Jamaican Bulldog

WOW I always thought the rear planidrive was one of the last 'real' Mack part left along with the Maxitorque transmissions. When did the real mack rears go out of production. Thanks for the info.

How different did Mack planetary drive change after Volvo? Type of metal or total redesign?

I thought the same thing. What did they do to turn such a bullet proof product into a dud?

Yes I think more people are buying SUVs because of the AWD option in the snow region but also for functionality, ease of entry and egress ( especially older people) and also because they are more efficient that they used to be. However many people still prefer sedans like me and they are generally less expensive. We also sell Subaru's and their sedans do primarily well in the snow region because of the AWD. Sedans to many people are more stylish and sporty than SUVs

Happening already. That is so true. Also for the Ecosport and Escape to be under $20k with incentives it would normally be basic models of each the problems with high incentives is that it affects residual values which in turn affects lease payments. Most Japanese companies like Subaru try to keep incentives low and transaction prices close to MSRP to help keep up the residual values. With a higher residual value there is less need for rebates to remain competitive in leasing. Sometimes people complain about resale values of some American cars, but they forget how much they saved off MSRP when they bought it new.

Hackett wished he could have met with more dealers? Duh, maybe if he did he would learn a little something how the car business works and how to sell more cars, and how they have wasted millions on warranty claims because they kept the stupid troublesome double clutch transmission in the Focus for too long, while losing many first time customers to other brands. If a company can sell 200k Fusions and complain about the profit of it, that reflects poorly on management not the car. Especially being one of the few in the segment that is available with AWD. These idiots are more concerned about reactions form Wall Street than from loyal customers. The haven't figured out that if make more customers happy then your stocks become more desirable. They are sabotaging sales of the Fusion in the NE lease market were about 80% are leased. We can hardly get AWD models which is one the best selling versions and customers are going else where. Then we were just informed that we can't get any regular Fusions scheduled for Aug so we should order hybrids and btw Ford is diverting leasing incentives away from non-hybrids to hybrids which are the slowest sellers. More un happy customers coming out of leases will leave because the hybrid is not available in a AWD and the hybrid models has a smaller trunk space due to the battery, plus the diversion of leasing incentives will make leasing the regular versions alot more expensive. Meanwhile they actually did something wise for the 2019 Fusion. They simplified the number of configurations and made more items standard.

Did the truck in the movie have a Cummins or Mack engine?

The same issues that affect EV trucks will happen to EV trucks and in some ways more far reaching. Yes the electric motor tech is reliable. We were told in car business that EV would take over but here are some inconvenient truths. It relies heavily on govt subsidies, if everything becomes electric, there is not enough money to go around to make it viable. Even then customers are not rushing for them and most car makers don't make profits selling them. Those that do normally do so via carbon credits they sell to other auto makers who have to meet Federal EPA Requirements so they can sell cars that do make a profit. The first rule of economics is scarcity, and the first rule of politics is to ignore the first rule of economics. The metals for batteries are not just rare but often come from very controversial or volatile places in the world such as China and parts of Africa. Getting those batteries from he earth also often leaves a nasty scar on the earth. If everyone plugs in, can the grid handle it? Renewables don't provide a consistent reliable source for electricity, so traditional means such as coal, oil and gas have to supplement it. When Germany tried to go away from traditional energy source electricity price went up by 300%, now they have to be using more coal to help generate electricity. While it is fashionable to bash 'big oil', it is easy to not notice 'big E', the environment lobbyists who promise politicians big donations to push policies that subsidizes electric cars while imposing heavy regulations on vehicles that use traditional engines. Politicians will more and more determine what you drive and try to reduce the influence of the free market in making that decision. I think for big trucks at least in the near future, not only will the innovation of traditional engines improve but also more diesel hybrids may be more viable than a full EV.

https://newyork.craigslist.org/brk/hvo/d/mack-tr1076-transmission/6595759133.html Saw this ad in for numerous rebuilt Mack transmissions and diffs for sale in Brooklyn NY. The prices seem cheap as the person is trying unload them from a previous owner

Where did the Mack powertrain engineers end up after Volvo?

I am still amazed how HP Mack was able to squeeze out of an engine the size of an E7. You guys did a great job. Are any of the engineering team of that time still around and did any of the original Mack engineering team have any significant input in the development of MP or Volvo derived engines?

