Will Furnish Platform for Next Town Car
Clean, rectilinear styling returns with the first domestic full-sized rear wheel-drive Ford sedan of the 21st century. The 1965's square-rigged and futuristic styling is remembered with vertical rectangular light "boxes" front and rear recalling the stacked headlights and vertical taillights of those mid-Sixties Fords. The famous "Galaxie Roof" is reprised with parallelogram-shaped C-pillars and features classic C-pillar ribbed trim, in this case functional venting for the HVAC system. Front end styling would include a low, wide grille connecting vertical "pods" on each end for the LED lighting system. The hood includes a low, wide functional hoodscoop, similar to those on early Sixties Thunderbirds, Farilanes, and Falcons. Rear styling would feature similar pods for the LEDs and a connecting panel reminiscent of the grille shape. A polished aluminum full-length upper body molding is joined by a single hand-painted red coach line from hood to tail lid.
And, yes, that is a genuine fabric-covered roof on this uplevel model. For the 21st century, the waterproof leather-grained fabric is bonded to carbonfiber roof panels and structure eliminating the old "trapped water vs. metal panel" problem. In addition it's lighter and stronger than the standard steel panels and lowers the center of gravity in this very well-handling sedan.
Interior options would span from the standard Galaxie, with multiple hued leathers and fabrics, to a traditional step-up optional LTD package, and a top-end Thunderbird Brougham interior which comes with a special "Thunderbird Special EcoBoost" powertrain. Cars equipped as such are identified by the classic Thunderbird and crossed-flags used on vintage Fairlanes and Galaxies packing the 312 "Thunderbird Special" engine.
Interior options would span from the standard Galaxie, with multiple hued leathers and fabrics, to a traditional step-up optional LTD package, and a top-end Thunderbird Brougham interior which comes with a special "Thunderbird Special EcoBoost" powertrain. Cars equipped as such are identified by the classic Thunderbird and crossed-flags used on vintage Fairlanes and Galaxies packing the 312 "Thunderbird Special" engine.
Platform will be stretched 6-inches for the next Lincoln Town Car and shortened 6-inches for a new Ford Starliner coupe and Continental Mark IX.
From an automotive standpoint, I think this is terrific. Those mid sixties Fiords were a revelation (aside from the round tailights in hexagonal housing on the Custom models). The 66 is my favorite but I love the 65s also. My only quibble is, that from a marketing standpoint, it probably would be smart to intoduce the Lincoln first, so that the Lincoln is not damned by being just a gussied up Galaxie. I'm sure you've read on the blogs where people say every Audi is just a VW with a $15,000 badge. Not taht it stops people from buying Audis but why give the haters ammunition.
ReplyDeleteAll that said, Ford would do well to hed you advice no matter what order teh new cars appear in.
Paul, NYC
good point, Paul! People saw the '62 Plymouths and Dodges as big Valiants instead of the other way around if they'd come out with the bigger models first. Using "Starliner" would be a risk, too. Even "XL" would be better known probably, but I love it, lol. I'd like a "shoot for the stars..." mentality to come back. : )
DeleteI like the idea of hte Starliner name being brought back -- it resonates with me even though it was used for only two model years.
ReplyDeleteWhen Chrysler intorduced the Cordoba and the Charger for 1975, the Cordoba walked away with all the sales -- it was something like 150,000 to 35,000, Chrysler vs. Dodge.
f the Dodge had had a different roofline, it probably would have sold better -- why buy a Dodge that's essentially the same as a Chrysler, when you can have the Chrysler name for about eh same $$$. But I'd love to see a Mark IX with a formal roofline and a Starliner with a Starliner roofline -- are you still allowed to make rooflines like that?
Paul, NYC
I think I'm going to base the Starliner on the new MB S Class coupe. It already has a flowing pillarless roofline. Have to find a photo I can work with to show the front or back end this time. There are hundreds of it out there already.
DeleteA custom could be built to look a lot like this. Start with an eighties crown vic, stand up the rear window until it is parallel with the door window frame, maybe chop the top just a little. Move the front wheels forward a little, and lose the huge bumpers. Shave the drip rails and lose as much plastic as possible inside and out. I realize those crown vics had more of a fadeaway configuration than your wedged design. Something similar could also be done to a same era town car. Move the front wheels forward, lose the "front fins", move the grill back a little, and this time modify the roof by swinging the bottom the rear window forward, etc, etc. - Dave in NV
ReplyDeleteNot to be confused with other Ford Galaxy from the UK!
DeleteThis is all wrong IMO. If they're going to bring back the nameplate then base it after the much more interesting looking 60-64 Starliner/Galaxie models. A reprise on the atomic/space theme would do well and look much better. The 65/66 models were too boxy and had nowhere near the style of the earlier models. if they're going to go with this look then narrow the c pillar and make it a fastback as well as returning to the short hood, long trunk look that was so desirable back in the day. This thing is too slab sided and the only things I like are the Galaxie lettering and the T-bird front fender emblems.
ReplyDeleteHaha. Can't win 'em all! thanks, anyway!
DeleteI'm a professional chauffeur and we need Lincoln to bring back a car we can use
ReplyDelete