Mercury foreign Fords? We could get the Ka, the Falcon, the Mondeo, etc.

Because they might actually make money that way. And we all know automakers hate bringing in money. *looks at two out of three FORD plants closed down in his area*.

TheMuffin wrote:

PorQPine wrote:The Mondeo is on its way, Getter, along with at least two other European models.

And the paradigm shift begins...

Jeep? wrote:Wait a minute, isn't the actual execution of the hybrid idea about as counterproductive as putting out a fire in your kitchen by burning the rest of the house down?

Not really, because we have to start somewhere. It's the logical step between internal combustion and full-blown electric propulsion. The Hybrid Fusion should be able to run up to 40MPH before the gas engine kicks in. That is combustion-free city driving. The battery is re-charged using the brake friction...instead of converting kinetic energy to heat energy, it converts it to electric energy. It's really quite impressive.

Is it going to actually be the Mondeo or are they just going to rename some random car from their lineup as "The Mondeo"? And if they do end up bringing it over, what are the actual chances that they won't change it up to look completely different?

As far as I can see, the actual Mondeo is coming, I've already seen one in my facility, and a few tooling around the R&E complex. I don't see any major changes in the near future, especially since both the Fusion and Taurus are getting all new body-styles next year, and we've already gone over to European styling with the Fusion/Milan/MKX, the MKS, and the Flex. They'll probably release it as-is for now, in order to gauge public reaction, then work from there. That is usually how it is.

GetterDragun wrote:Come to think of it, why doesn't Ford just make Mercury foreign Fords? We could get the Ka, the Falcon, the Mondeo, etc.

Good question, one which I can't answer, being the low-level grease monkey that I am. There was some talk about Ford losing the Mercury set altogether, but that seems to have receded for now.

I do know for sure that they aren't just going to transfer the Mondeo name.

Over here in europe mondeo's are one of the most common cars around, specialy in belgium (where they are made), almost all off them are diesels (doctor diesels evil invention is very common to)

I realy cant see what u guys are making the fuss about, its one of the most boring cars around.
Hell my mother drives one for cybertrons sake... sure its good, but so is its VW counterpart , its renault and citroen counterpart, its opel (GM) counterpart, and pretty much every 4-door the japanese are pumping into the market over here ....
its just , i dunno.... "meuh" nothing wrong with it, just nothing realy for it either...

You Americans have build almost all of the most inpressive, inspiring and downright mad vehicles the world has ever seen.
Most people over here where still driving horse and cart when you build beautifull works of art in the 50's.
The musclecars of the 60's and early 70's became icons.
your still building stuff like the Viper, Mustang, Vette and the most rugged-ass trucks in the world powered by the best type of engine ever concieved.

And you get exited over a euro-ford with a 4 cilinder diesel leafblowerengine in it? its actualy build 20 miles from here, in car hating belgium !

Have some more pride in Detroit guys... you've done great things for the automotive world, dieselclunking mondeo's arent part of it

Sure things have changed with the high gas prices (you should check em out here if you think you have it bad) and everyone wyning about global warming (witch apparantly is causing the coldest winter in europe since decades )

But please, never forget the great stuff you guys are capable of bolting together.

From a Dodge truck driving european.

(witch is as rare as a surfing eskimo )

PorQPine wrote:

Jeep? wrote:Wait a minute, isn't the actual execution of the hybrid idea about as counterproductive as putting out a fire in your kitchen by burning the rest of the house down?

Not really, because we have to start somewhere. It's the logical step between internal combustion and full-blown electric propulsion. The Hybrid Fusion should be able to run up to 40MPH before the gas engine kicks in. That is combustion-free city driving. The battery is re-charged using the brake friction...instead of converting kinetic energy to heat energy, it converts it to electric energy. It's really quite impressive.

Ye, theoretically the actual device works, but the assembling of said device does more damage than it eventually saves.

