The Motor Forum

PG · Posted: Mon Oct 19, 2009 2:03 pm Post subject: Ford marketeers need shooting

I could not believe that a Ford spokesperson said of the new Fiesta Titanium special edition “We’ve gone for a funky interior,” said a source. “The special edition is the most premium Fiesta around but we’re still pitching it a younger audience.”

Funky? Funky? It's the noughties my friend, not 1976.

http://www.autocar.co.uk/News/NewsArticle/AllCars/244189/

"him" · Posted: Mon Oct 19, 2009 2:07 pm Post subject:

mmmm...

Lovely!

But then I am outside their target demographic!
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Humphrey The Pug · Posted: Mon Oct 19, 2009 2:08 pm Post subject:

Radical dude!!
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woof woof · Posted: Mon Oct 19, 2009 2:10 pm Post subject:

Maybe you could drive while movin and groovin with some energy to Funky Town.
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woof woof's defence lawyer claimed that "Booze played no part in his typo's."

Confucius says "all reckless speeding is caused by accidents."

PG · Posted: Mon Oct 19, 2009 2:23 pm Post subject:

I look at that funky interior (......sorry, I just puked.....) and the interior of the new VW Polo suddenly seems so appealing. Dull, worthy, solid, lots of black. Excellent.

Now, a VW Polo with red leather seats would be really racy

TimR · Posted: Mon Oct 19, 2009 2:28 pm Post subject:

gonnabuildabuggy · Posted: Mon Oct 19, 2009 2:30 pm Post subject:

Given the age of most Fiesta drivers I see then "younger" will be about 55yrs old. Radical for them I'm sure.
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Aint no substitute for cubic inches.

Gurney · Posted: Mon Oct 19, 2009 3:06 pm Post subject:

Dreadful interior, if you are going to style your interior like a mobile phone at least do it with a classy one in mind (Porsche & Vertu) rather than Sagem.

Spoils a good car.
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Roadrunner · Posted: Mon Oct 19, 2009 4:18 pm Post subject:

Ford seem to have dropped the ball when it comes to interiors. The awful Mondeo cabin is almost a deal breaker for me.
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woof woof · Posted: Mon Oct 19, 2009 4:25 pm Post subject:

Being curious I looked...

Jesus.
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woof woof's defence lawyer claimed that "Booze played no part in his typo's."

Confucius says "all reckless speeding is caused by accidents."

"him" · Posted: Mon Oct 19, 2009 4:31 pm Post subject:

This is more like it...

Not sure how well it would sell these days though?
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Remember - A gym without chalk is a heath spa...

Blarno · Posted: Mon Oct 19, 2009 4:34 pm Post subject:

If it wasn't brown, that would be great. Simple and effective.
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gonnabuildabuggy · Posted: Mon Oct 19, 2009 4:39 pm Post subject:

in theory right now it would sell pretty well - MK2 Sports go for around £3-£4K so that means about 100% retained value over 30 yrs.

Of cours a Ghia interior is far classier

this a MK2 Ghia like the one I had when I was 18 - happy days.

and the outside whilst we are at it. I sold mine for about £1300 I think so perhaps I should have kept it to double my money (this ones up at £2,500).

and the joy that is a 1600cc Kent with twin choke weber.

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Aint no substitute for cubic inches.

Blarno · Posted: Mon Oct 19, 2009 4:46 pm Post subject:

There was an absolutely mint bronze Mk1 1300E at the MOT centre today. I wish I'd got some pictures, but I was too busy trying to get Jo's Vectra to pass it's emissions test.
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Arms held out, in the Jesus Christ Pose.

gonnabuildabuggy · Posted: Mon Oct 19, 2009 4:49 pm Post subject:

Nice cars - MK1 1300E's were rare even when I was younger, most had rotted away nicely.

Hope the emissions was passed - usually an Italian tune up does the trick!
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Aint no substitute for cubic inches.

PG · Posted: Mon Oct 19, 2009 4:52 pm Post subject:

The MkII Cortina 1600E was the pinnacle of Ford interior design. If you don't like wood in your cars, look away now.......

Blarno · Posted: Mon Oct 19, 2009 4:52 pm Post subject:

Nope, failed for the 3rd time. CO is way too high at fast idle. It's had super unleaded, methanol and injector cleaner through it, a damn good redlining and even a new coolant temp sensor (which is apparently part of the injection circuit on Vauxhalls).

Pass is 0.2 and it's running at 0.51.

Me? Stumped.
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Arms held out, in the Jesus Christ Pose.

Bob Sacramento · Posted: Mon Oct 19, 2009 6:05 pm Post subject:

The marketeers are spot on, we're just off the pace.

"Funky" has gone all round the block and is hip again in a post-industrial ironic way..
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Keep Calm & Carry On.

simonp · Posted: Mon Oct 19, 2009 6:12 pm Post subject:

TimR · Posted: Mon Oct 19, 2009 6:35 pm Post subject:

simonp · Posted: Mon Oct 19, 2009 9:12 pm Post subject:

Maybe it is metal, but it looks like plastic, thus defeating the object of having the metal in the first place. Looks like an 80s Amstrad stack system!

And what are the 2 triangular bits either side of the (shit looking) stereo for?

Matt · Posted: Mon Oct 19, 2009 9:54 pm Post subject:

Depending on RHD or LHD, the one nearer the driver houses the Start button on ritzier models.
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Small car, big heart.

