2006 Ford Futura - This Time Only the Name is Retro
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| The 2006 Ford Futura shows a lot of potential, but 2006 is two years and dozens of competitor redesigns away. (Photo: Ford Motor) |
After Ford's onslaught of prototype and new model introductions earlier this year in Detroit, the few computer enhanced renderings of its next generation midsize sedan that flashed up on a screen during its debuted in New York last week were a bit of a let down.
Not that the car itself isn't intriguing. Quite the opposite is true as the Futura, a name that originates from a 1955 concept car that would eventually become the basis for Adam West's Batmobile, shows an exciting new direction for Ford. It's just that the world's most recognizable automaker isn't talking too much about what it has available right now, after all the Focus and Taurus can hardly pull front page coverage unless the word recall is somehow associated. Instead current new car conversation centers on what's coming down the pike.
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| The Futura gets its name from this 1955 concept that eventually became the basis for Adam West's Batmobile. (Photo: Ford Motor) |
During the Futura's launch Steve Lyons, president of Ford Division, commented, "We have an incredible array of new products coming next year - a freshened Focus, the Five Hundred, the Freestyle, the Ford GT and the all-new Mustang. But Ford's product-led revitalization - and the resurgence of our car business - will not end there." He continued, "We're applying every lesson we have learned about vehicle interior design, packaging, driving dynamics and powertrain performance while adding a dose of design edge from the Ford 427 concept to create the Ford Futura."