Alow the self proclaimed know-it-all to respond before you get carried away. I'll agree that we've been neglecting handeling, and everything you said was true. However, you left out a few very important facts. Pontiac's have us beat in handeling, but it's not because of what you said....it's because of the word "Grand". They found the secret in 3500B.C., way before Henry Ford figured it out. That word makes your car handle so much better. Notice both words have the letter "D" in it? It's simple things like that.
Now onto something more important, on the Contour...the best way to get better handeling, is to have a badge made up, or a sticker (extra horsepower too!) and make the car the "Grand Contour" ...see, they both have "R"'s!!! Keep this on the D/L though!