The Grand Tour

[ZG002]

It's a risk, but driven by a pro driver. Just doing a quick Google shows 3 for sale one with 38k miles on the clock. Blow the YB and it can easily be rebuilt. (Its not like they are ultra ultra rare engines you can't get parts for)

Owner will of likely wanted to see what it can do and knew it was going on the board.

Fast Ford owners are a slightly different breed to other classic car owners in my experience.

Didn't like the tears etc then the reveal they will continue to do the stuff that looks the most enjoyable anyway. Get paid to see parts of the world others can only dream about, sounds amazing.

 

[Phil W]

.

Didn't like the tears etc then the reveal they will continue to do the stuff that looks the most enjoyable anyway. Get paid to see parts of the world others can only dream about, sounds amazing.

Slightly disagree. They've been in a studio with an audience full of fans for 16/17 years, even though they will continue with the road trips (which to be honest I prefer over the studio/lap time stuff) - it must still be emotional to say goodbye to that side of it all.

 

[Diddums]

Slightly disagree. They've been in a studio with an audience full of fans for 16/17 years, even though they will continue with the road trips (which to be honest I prefer over the studio/lap time stuff) - it must still be emotional to say goodbye to that side of it all.

Absolutely this, spot on. For us it's nothing, the show goes on, but they're losing a huge aspect of their jobs, one which they were evidently rather fond of.

 

[jpaul]

I though the episode was good , first episode of GT I have ever watched, motivated by this thread,
absence of slapstick challenges versus beeb episode appealing,
still a few crass/infantile/schoolboy jokes , and, like foreigners watching brexit, can't believe these jokes export well.

Was expecting to see the mkv cortina mentioned, unfortunately not, but saw a few nice examples, in the cathederal shots.

Is the demise of mondeo really true ? despite the suv trend, when we are electric the additional range from having a low cd factor has got to come back into focus
(let's make cd x frontal_area a component of tax)

 

[SDK^]

A great last episode.
The emotion from Clarkson was real, one of those moments where you can't hold it back.

I loved the fact it beat a Lamborghini Countach of it’s era around the track which shows what a performance bargain they were in their time, still, .

The Countach time was done on a very wet track

 

[b0rn2sk8]

Fairly sure its true, Ford have killed off all of their cars in the states except the mustang.

Back in 1997 it sold over 350k units in Europe. Its been a steady decline since then and now only sells 49k a year in the whole of Europe, I can't see them keeping it on. Looking at the current sales trend I imagine it will not even make 45k this year. They are 1k down on last year after only the fist two months.

http://carsalesbase.com/european-car-sales-data/ford/ford-mondeo/

Compare that to the Nissan Qashqai which did 230k last year.

The Ford Fusion on which it is based on was selling over 300k units in the states until 2015. That's now dropped to 175k and has been killed off at a significantly higher sales volume.

 

[robj20]

Fairly sure its true, Ford have killed off all of their cars in the states except the mustang.

Back in 1997 it sold over 350k units in Europe. Its been a steady decline since then and now only sells 49k a year in the whole of Europe, I can't see them keeping it on. Looking at the current sales trend I imagine it will not even make 45k this year. They are 1k down on last year after only the fist two months.

http://carsalesbase.com/european-car-sales-data/ford/ford-mondeo/

Compare that to the Nissan Qashqai which did 230k last year.

The Ford Fusion on which it is based on was selling over 300k units in the states until 2015. That's now dropped to 175k and has been killed off at a significantly higher sales volume.

And yet its the best car ive ever had. Not sure what i would go for next.
Kind of hoping its the end much like it was the end with the Cortina and Sierra in that they have something to replace it with, maybe a competitor to the Model 3 and the likes.
Not many car out there as well equipped as the Mondeo, with the hatchback and price.

 

[jpaul]

Compare that to the Nissan Qashqai which did 230k last year.

looks like the 'premium' midisize suffered in percentages terms similarly
http://carsalesbase.com/european-sales-2018-premium-midsized-segment/#more-53007
so can be a general issue across the segment with the suv attraction.

However, like the vw range upsizing (todays polo = yesterdays golf),
the mondeo competitors superb/passat, are they generally larger than mid-size premiums, so not exactlly an apples vs apples, premium vs non comparison.
that maybe design flare, although, despite the old platform the aston mondeo bonnet is still nice.

 

[Skillmister]

I
Is the demise of mondeo really true ? despite the suv trend, when we are electric the additional range from having a low cd factor has got to come back into focus
(let's make cd x frontal_area a component of tax)

Well how many do you see? I hardly see any of the newest shape so it sounds right

 

[b0rn2sk8]

looks like the 'premium' midisize suffered in percentages terms similarly
http://carsalesbase.com/european-sales-2018-premium-midsized-segment/#more-53007
so can be a general issue across the segment with the suv attraction.