I don't think it's about not having pride...for me personally, I'm just excited that we'll be offering more diversity, and keep us in line with the changing global market. Sure, it's not the most exciting vehicle, but sometimes pragmatism trumps style or power. Practicality was the reason the Explorer did so well all of those years, the only difference is now, people don't want to give an arm and a leg at the pump, which is a good thing.

I don't even consider it to be a solely pollution-related issue, it's about reducing dependence, not just on foreign petroleum, but petroleum altogether.

There will always be a market for Muscle cars, but will be a niche market at best.

Oh, and I've always known how much Europeans pay for gas.

Jeep? wrote:

PorQPine wrote:

Jeep? wrote:Wait a minute, isn't the actual execution of the hybrid idea about as counterproductive as putting out a fire in your kitchen by burning the rest of the house down?

Not really, because we have to start somewhere. It's the logical step between internal combustion and full-blown electric propulsion. The Hybrid Fusion should be able to run up to 40MPH before the gas engine kicks in. That is combustion-free city driving. The battery is re-charged using the brake friction...instead of converting kinetic energy to heat energy, it converts it to electric energy. It's really quite impressive.

Ye, theoretically the actual device works, but the assembling of said device does more damage than it eventually saves.

You might be right. I'm read several studies on environmental damage, but I consider it to be common when a new technology comes about. Just think at how much damage the very first mass-produced internal combustion engine caused, and we eventually minimized it. Change is painful, and, oftentimes, dirty.

bossbot wrote:Over here in europe mondeo's are one of the most common cars around, specialy in belgium (where they are made), almost all off them are diesels (doctor diesels evil invention is very common to)

I realy cant see what u guys are making the fuss about, its one of the most boring cars around.
Hell my mother drives one for cybertrons sake... sure its good, but so is its VW counterpart , its renault and citroen counterpart, its opel (GM) counterpart, and pretty much every 4-door the japanese are pumping into the market over here ....
its just , i dunno.... "meuh" nothing wrong with it, just nothing realy for it either...

You Americans have build almost all of the most inpressive, inspiring and downright mad vehicles the world has ever seen.
Most people over here where still driving horse and cart when you build beautifull works of art in the 50's.
The musclecars of the 60's and early 70's became icons.
your still building stuff like the Viper, Mustang, Vette and the most rugged-ass trucks in the world powered by the best type of engine ever concieved.

And you get exited over a euro-ford with a 4 cilinder diesel leafblowerengine in it? its actualy build 20 miles from here, in car hating belgium !

Have some more pride in Detroit guys... you've done great things for the automotive world, dieselclunking mondeo's arent part of it

Sure things have changed with the high gas prices (you should check em out here if you think you have it bad) and everyone wyning about global warming (witch apparantly is causing the coldest winter in europe since decades )

But please, never forget the great stuff you guys are capable of bolting together.

From a Dodge truck driving european.

(witch is as rare as a surfing eskimo )

Will you be my new best friend? Pwease?

I dunno, I think that you guys did some good stuff too, as in with our companies.
The Falcon is still over there, and I think it evolved nicely from the original, Chevy still makes a Caprice (I think(?)), and you gave us the beautiful Pontiac GTO from a few years ago and gave us the basic shape for the whoop ass G8.
And Saab, which is owned by Gm, who's cars have gone form completerly fugly to quite nice, while somehow never losing defining elements.
And isn't Volvo form over there somewhere?

Then again, you gave us Lamborghini and Ferrari....I'll only take away one cool point for that.

Sherade wrote:Then again, you gave us Lamborghini and Ferrari....I'll only take away one cool point for that.

You could paint a Ferrari Mustard brown and put a ricer exhaust and stickers all over it and people will still see the beauty in it.

Thank Ferrari for inspiring Ford to create the first GT40.

PorQPine wrote:

Jeep? wrote:

PorQPine wrote:

Jeep? wrote:Wait a minute, isn't the actual execution of the hybrid idea about as counterproductive as putting out a fire in your kitchen by burning the rest of the house down?

