[Mark Kleis]

Originally Posted by BRGT350

Back from Ford, and I can tell you that very little is being changed. I personally met the engineer working on the Fiesta suspension, and the changes he is making is to keep the handling the same as the EU models. The US cars are getting a little bit heavier up front due to some revised crash structure, and the suspension changes are to keep the car the same as the EU car. Anyone who has taken a HS physics class will know that adding a little weight a far distance from the cg makes a big difference, so the springs are being adjusted accordingly.

After seeing about a million Mondeo's, I think I see the direction of the upper grille, and I am going to be ok with that. It matches what I have been told, and the Verve concept. The other thing about my trip yesterday is that whenever I went to a place that I could not take my camera, I saw only EU cars. Kuga's, Mondeo's, Foci, and Fiesta's. I thought I was in Europe, and that is a good thing.

I have no info on the dash or anything else on the car, but I do know that some of the pictures and my review of the interior was in the design studio as the US team is working on the car.

I was also able to meet some very important people yesterday, and I can tell you that good things are coming and motorsports is a huge part of the new Ford. Meetings are going on about the global small car performance market.

Gee wiz, all that worrying for nothing?

I too had some unofficial discussions recently, and I feel better about Ford's products than I EVER have before by a mile.