Never got an answer. I will definitely post it here if I do.

These laws can be tedious especially when they can vary from town to town in the same county. I live in Westchester NY and no matter how big your driveway is you are not allowed to have pickup truck with commercial plates, small trailer or even a jet ski on a trailer in your yard. In many cases the local authorities turn a blind eye unless someone calls because they know the laws are dumb. When I had a small trailer to transport dirt bikes, someone from the town showed up and said the only way around it was to put up screens so it could not be seen. He admitted he had to show up because someone called. I put them up and called for him to come see and he never came back to look.

Interesting. I wonder if they will expand their product line and get back into conventional trucks etc.

The idea of using one architecture to spawn variants of different size and vehicle class will become more common. New technology and increased strength in the frames while enhancing safety plays a big role. As the article mentioned VW has been doing this before but Subaru is also doing it too. Their new Impreza platform for small cars can be used for vehicles up to the size of its up coming 7 pass SUV. There was a time when lets say a vehicle platform for a compact car like the Focus could only be limited to that size, a compact CUV variant like the Escape or compact van like the Transit Connect, CMax etc. Most people won't even know or notice that so many vehicles share similar architectures or even what that means. Not only will it help economies of scale but it will allow manufacturers to become more flexible if the market for certain segments change. In case of Ford, if this new platform can be flexible enough to spawn cars as small as the Fiesta and Ecosport up to the size of an Edge, it may even allow it to more economically viable to eventually start making small and medium size cars in the U.S again. By mentioning the Edge in this article, that is a hint that if Ford stays in the mid-size sedan market (which it should), the next Fusion may be on that platform as well. The current Edge is off the Fusion platform which is still a modern platform. I just hope they will keep offering a twin turbo V6 that I enjoy in my Fusion Sport.

All interesting info. While I am disappointed that most of U.S makers of large trucks are owned by foreign companies, it will be interesting to see what the synergies with VW and Scania will bring to International trucks in the U.S

10 sp torqshift, is that a Ford designed auto transmission? I wonder if that transmission will make it to NA super duty Fords. Also They offer Cummins and not Ford's own 6.7. Is that because the Cummins have more commonality or certification for the Brazilian market? I am always fascinated with how Ford invests in heavy Fords for other markets but not the NA market. Meanwhile they had an excellent heavy truck in NA and sold out.

You are right about missed opportunities. Mack are so sought after for export to areas where new Macks were not even offered.

What was the model with the short nose 'U'?

I never saw a Mack in Brazil after many miles on the roads there. I aways wondered if they were ever sold there apart from being imported on the used market. Brazil has a very protectionist market for autos. Most that are sold there have to be manufactured there. The only American Truck I saw was an International which I think some were made for that market. Otherwise lots of domestic market Fords, Scania, Mercedes, and heavy VW trucks.

https://www.autocartruck.com/Files/Media/Autocar History story 2-17-09-1.pdf I came across this short history of Autocar. It describes Autocar as the first commercial truck maker in the U.S. I always thought the first was by another company that went out of business before the 50s. Autocar is my favorite American truck after Mack because it shared a similar toughness. I just saw a beautiful short nose Autocar dump in White Plains NY. I always preferred those to the longer nose types. Maybe because they remind me of my favorite Mack the DM model .

Ford has been influential in saving many companies including Mazda which is technically small compared to giants such as Toyota and Honda. I understand why Ford shed some of the their holdings such as in Jaguar, Volvo etc but the synergies with Mazda was very productive and successful. That is why I think with shrinking profits in sedans and small cars they should have kept those synergies with Mazda and even share powertrain tech such as Sky active and ecoboost. Now Toyota is taking advantage of joint ventures with Mazda. Ford also spoiled a great product that brought a lot of people in the brand when it stupidly installed and kept the troublesome dual clutch transmission in the Ford Focus and Fiesta. That all would have been avoided if it had used Mazda's Skyactive powertrain or even the Asin transmission that Mazda uses. Sometimes brands like Ford does not realize that cheap cars that may not be too profitable plays an important role in bringing first time buyers into the brand who later move up to more profitable models if they had a great experience with the first car. I have been selling Fords long enough to remember and have friends who did not consider Ford till they got the first generation sporty Ford Focus in late 90s early 2000s which was a big success. They since have bought other Ford models. In the last few years they have turned off many new customers with the troublesome transmission mentioned in the Focus.

