Using the Ford Contour as a "failed project"??? (Non SVT, and SVT)

[skunk]

If a 2.5L 1995 Contour SE wasn't a sports sedan in 1995, what was? The Contour wasn't merely a sports sedan, but with a V6 it sure was. Even in 2011, 170HP is decent power for a 3000lb compact.

Some CEG members whom worked for Ford at varying levels over the years have stated that there was internal bias against the Contour. Here's something Big Jim had to say in 2009:



I agree. I have yet to see data that objectively shows the Contour was any less reliable than its average peer. All in all, they were pretty solid cars, especially if you knew what to look out for.

I disagree. Maybe the Contour was the wrong car for US buyers who were buying Ford, but plenty of small mid-sized sedans that were practically the same size or smaller that sold quite well: Accord, 626, Jetta, etc.. Ford wasn't able to reach those buyers, despite a very competitive product. That's a marketing failure.

Regarding the Focus, it sold alongside the Mondeo in most other markets that I'm aware of. They've been a strong duo for Ford.

Personally, I don't see how anyone can objectively argue the Contour was anything but a marketing failure. Most critics loved it, it sold very well in the rest of the world, and data I've read shows customer satisfaction was generally high. Its sales weren't even that bad.

When I joined the CEG in 2004, enthusiasm for the platform was still extremely high. Perception has changed as the cars have inevitably deteriorated and almost all first/second owners have taken their enthusiasm elsewhere. The current typical CEG owner didn't choose the Contour so much as they chose a beaten, inexpensive car. I'm convinced that most new members from the past few years here have never driven a Contour in good condition.

There are many positive articles and reviews about the Contour, but here's an interesting article from a slightly different perspective than most:

http://www.popularmechanics.com/cars/reviews/reliability-report/1270921

I agree and understand where you are coming and this can go on and on and many will disagree, etc, etc but to really peice the whole contour story together is hard since there really isn't a ton of info on the whole project itself like others. There are bits and pieces and generlized info. The contour wasn't a sports sedan in the sense that a BMW 3 series is but turned out to be a very good handling car due to its design IMHO, once the right bits where added like the parts on the se then yes it became a "sporty" car but not a sports sedan by definition then in that case it failed because it does have huge flaws ( this is very basic explanation of what could be a huge topic) ie plenty of under steer, heavy nose, body lean. very nice for the average person/driver and average roads and low speed handling it's complicated but you get the point a very good chassis for the masses but has limits. a sporty car vs a cavilier, escort, accord but limited vs a bmw, audi.


There very well could have been internal bias, same thing happened with the Edsel the very plan was to kill ASAP read " disaster in dearborn" on of the best books on the Edsel project. I believe there where many factors..internal bias, SUV boom and poor marketing all played into it.

The contour had a huge problem fitting in with other models and fitting in with other ford products, back seat space and price being just some of it IMO.

I bought mine brand new & loved it. I test drove a brand new focus and then my Contour. I loved the V6, the sound it made and the tight chassis. It was sad that Ford gave up on it, I think they should have offered the same model line up ie wagon & hatch and let it take over the escort but they didn't . The sad fact is they contour has a loley 4 door was pushed in between the escort and taurus with a small back seat/ no leg room ( we all know this is a problem) and smallish trunk. Truly sad alot of money was spent it was/is a great car and I would have loved to see what it would have become if it survived. 5 yrs was really too short.

 

[DanMyers]

I agree and understand where you are coming and this can go on and on and many will disagree, etc, etc but to really peice the whole contour story together is hard since there really isn't a ton of info on the whole project itself like others. There are bits and pieces and generlized info. The contour wasn't a sports sedan in the sense that a BMW 3 series is but turned out to be a very good handling car due to its design IMHO, once the right bits where added like the parts on the se then yes it became a "sporty" car but not a sports sedan by definition then in that case it failed because it does have huge flaws ( this is very basic explanation of what could be a huge topic) ie plenty of under steer, heavy nose, body lean. very nice for the average person/driver and average roads and low speed handling it's complicated but you get the point a very good chassis for the masses but has limits. a sporty car vs a cavilier, escort, accord but limited vs a bmw, audi.

Uh sorry, but Car and Driver disagrees with you on the sporty nature of the Contour (yes, it's the SVT, but all they did was size down the front sway bar, and added slightly firmer struts, not really a change from the base suspension) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H0q2CQ7hEKo watch around 1:58, where they say; "The Contour SVT wins every performance test."

Also Desiato the platform is CDW-27, not CDW127, just trying to put correct information here for this guy's paper.

 

[mmc757]

In any single measure, another car beat the contour. As a package, it was a decent vehicle, but whatever specific traits a buyer was looking for, there was something better out there.
Mileage...not as good as a Honda
handling...not as good as a subaru
power...yawn
luxurious feel...uhhh no.
Styling...boring and generic
reliability...all the US makers were suffering from a poor reputation in that departent, fair or not. Also, Hyundai started the 100k warranty around that time.

Its a good overall package, but few buyers are out searching for that. Most have something specific in mind.

 

[skunk]

Uh sorry, but Car and Driver disagrees with you on the sporty nature of the Contour (yes, it's the SVT, but all they did was size down the front sway bar, and added slightly firmer struts, not really a change from the base suspension) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H0q2CQ7hEKo watch around 1:58, where they say; "The Contour SVT wins every performance test."

Also Desiato the platform is CDW-27, not CDW127, just trying to put correct information here for this guy's paper.

A sway bar and strut change make a difference. I stated that the contour was a sporty car but not a designed sported sedan there is a difference. I love my contour and yet again the contour has a decent chassis. I have autocrossed my contour and have plenty of years of spirited driving on both it and a few years with my stang which has modified suspenion, bracing and upgraded brakes. while I will not say I'm a pro I know the weak points of the car and they come early not the sign of a true sport sedan ( again the mass produced contour).The contour suffers from understeer, period. The nose is heavy and it lacks low end torque which in turn needs late braking to cary enough speed into the corner to power out which then over heats the stock brakes causing the car to go to deep into the next corner and so and so on. I have pictures of my car with back suspension just about totally unloaded under hard braking and hard cornering. Look there is no doubt the contour has a nice chassis and this could go on and on but "sporty" and "sports sedan" are truly 2 differnet things and the main stream contour isn't one of them. I know I have driven mine for 11yrs on a few different courses and many different roads.

 

[DanMyers]

Sorry dude but I'm gonna trust Car and Driver a little more than you, as anyone with half a brain would. I mean come on dude, this is like screaming about how you don't believe in gravity while falling off a building and hurtling to the ground; it doesn't matter what you think, it's a fact. Major suspension reworks are something like the Terminator's IRS versus the solid on every other Mustang, hell the SE Sport had stiffer struts and a larger diameter rear sway bar than "mainstream" Contours, so according to you every different model was a completely different car, GLs got a smaller rear bar and slightly softer struts than any of them, but they're not a different car. Understeer? Nose heavy? What FF car isn't, or doesn't suffer from understeer?

 

[skunk]

Sorry dude but I'm gonna trust Car and Driver a little more than you, as anyone with half a brain would. I mean come on dude, this is like screaming about how you don't believe in gravity while falling off a building and hurtling to the ground. Major suspension reworks are something like the Terminator's IRS versus the solid on every other Mustang. Understeer? Nose heavy? What FF car isn't, or doesn't suffer from understeer?

No problem I can handle that, the world is a better place with a little debate. we will just agree to disagree. I know just about every car suffers from under steer to a degree and really we both could type all day long going over it and how much a spring change, tire pressure change, etc, etc changes things it doesn't have to be a major change trust me tires alone can make a huge difference but I digress . don't think for minute I'm ragging on the 'tour because I'm not or I would not have plunked down close to 19 grand on one over 11yrs ago we where debating wether or not it was a true sports sedan in the truest sense of the word and in my honest opinion unlike others to me it falls short but will agree it is a sporty car.

 

[DanMyers]

A fair and amicable end to a disagreement, this is why I love older members. Please stick around older members, we need you!

 

[Desiato]

Also Desiato the platform is CDW-27, not CDW127, just trying to put correct information here for this guy's paper.

Thank you for the correction. Believe it or not, I know that, but suffered some brain-farts while posting. Search 'site:contour.org desiato cdw27' on google for proof.

Regarding 'sporty car' vs 'sports sedan'. That's purely a debate of semantics. I don't think there's an absolute definition of sports sedan, but there are certainly those, including journalists and manufacturers, who would define the 1995-97 Contour SE and the SVT Contour as legitimate sports sedans, even if the platform wasn't purpose-built to be such.