"him" · Posted: Mon Oct 19, 2009 10:14 pm Post subject:

Martin · Posted: Tue Oct 20, 2009 1:57 am Post subject:

Pkh72 · Posted: Tue Oct 20, 2009 8:17 am Post subject:

I can't stand people calling something funky.
It's the same as somebody calling themselves wacky or zaney. No you're not wacky or zaney, you're a cunt and nobody likes you.

Blarno · Posted: Tue Oct 20, 2009 8:21 am Post subject:

It's not funky unless it has a big Afro, tight kecks and a chest wig.

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Arms held out, in the Jesus Christ Pose.

PG · Posted: Tue Oct 20, 2009 3:52 pm Post subject:

TimR · Posted: Tue Oct 20, 2009 3:56 pm Post subject:

The centre console facing on Alfa Breras is made from real metal too but although it does look like metal it's somehow bland.
Maybe I've grown so used to fake elephant skin print moulded plastic dashboards that a piece of flat real metal doesn't move me

cbeaks1 · Posted: Tue Oct 20, 2009 3:57 pm Post subject:

I prefer the ambience provided by real elephant skin.

Martin · Posted: Tue Oct 20, 2009 4:34 pm Post subject:

DarthBalls · Posted: Tue Oct 20, 2009 7:03 pm Post subject:

That is what 'funky' looks like.

Remember, you can't fake the funk or your nose gotsta grow.
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gonnabuildabuggy · Posted: Tue Oct 20, 2009 8:06 pm Post subject:

Humphrey The Pug · Posted: Tue Oct 20, 2009 8:34 pm Post subject:

I have driven many modern Ford's on Renault launches and yes they indeed drive very well but the interiors are truly shocking to look at and the build quality is distinctly average at best.

The new Fiesta is getting there in quality terms but having a go in an Enterprise one a few weeks back there were many downsides to the overly styled and fussy dash design:

Why do you need a seperate button for each of AUX, CD, Radio, Phone and Menu when one button can scroll through the lot?

The indicator on the central heater rotary knob, the one that indicates where the air is being directed, is barely visible to the driver it's so small.

The elecric window switches on the drivers door card are so set so far back that you need to have a double jointed wrist to operate them comfortably.

Progress I guess.
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Mummy, Daddy, Sissy, Sassy Baby.

gonnabuildabuggy · Posted: Tue Oct 20, 2009 8:46 pm Post subject:

Interesting point re progress - there aren;t many dashboards that beat my E36 in usability terms IMHO.

No steering wheel remotes needed, the radio buttons are as close to hand as the wheel thanks to the "cockpit" design style.

Re the sep buttons for CD/Aux/Etc, my pref is seperate as scrolling usually pulls your eyes of the road but the rest seems to be going backwards.

Mind you, who remembers when Ford stereos required matchsticks for fingers?
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Aint no substitute for cubic inches.

Humphrey The Pug · Posted: Tue Oct 20, 2009 8:57 pm Post subject:

My E30 had a fantastic dash, simple, angled slightly towards the driver, brilliant.

The main advance to me on dashboard design or interior dash usability are the remote controls on a seperate stalk behind the steering wheel, all operated by a couple of fingers that are already in that area.
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Mummy, Daddy, Sissy, Sassy Baby.

Matt · Posted: Tue Oct 20, 2009 9:18 pm Post subject:

The E36 interior with E46-level quality would be an absolute peach.
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Small car, big heart.

gonnabuildabuggy · Posted: Tue Oct 20, 2009 9:53 pm Post subject:

Roadrunner · Posted: Tue Oct 20, 2009 10:15 pm Post subject:

Martin · Posted: Wed Oct 21, 2009 1:05 am Post subject:

gonnabuildabuggy · Posted: Wed Oct 21, 2009 1:21 am Post subject:

For some reason the 1 (smaller so more "wrapped around" the driver?) and 5 (quality post facelift) seem better than E90 3 by a long way.
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Aint no substitute for cubic inches.

Martin · Posted: Wed Oct 21, 2009 1:29 am Post subject:

Blarno · Posted: Wed Oct 21, 2009 8:37 am Post subject:

Wood is a building material, it has no place in a car as decoration.
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Arms held out, in the Jesus Christ Pose.

Humphrey The Pug · Posted: Wed Oct 21, 2009 9:56 am Post subject:

Martin · Posted: Wed Oct 21, 2009 1:54 pm Post subject:

I would have agreed with you Blarno, but I didn't like the std aluminium option in mine, the bamboo looks great in comparison. I like piano black, but the black option on the 5 is painted plastic unless you spend a fortune on the Individual option.

I still hate light wood and shiny wood in cars though.
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TimR · Posted: Wed Oct 21, 2009 1:59 pm Post subject:

Martin · Posted: Wed Oct 21, 2009 2:20 pm Post subject:

The buttons aren't next to the steering wheel.....!!
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TimR · Posted: Wed Oct 21, 2009 2:48 pm Post subject:

I assumed they were on the spokes.....

.....or that in your Queef moments you flap your hands round like a non-swimmer in the deep end

Martin · Posted: Wed Oct 21, 2009 3:49 pm Post subject:

That's entirely possible, it must be down to all the power.......!!
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Dr. Hfuhruhurr · Posted: Thu Oct 22, 2009 8:08 am Post subject:

Grampa · Posted: Thu Oct 22, 2009 3:19 pm Post subject: