Ford Never Considered a Production Interceptor

One of the surprise hits of last year’s Detroit auto show was the Ford Interceptor concept. The large sedan could take on the Chrysler 300C in terms of rear-wheel-drive, muscular sedans. It was over-the-top, aggressive and people really liked it. Today, in a story about the future of Ford design, we learn the Interceptor concept never had a chance of being produced.

This is a perfect illustration of how backward-thinking some American automakers have been. German companies rarely build a concept that isn’t a foreshadowing of a future model, and even Japanese brands rarely show a concept at U.S. shows that won’t hit an assembly line. New Ford CEO Alan Mulally says he’s bringing that same thinking back to Ford.

Besides the Ford Fairlane — now called Flex — almost all of Ford’s concepts since 2003 were non-starters, including the Reflex, Shelby GR-1, Syn U.S., Bronco and the Shelby Cobra. This year’s auto-show season is fast approaching, and we’ll be able to judge Ford’s new strategy in the flesh in just a few months. 

Redesigning Ford: Freeman Thomas Aims to Produce Another Hit (The Detroit News)

Related
2007 Detroit Auto Show: Ford Interceptor Video
Building the Ford Interceptor Concept
2007 Detroit Auto Show: Ford Interceptor Concept

Comments

It's definitely a Chrysler 300 competitor but it needs fixing to compete properly. Somethings just wrong with it. I can't put a finger on it though.
Now the 300 was a home run. I can't believe it didn't save Chrysler. And no, I didn't buy one.

Oh, I'm sure the current Crown Vic is good for another 17 years:-)

This is so lame. Police are desperate for better cruisers, Lincoln is desperate for a new flagship sedan, and old people are really starting to notice 300s are nicer than Grand Marquis. This car is even based on an existing platform that's only being used for one car. What are they thinking? Are they trying to focus all their attention on the most profitable endeavors? That's what got them where they are now.

A friend and I talked after going to the autoshow about which concept cars really "hit" us. It was the Interceptor and the Lincoln MKR. We agreed that it was too bad Ford would not eventually build them. Their loss (again)...

I agree with Lil'Tom the Crown Victoria's are getting way to old and ugly to be seen is this age of sharp curves and nice lines the Interceptor a perfect vehicle to get Ford some more sales then they're getting from the current Crown Vic'which as i said whose stylings getting way too old for now. (i think so anyway)

And they wonder why the Ford brand is in the toilet. They produce a concept which by all standards represent the best in Ford design and follow it up with the best in Ford thinking...and decide not to produce it. I guess it's easier to rename a failing car than to bring out one that could actually be successful. Go Tarus go. That's going to fly off the lots.

I beg to wonder, why show us something to get us excited about the Ford brand only to release duds. The Flex. Who cares. It's a Ford with all the reject design elements of the Rover all hidden in what can only be described as a MINIVAN. Who are you kidding. No young person is going to buy that boat no matter how much hip hop you put on it.

Keep polishing those turds Ford. Keep polishing.

If Alan Mulally worked miracles at a company as stodgy as Boeing, hopefully he can do the same for one as bad as Ford. I imagine he's fighting a HUGE amount of corporate inertia to keep doing things the same old way. It's like trying to steer the Titanic away from the iceberg.

How many times I have to ask this?

Why do the Aussies got the Falcon, the Germans got the 2nd Gen Focus and Mondeo, while we are stuck with the f-ing Taurus and 1st Gen Focus, with 2 cosmetic surgeries?!

Send the American Ford executives to Germany and Australia to learn please!

J: We get the the Falcon coz its Australian made and Ford AMerica doesnt want to accept it because they will lose workers for the American branch. PS, we also get the 2ND Gen- Focus

Mr. Mulally, roll those sleeves up. There's work to be done.

Aussie Boy,
Please explain how GM pulled it off with the Holden based GTO and G8.
Thanks.

They just don't want to give us their best eggs in the basket.

J,
GM is different to Ford i guess, they want the best so they get it, but Ford America for some reason would rather keep American based workers than import a foreign car, which to me doesnt sound like what a car commpany would normally do, but if they r happy then let them fall away with the cars they have now, instead of importing the good vehicles.

J,
Also the reason the Pontiac G8 came in is because they Pontiac GTO was accually a failure for sales. so when Holden made its "Billion Dollar Baby" (Commodore) they said 'why not send this to the US and rake in the cash from a high powered, RWD, family sedan' so they did and its proven to be a BIG succes so far.

And yet they found the money to make the GT, and the 16 million variations of the Shelby,,,