Yes Yamaha did a great job. Those early SHO models are becoming classics especially with a manual. A nice one is hard to find because many were driven hard. The last SHO has Fords 3.5 ecoboost.

Yes low gas mileage helped to increase the demand for CUVs however many give mileage close to sedans which also helps drives the demand. We have been saying that Ford should offer some of the multiple speed transmission being deployed in the SUVS and trucks to make the sedans even more efficient. Due to the transverse mounted powertrain of the sedan platforms they would probably be limted to 8spds like the refreshed 2019 Edge but still would increase mileage. Most people especially the NE or snow belt likes the AWD of the CUVs not so much to go off road that is one reasons CUVs and SUVs have become more car like. However tough looks have an appeal. I still can't understand why Ford does not have heavy trucks here especially since their F series do so well in sales and profits. I see the Cargos all over South America. KS mentioned in another post how Ford had the advanced heavy duty L series trucks and sold it to Daimler at a loss.

Thanks for sharing your informative links as always KS. One thing to remember too is that the Fusion which replaced the original real mid size Taurus in 2005, became Ford's midsize competitor in that segment with the Camry, Accord, Altima etc. The Five Hundred was larger than the original Taurus and moved to the large sedan segment competing against Dodge Charger, large Buicks etc which was a smaller market than the midsize. Like you said the Five Hundred was a flop especially as Ford mated the 3.0 with an annoying CVT transmission on the AWD versions. The engine revved higher and made the car seemed like it was going slower that it was really going. The front wheel drive versions had a 6sp auto which behaved better. When the Taurus name returned in a mildly refreshed five Hundred's body, it brought the much needed and more powerful 3.5 liter engine. When it was properly redesigned I think in 09, it was like a niche car because the midsize Fusion had already established it self as Ford's real midsize sedan and had more factory support for leasing etc. The Taurus went to mostly fleets such as police cars. It also didn't help the Taurus that although it was technically a large car, it was not much roomier than the mid size Fusion etc. especially with its bulky center console. As a Ford salesman I can tell you that I think they would have sold alot more Tauruses if it was available with a front split bench seat with column shifter. The Taurus SHO is an awesome but under rated car, that was not marketed properly. Ford is very good at making sleeper cars but then don't tell anyone. Demographic changes and preferences have made the market for large sedans shrink even faster than what is happening now for midsize sedans. Personally I prefer sedans to CUV,s and SUVs, but the latter is more versatile and viable especially as they have become more efficient and comfortable to drive etc. In many ways the Ford Fusion has proven to compete and in some ways exceed against the Japanese cars in both quality, performance and technology. When the Fusion was redesigned in 13 it was stunning and it still looks modern and stylish, but Ford lags in keeping the car 'fresh' in a segment that refreshes often. Your point is well taken on how Ford has stupidly abandoned segments such as the mid size truck and Bronco and then years later play catch up. I would add to that the mid size 7 pass Aviator that left Lincoln without that type of vehicle for over a decade while selling loads of Explorers. No the MKT does not count. Another flop apart from in the Funeral industry. Now they might do it again by casting doubts on the future of the Fusion as they think everyone wants a CUV. I sell 4 brands and can attest to the movement towards the crossovers but many people still want cars. Even Honda is cutting back on the supply of the new Accord. I also understand that midsize sedans are not as profitable and it takes higher volumes in their sales than trucks and CUVs to make them more economically viable to produce. My suggestions regarding Fusion: The platform it currently on is still very advanced. Significantly refresh the car and add the smooth and efficient 8 sp transmission coming in its CUV platform mate the Edge. The Fusion is one of the few mid size sedans that offers AWD. I have the Sport which comes with many performance parts apart from the high output and torquey 2.7 twin turbo. They should make the Sport a ST which would help to market it and fit it in the growing ST lineup. Later on Ford should keep the Fusion and move it to the new CD6 platform which may help reduce it's cost to produce as it will share it with other models. Otherwise if costs is still a factor to keep the sedan, do what they did very successfully originally with the first Fusion. Collaborate with Mazda on a midsize platform that still gives both brands its own sheetmetal and personality. Either way it would help Ford to borrow an idea from Subaru that is working for them. Offer high sitting versions of the sedans and even a wagon version of the Fusion/Mondeo. Yes I think a Fusion wagon that sits like a Subaru Outback would sell well in the U.S.