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EcoBoost Goes Drag: Ford Flex, Lincoln MKS Hit The Strip
2010 Ford Flex EcoBoost: It's Got The Power

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that ain't the way to have fun, son
05/21/09

In reply to EcoBoost Goes Drag: Ford Flex, Lincoln MKS Hit The Strip
Looks like the maximum number of eyebrows to be raised is 4.

Slow day at the track....
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Ben Wojdyla
05/21/09

@I wish for a D/FW LeMons: Nah, there were well over 300 cars tech'd, more cars milling around.
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Novaload
05/21/09

In reply to EcoBoost Goes Drag: Ford Flex, Lincoln MKS Hit The Strip
Good time for a Lincoln--and made me think of Hunter Thompson --the Caddy that wouldn't get off the line quite as fast as the Chevy but once it got up to speed was more amazing, "all that elegant, upholstered weight lashing around the desert" (iirc).

When you stomp on the luxobarge and even luxobargettes, they launch but yes, in an elegant way. Kudos to Ford for putting their cars where their mouth is. Are. So to speak.
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Mike Delozier
05/21/09

In reply to EcoBoost Goes Drag: Ford Flex, Lincoln MKS Hit The Strip
I don't buy it.. the vette was barely hitting it hard.. i don't think the person who drove the vette knows how to drive (drag) or they took it easy to make the Ford look like it was some vette eater.

Plus if Ford doesnt want you behind the wheel, you know they are hiding something or had something rigged.
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Ben Wojdyla
05/21/09

@Mike Delozier: don't be so jaded. Aside from the journo's and the Ford folks, everyone else was there seperately, hundreds of cars. The Flex and the Vette just happened to line up, and I tend to agree the guy driving the Vette didn't know what he was doing.

And Ford didn't let us drive because the vehicle hasn't been launched to the media yet. We could beg to drive a Raptor all day and even though it's a pretty epic piece of machinery, it would have been the same outcome.
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brandegee
05/21/09

In reply to EcoBoost Goes Drag: Ford Flex, Lincoln MKS Hit The Strip
Great. More cars for fat people to go fast in. Hey Ford, how about something in the compact segment that doesn't look and go like an ice-fishing shack on wheels?
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King_Dave
05/21/09

In reply to EcoBoost Goes Drag: Ford Flex, Lincoln MKS Hit The Strip
The Flex doesnt look it, but its actually extremely aerodynamic.
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tenbeers
05/21/09

@King_Dave: maybe not "extremely", but it has a pretty low, sedan-like coefficient of drag.

still has the frontal area of a city bus though.
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DoctorNine
05/21/09

In reply to EcoBoost Goes Drag: Ford Flex, Lincoln MKS Hit The Strip
I've been telling people for a long time that the AWD Flex is the perfect choice for folks that need a family car, and don't want to be forced into an SUV to get the seating. It's nice to see them prove the EcoBoost has the cojones to walk the walk. Imagine what a little creative engineering could do with that set-up. I would probably have one now if the EcoBoost came with AWD and a six-speed manual. You listening, Ford?

Oh, and give the dang thing a REAL name. Please.
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Ben Wojdyla
05/21/09

@DoctorNine: EcoBoost comes standard with AWD, I still like to call the engine it's originally name, "TwinForce," and while I pine for a row-your-own as well, good luck convincing them to build one for a negative ROI.
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Ben Wojdyla
05/21/09

@Ben Wojdyla: "its," damn you no preview!
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Mad_Science
05/21/09

@Ben Wojdyla: As much as I'd love the idea of a 6MT, a Flex would probably do just fine with Ford's latest flappy-paddle slushbox.

Dunno if Ford PR would freak out over it, but a comparo-review of an ecoboost AWD Flex Vs a classic top-o-the-line Country Squire* would be pretty interesting. Both are very much signs of the time.

