Marty Padgett's Inside Scoop on Auto News and Town Car

2009 Ford Taurus and 2009 Honda Odyssey: Ideal Vehicles, Say Owners

By Bengt HalvorsonBengt Halvorson, June 29th, 2009

There's more good news all around for Ford—it beats out Toyota, GM, Honda, and other full-line mainstream brands and has taken the top mainstream-brand spot in AutoPacific's 2009 Ideal Vehicle Awards (IVA). Porsche takes the top premium-brand spot, and both top-performing brands win for the second year in a row. Model-by-model, top honors go to the 2009 Honda Odyssey minivan, followed by the 2009 Toyota Venza crossover/wagon, Ford F-150 pickup, Ford Taurus sedan (in the top five for a second year), and Lincoln Town Car sedan. Last year's top-rated vehicle was the Mercedes-Benz S-Class.

As an indicator that shoppers' priorities might be...

There's more good news all around for Ford—it beats out Toyota, GM, Honda, and other full-line mainstream brands and has taken the top mainstream-brand spot in AutoPacific's 2009 Ideal Vehicle Awards (IVA). Porsche takes the top premium-brand spot, and both top-performing brands win for the second year in a row. Model-by-model, top honors go to the 2009 Honda Odyssey minivan, followed by the 2009 Toyota Venza crossover/wagon, Ford F-150 pickup, Ford Taurus sedan (in the top five for a second year), and Lincoln Town Car sedan. Last year's top-rated vehicle was the Mercedes-Benz S-Class. As an indicator that shoppers' priorities might be... Read More

Posted in: 2009, 2010, Ford, Honda, Toyota, Lincoln, Taurus, Odyssey, Venza, F-150, Town Car

Forgetting Its Past, Aston Plans Brash New Lagonda

By Marty PadgettMarty Padgett, October 13th, 2008

Aston Martin teased a select audience at the recent Paris Auto Show with its latest concept, the "one 77." With a carbon-fiber chassis, a handcrafted aluminum body, and a 7.0-liter V-12, the one 77 will "deliver exhilarating performance for a strictly limited number of discerning [read: mega-rich] customers." It's a busy time at Aston, since it was sawed off last year from the Ford empire. The exclusive British marque will also be introducing the high-end four-door Rapide sports sedan next year. But it's CEO Dr. Ulrich Bez's choice of words surrounding a third proposed vehicle, a revival of the Lagonda sedan nameplate, that has us worried.... Aston Martin teased a select audience at the recent Paris Auto Show with its latest concept, the "one 77." With a carbon-fiber chassis, a handcrafted aluminum body, and a 7.0-liter V-12, the one 77 will "deliver exhilarating performance for a strictly limited number of discerning [read: mega-rich] customers." It's a busy time at Aston, since it was sawed off last year from the Ford empire. The exclusive British marque will also be introducing the high-end four-door Rapide sports sedan next year. But it's CEO Dr. Ulrich Bez's choice of words surrounding a third proposed vehicle, a revival of the Lagonda sedan nameplate, that has us worried.... Read More

Tags: Enthusiasts, Rumor Mill, Styling

Posted in: 2008, Lincoln, Aston Martin, Sedans, Luxury, Classics, Concept Cars, Town Car

The Way Forward: What's Behind the Pyrotechnics?

By Marty PadgettMarty Padgett, January 24th, 2006

Ford Motor Co.’s "Way Forward" plan came off like Jerry Bruckheimer -- heavy on the pyrotechnics but short on plot and dialogue. There were all the standard fireworks, 14 plant closing, thousand of jobs axed and plenty of executives walking around in sack cloth and ashes. Bill Ford, even boldly told off Wall Street, suggesting he wasn't going to play their game any more, nor offer annual guidance about the company's profits -- or lack thereof. Mark Fields talked about sharpening the brands, countering critics who’ve insisted Ford must kill Mercury. Fields even promised Ford would build a new, ultra-modern, ultra-efficient factory... Ford Motor Co.’s "Way Forward" plan came off like Jerry Bruckheimer -- heavy on the pyrotechnics but short on plot and dialogue. There were all the standard fireworks, 14 plant closing, thousand of jobs axed and plenty of executives walking around in sack cloth and ashes. Bill Ford, even boldly told off Wall Street, suggesting he wasn't going to play their game any more, nor offer annual guidance about the company's profits -- or lack thereof. Mark Fields talked about sharpening the brands, countering critics who’ve insisted Ford must kill Mercury. Fields even promised Ford would build a new, ultra-modern, ultra-efficient factory... Read More

Tags: Industry, Enthusiasts, Reviews, Shoppers

Posted in: 2008, Lincoln, Town Car