Not really, because we have to start somewhere. It's the logical step between internal combustion and full-blown electric propulsion. The Hybrid Fusion should be able to run up to 40MPH before the gas engine kicks in. That is combustion-free city driving. The battery is re-charged using the brake friction...instead of converting kinetic energy to heat energy, it converts it to electric energy. It's really quite impressive.

Ye, theoretically the actual device works, but the assembling of said device does more damage than it eventually saves.

You might be right. I'm read several studies on environmental damage, but I consider it to be common when a new technology comes about. Just think at how much damage the very first mass-produced internal combustion engine caused, and we eventually minimized it. Change is painful, and, oftentimes, dirty.

Jeremy wrote:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S7yKOJXfpDA

Dead Metal wrote:

PorQPine wrote:

Jeep? wrote:

PorQPine wrote:

Jeep? wrote:Wait a minute, isn't the actual execution of the hybrid idea about as counterproductive as putting out a fire in your kitchen by burning the rest of the house down?

Not really, because we have to start somewhere. It's the logical step between internal combustion and full-blown electric propulsion. The Hybrid Fusion should be able to run up to 40MPH before the gas engine kicks in. That is combustion-free city driving. The battery is re-charged using the brake friction...instead of converting kinetic energy to heat energy, it converts it to electric energy. It's really quite impressive.

Ye, theoretically the actual device works, but the assembling of said device does more damage than it eventually saves.

You might be right. I'm read several studies on environmental damage, but I consider it to be common when a new technology comes about. Just think at how much damage the very first mass-produced internal combustion engine caused, and we eventually minimized it. Change is painful, and, oftentimes, dirty.

Jeremy wrote:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S7yKOJXfpDA

Ah, yes, but the point made was that it was not what you drive that matters, it's how you drive it. I've no love for Toyota, believe me. But, in this case, you're damned if you do, damned if you don't.

Sherade wrote:Will you be my new best friend? Pwease?

I dunno, I think that you guys did some good stuff too, as in with our companies.
The Falcon is still over there, and I think it evolved nicely from the original, Chevy still makes a Caprice (I think(?)), and you gave us the beautiful Pontiac GTO from a few years ago and gave us the basic shape for the whoop ass G8.
And Saab, which is owned by Gm, who's cars have gone form completerly fugly to quite nice, while somehow never losing defining elements.
And isn't Volvo form over there somewhere?

Then again, you gave us Lamborghini and Ferrari....I'll only take away one cool point for that.

I think your kinda mixing things up a bit.... do you mean a ford falcon? only place I know their making that to this day is Australia , and europe has never seen one i'm afraid, not that it isnt nice .

And Chevy is only available as a brandname over here, its a badge they glue onto 'daewoo's' witch are cheap small knock-offs of cars made in korea, ore malaysia.... to lazy to look it up .... Something not japanese asian so nobody cares anyway, last year they sold 5 I think
No full size american chevy cars ore trucks i'm afraid unless you gray import like I did the Dodge.

Saab : I can only agree that they are nice.

And like Saab volvo is indeed from Sweden, Sweden is europes refrigerator

GetterDragun wrote:Thank Ferrari for inspiring Ford to create the first GT40.

Touche.

bossbot wrote:I think your kinda mixing things up a bit.... do you mean a ford falcon? only place I know their making that to this day is Australia , and europe has never seen one i'm afraid, not that it isnt nice .

Oh right..I constantly forget...Australia is confusing with cars....

The thing is Hybrids are being treated now as if they are the saviours of the world as Audi first introduced the Hybrid car in the 90's everybody laughed at them.
It's too late to start developing the Hybrid technology when we have something better that just needs one thing to be perfect - fuel-cell technology.
Fast good looking cars that are powerful, economic and environmentally friendly all we need is a safe way of fuelling the car.