[Shotimes] OT: New Mercury sedan to have AWD

[John Miller]

> The drive train may be the same as the AWD Jag with a beginning list price
> under $30K. Why buy a Merc when you can buy a Jag? I can't imagine the
> Merc listing for less than a Gen II SHO + 4 years inflation. How will the
> Montego brand fit in the market?

That would be fascinating...introducing a Mercury based on a Jaguar that's 
going to be done away with.

The next Jag X-type is going to be a new platform, shared with the next 
S-type, and it's supposed to be a 'traditional' Jag (that is, RWD.)  The 
current X-type Jag is around $36K sticker by the time you put a useful 
level of equipment on it.

I'm fascinated by the claim that it's going to be based on the same bits as 
the Ford Five Hundred, which is supposedly a 'high-package' (that is, tall) 
design presumably like the awful bulky Camry - but all the artist's 
renderings keep looking like Audi A6s.

I'd expect you'll see the same platform under future Volvos, too.

John.