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Oh, so y'all agree somewhat, interesting...
The problemo ,Hightower, with condeo is that the CON (as in con artist, convict, condemn) is still present 
1992 Ford Escort LX-E
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-GT Grille
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It was too small compared to other mid sized cars, and Escorts grew to be the same size, but cheaper.
Anyway, it is all a moot point. With the new Fusion coming, and an SVT version is planned, the Contour is very outdated. It might as well be a Tempo or Maverick.
2005 Nissan Sentra 1.8 SE, Code Red. '00 Tropic Green Ford Escort SE [Contour's little cousin]
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Originally posted by CodeRed18s:
It was too small compared to other mid sized cars, and Escorts grew to be the same size, but cheaper.
Anyway, it is all a moot point. With the new Fusion coming, and an SVT version is planned, the Contour is very outdated. It might as well be a Tempo or Maverick.
well the fusion has been directly quoted from ford to replace the hole left by the contour [and also to the nearing end of the taurus].
I think it had more to do with the introduction of the "new edge" styling. Every car that hasn't adapted to the hard body lines has been slowly axed. I think ford found it easier to release brand new platforms rather than try to reinvent an older cars image [in the publics eye].
[drunk post... dont quote me out of context]
yes... I am a cougar owner trolling on your board.
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Originally posted by bensenvill:
Originally posted by CodeRed18s:
It was too small compared to other mid sized cars, and Escorts grew to be the same size, but cheaper.
Anyway, it is all a moot point. With the new Fusion coming, and an SVT version is planned, the Contour is very outdated. It might as well be a Tempo or Maverick.
well the fusion has been directly quoted from ford to replace the hole left by the contour [and also to the nearing end of the taurus].
I think it had more to do with the introduction of the "new edge" styling. Every car that hasn't adapted to the hard body lines has been slowly axed. I think ford found it easier to release brand new platforms rather than try to reinvent an older cars image [in the publics eye].
[drunk post... dont quote me out of context]
It's really too bad that all the Fusion and whatever the Mercury will be named are only getting the 3.0L. I mean sure, it is a decent powerplant, but it is also a VERY old powerplant by current standards. Not to mention that it's power ratings are considered too weak to compete in the current market. I mean look at that big-a$$ whale of a car the 500. It has the 3.oL but somehow, it remains a terribly boring vehicle to carouse in. *RANT*And what possessed Ford to make a car that can be FWD and AWD, and not make a RWD option for it? I mean if they put the 5.4L in the 500/Montego, it would ALMOST compete with the 300. I give the current 500 about 2 years and then Ford puts it out of its misery....
Just like the Edsel.*Rant Over*
Ford needs to put that new Yamaha V8 that's being developed for Volvo in it's lineup, and I think the Fusion is a nice place to start. Screw the 4 cyl! make the base a six and top an eight, just like the good old days...which I neither remember nor am I old enough to have experienced...
Shoot that was along post huh? 
J.T.
2002 Chevrolet Silverado 294ci V8. Custom CAI, headers on the way...
1997 Mercury Mystique Zetec ATX
Deceased February 2006
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Originally posted by 96RedSE5Sp:
The lack of advertising didn't help. The best explanation as to why the Contour was a dud and the Focus was an overwhelming market success is that Ford barely marketed the Contour and when they did it was of the "Stop at your local Ford store and get a thousand dollar rebate on a new car" variety. Hardly inspiring.
I am sure that I read somewhere that Ford US decided that the Contour would be a flop as "It's not designed here". Funny thing is, I've read on the internet (so take it with a grain of salt) that Ford think the Escort was a major failure too .... funny that I thought it was quite succesful ... maybe the same 'clouded' thinking occurred during that meeting too.
The way that I see it is that Ford appear to rely way too much on brand loyalty, as opposed to quality or marketing to their prospective buyers. The Fusion will probably be a nice car, but unless it is a quality product, and is actually marketed to it's target audiences it will probably go the way of the Contour.
A great way to look at this is to compare it to the Mazda6 ... seeing as they are basically the same car ... look at the advertising that the 6 has, read about it and see what people say, look at where it is promoted as well as how ... then look at the Fusion a year after release. I would bet that it will have practically no marketing other than the general 'Ford Family' marketing programme. The Five Hundred has been out for a year now, and I don't hardly see it promoted anymore.
On the good side though, at least Ford paid attention to the target market for the Fusion by considering a manual tranny with the V6 ...
1998.5 T-Red on Midnight Blue SVT
Build Number 5320 of 6535
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Pronounce it like X.... the conTOOR 
2006 Pontiac G6 3900SFI GTP Coupe
CAI, Stainless Cat Back, Vector Tune, Strut Brace, Eibach Pro Kit, Custom Made Projector Headlights, 4300K, 20% Tint
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i think "contour' as a name for a car just plain sounds gay.  the slightest things can turn people off from a car. not to mention that in stock form, at stock height, the regular contour is nothing to get all that excited about. it looks like a jelly bean. people looking for cheap reliable cars would get civics/corollas and people looking for family mobiles would get camrys/accords/taurus. this car just didnt fit in right. the fusion has a decent name, just like the focus. "escort" was pretty tired and a bit lame as well. if they can market the fusion as a sport sedan that is much more fun to drive than the competition (and actually be) than they might have better success with that. and lets face it, looks are what sells practically half the cars out there. 
Originally posted by Tourgasm:
Sometimes you can mess up a word so bad that spell check doens't know what the hell you're talking about.
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Originally posted by svt4stv:
if they can market the fusion as a sport sedan that is much more fun to drive than the competition (and actually be) than they might have better success with that. and lets face it, looks are what sells practically half the cars out there.
It has started
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-GT Grille
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I think Contour is a sweet name, but Mystique is kinda wierd, and I heard people say "Mercury Mistake"... 
They should've kept the Contour/Mystique alive instead of selling the lame looking cheap Focus. I would take the Contour anyday over a Focus. Even the Contour GL looks better than the base model Focus.
This is what the Contour would've looked like if it was still here???
Last edited by IanD; 07/16/05 11:45 AM.
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Unfortunately for Ford the CON is the leading edge of this car. Jack Naser was Fords greatest [censored] and this was his baby. Thus the thing finally croked in the largest market in the world. Kind of like Pinto. It sells in Europe because Ford has nothing to replace it with...yet. It is just not a winner..never was. Kind of Fords Rosemary's Baby.
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