However, like the vw range upsizing (todays polo = yesterdays golf),
the mondeo competitors superb/passat, are they generally larger than mid-size premiums, so not exactlly an apples vs apples, premium vs non comparison.
that maybe design flare, although, despite the old platform the aston mondeo bonnet is still nice.

I agree the there are drops across the board but cars like the Qashqai, Kuga, Tigan etc. didn't exist 15 years ago and the people that are buying them were the people buying Mondeos, Passats etc. it makes sense to kill them off as peoples taste changes. I'm sure the cross over phase will end in a decade and move to something else soon enough.

 

[jpaul]

Well how many do you see? I hardly see any of the newest shape so it sounds right

good point - not enough .. versus the common as muck - merc/bm/audi ..
ironically they now have more status/originality for me, with that nice bonnet .

[

hat maybe design flare, although, despite the old platform the aston mondeo bonnet is still nice.

I had meant the opposition look smaller through 'deceptive' design, but, after checking internal space in a mondeo is premium. 1600l
]

edit ->
beauty is more than skin deep .... but

 

[robj20]

I'm going to keep hold of my Mk5 as long as i can. It's 3 years old now with 48k on it.
I've looked at all sorts of cars and you just can't get the same level of equipment and car for the same money. But people like their German cars.

 

[SDK^]

The Mondeo is suffering the same fate as the Merc SL - very few people want them because modern lifestyle has made them obsolete.

 

[robj20]

The Mondeo is suffering the same fate as the Merc SL - very few people want them because modern lifestyle has made them obsolete.

Lifestyle, how so. What are people doing differently than they used to.

 

[Jez]

The Mondeo is suffering the same fate as the Merc SL - very few people want them because modern lifestyle has made them obsolete.

Agree, however the Mercedes SL comparison isnt quite the same thing. The SL is going the way of the Mondeo not just through tend, but also largely due to Mercedes themselves designing it out of their own range through the S-Class Convertible. This was never a car which existed in the past. The SL has previously been loosely S-Class based and was always sold as the pinnacle of the convertible range. Fantastic cars, but aimed at the high end GT market where the S-Class cabriolet is both more luxurious, larger, rides better, and has rear seats for a modicum of practicality.

 

[Deleted member 651465]

Honestly... it was a good episode but being <40 I felt no nostalgia toward the older Fords. My dad however thought it was amazing.

I got some major Partridge references when Clarkson said "Specials? you want some specials, yeah?"

 

[jpaul]

[

Lifestyle, how so. What are people doing differently than they used to.

+1
modern lifestyle - that is ?, being lead by social media based aspirational advertising, for self-acclaimed premium products,
I'm not sure that the overall weight/mpg of the SUV's replacing the mondeo, make them more environmentally friendly.
The interesting inflexion will be, when the car companies re-invent the saloon for its superior aerodynamic qualities - maybe tesla alreday did that.
with the burgeoning obesity/health active-lifestyle problem people would be better off (the NHS/tax-payer anyway) spending money on an improved diet, exercise activities, than a premium PCP.
]

Do we know why Amazon have said no more to the Big top audience sequences ?
I wonder if these sessions work for multinational/language audiences, but, maybe NA/GB are the main audience.

 

[robj20]

[

+1
modern lifestyle - that is ?, being lead by social media based aspirational advertising, for self-acclaimed premium products,
I'm not sure that the overall weight/mpg of the SUV's replacing the mondeo, make them more environmentally friendly.
The interesting inflexion will be, when the car companies re-invent the saloon for its superior aerodynamic qualities - maybe tesla alreday did that.
with the burgeoning obesity/health active-lifestyle problem people would be better off (the NHS/tax-payer anyway) spending money on an improved diet, exercise activities, than a premium PCP.
]

Do we know why Amazon have said no more to the Big top audience sequences ?
I wonder if these sessions work for multinational/language audiences, but, maybe NA/GB are the main audience.

From what i have read it's a mix of customer feedback and the fact the three of them will be going off doing there own shows about there individual interests.

 

[b0rn2sk8]

I always thought the specials and the films in general are better than the tent sequences. That was the same for regular TG and always has been.

Guest and celebrity sections have always been yawn and don’t age well at all on a Dave repeat.

 

[LeMson]

Do we know why Amazon have said no more to the Big top audience sequences ?

Think amazon can see the way you view episodes, probably lots of people like me who never watch the tent bits, don't care about celebs driving cars or seeing how fast a car can go around the track.