*I'd volunteer my Country Sedan if you guys come to town.
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DoctorNine
05/21/09

@Mad_Science: Performance isn't the issue. I can't force myself to sit in a fast car and only turn the wheel, and move my right foot. A third petal is a physiological requirement, in order to keep my brain actively engaged in the process of driving. Otherwise, the speed potential is just pointless. Speed with an automatic, for me, is like a hamburger, with no burger. I'm like, "Where's the beef?".
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Graverobber
05/21/09

In reply to EcoBoost Goes Drag: Ford Flex, Lincoln MKS Hit The Strip
I've been noticing the difference in PR and Marketing between the Big Three. GM and Chrysler only seem to be out there either to bring the bad news, or to try and counter the bad news with some kind of humble pie, we'll be back message.

At the same time, Ford is out drag racing Lincolns, giving out Fiestas to bloggers, and running Fusions 'til the tank's dry. All in front of the public eye. They aren't trying to establish some faux sense of business stability, they're keeping the public interested and excited about their PRODUCT. When people crawl out of their economic bomb shelters, and start buying cars again, which brand will pop first to mind on their shopping list?
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Mad_Science
05/21/09

@Graverobber: Well said.

Probably not zany enough for COTD, but certainly worthy.
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BTLFED
05/21/09

In reply to EcoBoost Goes Drag: Ford Flex, Lincoln MKS Hit The Strip
You know, I actually looked at the Ford Flex for a short time. There is something oddly appealing to me about that giant rolling toaster oven.

Then I saw it was wrong wheel drive and walked away. For what I would want it for, FWD isn't gonna do it.
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Das ASHloch (achtundsiebzig)
05/21/09

@Flathead Smith: Yeah, it's about as aero as you could possibly make that basic shape. They did a good job, but it's an uphill battle when you start with two rectangular solids and a flat grille.

I like the Flex on paper, but I'm still holding out for an S-Max, the greatest people-mover ever, according to Clarkson. It's a nice combo of my desire to buy American and the remnants of my Euro-snobbery, all at the same time. Hopefully it'll be here within a few years, maybe sooner with current legislation.
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Das ASHloch (achtundsiebzig)
05/21/09

In reply to EcoBoost Goes Drag: Ford Flex, Lincoln MKS Hit The Strip
No Jill Wagner standing between them to wave the flag? She'd be like the Christmas tree, but with better presence. Something something, unwrap it..blah blah, racing for pinks, dirty innuendo, 14 seconds and DONE.
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DegoWrench
05/21/09

In reply to EcoBoost Goes Drag: Ford Flex, Lincoln MKS Hit The Strip
awesome stuff Ben!

what friday did ya'll go?
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Ben Wojdyla
05/21/09

@DegoWrench: Friday? This was yesterday evening.
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RLJ676-LS3 Commuter Car - for the environment
05/21/09

In reply to EcoBoost Goes Drag: Ford Flex, Lincoln MKS Hit The Strip
I wish they'd make an "eco" boost V8....v10 performance with V8 economy.
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Deartháir II
05/21/09

@RLJ676-LS3 Commuter Car - for the environment: I'd personally bet money that it's just a matter of time. C'mon, they do every other conceivable special edition Mustang and F150, how long before there's an EcoBoosted version?
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Mad_Science
05/21/09

@RLJ676-LS3 Commuter Car - for the environment: The 5.0L "Coyote" V8 under development is designed to be boost-friendly.

TT 5.0L GT350, please.
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A strolling player
05/21/09

@Deartháir: Next F150 Lightning?

Please?
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Ben Wojdyla
05/21/09

@Mad_Science: Sorry, I got a definitive "no" on that prospect yesterday.
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Flathead Smith
05/21/09

In reply to EcoBoost Goes Drag: Ford Flex, Lincoln MKS Hit The Strip
I just see two punks in the "crowd"? What did Ford do, clear the area of spectators before the race?
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Ben Wojdyla
05/21/09

@Flathead Smith: Nobody hangs out on the spectator side, this isn't really a spectator day, everybody is in the pits wrenching on their car or shooting the breeze/telling lies.
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Low and Slow
05/21/09

In reply to EcoBoost Goes Drag: Ford Flex, Lincoln MKS Hit The Strip
Dear Ford,

Please install the 3.5 EcoBoost into the Fusion. Price it at 30k. Sell them to me.
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Franzouse
05/21/09

@Greater than a Ford Tempo: So true, and I'd love it even more in a Fusion wagon (which Ford also needs to create).
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Alfisted
05/21/09

In reply to EcoBoost Goes Drag: Ford Flex, Lincoln MKS Hit The Strip
Put this in the base model Mustang and suddenly it is competitive again .... with the Hyundai.
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Ben Wojdyla
05/21/09

@Alfisted: You haven't driven a Mustang in a while have you?
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baldy_pm
05/21/09

@Alfisted:

It would probably have to be a 'SVO', because they wouldn't want to encroach upon the GT with V8. If I could buy a TT V6 as a base model, there would be no reason to ever buy a GT w/V8.
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YankBoffin
05/21/09

@Ben Wojdyla: I had one as a rental recently, actually, and the performance was disappointing. Ride quality was better than expected, though.
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Alfisted
05/21/09

@Ben Wojdyla: Fair point - not since I owned a Fox body. Live axle or no, I would be sorely disappointed if they're not much, much better today.

It was a failed attempt at being clever - observing that the 6's in the Camaro and Genesis Coupe put out almost 100 hp more than the 6 in the Mustang.
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Ben Wojdyla
05/21/09

@YankBoffin: Rental Mustang? So a V6 with crap tires that had been beaten within and inch of its life and never had an oil change.
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Maymar
05/21/09

@baldy_pm: I've driven a supercharged V6 Mustang, and I'd still strongly consider the V8 - it's just a question of how you prefer the experience, and I'm sorta won over by the brute force of the V8.
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FriscoFairlane
05/21/09

@Alfisted: Uhhh, who gives a crap about the 6? That is for secretaries, little girls and wussies who don't care about cars. I say keep the weak six to drive sales, put the proposed 5.0 mod in the GT and have a SVO turbo-6 model for shits and giggles.

Oh, and the '10 Mustang already smears the Hyundai all over the track with relative ease. Plus the Hyundai is a boring ass Korean shitbox. Oh, and those new Ford turbo-6ers are pretty awesome! I'd love to see what one would do in a '64 Falcon.
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Maymar
05/21/09

@FriscoFairlane: Have I got the car for you!

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Das ASHloch (achtundsiebzig)
05/21/09

In reply to EcoBoost Goes Drag: Ford Flex, Lincoln MKS Hit The Strip
Niiiice. The MKS is the big sedan, right? I get confused with MKZ/Zephyr.

Are they going to put this engine in the Fusion AWD platform? Because I dare say that would be even awesomer than the Taurus SHO.
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PowerTryp, Starless wonder.
05/21/09

@Ash78: Not that hard to get confused with the whole naming thing

MKX
MKZ
MKS
MKT
and my personal fave
MK why the hell can't they do it like BMW or even Volvo where the name actually meens something?
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drewdrawshashtags
05/21/09

@PowerTryp: Or, you know, like Lincoln, and bring back the names.

Not hard to remember a sub-14 second Continental is the flagship, even if it might not be worthy of that name.
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Deartháir II
05/21/09

@Ash78: I'm gonna go ahead and guess this platform won't make it to the Fusion, which is a big pity. The MKS/Taurus/Flex platform uses a proper Haldex AWD system, like previous-gen Audis and Volvos. The Fusion/MKZ/Milan uses a smaller, lightweight viscous-coupling system that doesn't actually drive all four wheels, kind of like the original VW Syncro system.
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2010 Ford Flex EcoBoost: It's Got The Power

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