Ford Cuts Models; Introduces New Heavy Duty Trucks

Wow. Ford continues its end-of-the-century weight-loss plan by eliminating not one, not two, but three family members the Aspire, Probe and Thunderbird. New to the Escort lineup for ‘98 is the ZX2 coupe, a hotted up little number with a 130-hp 2-liter inline four, nice lines and a good handling package. The Escort automatic gets new electronic controls for smoother shifts.

Up on the Mustang end of things, there are 10 new ponies (up to 225) for the sohc 4.6-liter modular V-8, while the dohc 4.6-liter V-8 continues as King of the Ford Hill with 305 hp in the SVT Cobra.

Speaking of SVT (for Special Vehicle Team), the Contour gets the treatment with a tuned suspension, new wheels and tires and a 2.5-liter Duratec V-6 that’s worth 190 hp. The Contour siblings all get new headlights and taillights, a new shift mechanism and improvements to the front suspension and steering. The base 2.0-liter Zetec inline four gets noise, vibration and harshness reductions. The uplevel Taurus with its 200-hp Duratec V-6 receives a torque converter with higher stall speed and shorter final drive, which should enhance acceleration.

Accessing the rear seat of the Windstar minivan has never been easier, thanks to a longer driver’s-side door and fold-forward seat. And, finally, a facelift for the Crown Victoria includes new hood and decklid and a bunch of refinements.

Trucks and SUVs

Ford’s big-truck fans are excited about the new family of Heavy Duty trucks, including Ford’s first Dually 4X4 and two new engines - a Power Stroke diesel and a V-10.

Growth is as much the name of the game in the truck segment as in cars. So for ‘98 the cabin of the compact Ranger grows by three inches, which is a lot of room in a small truck. You’ll see evidence of the change in the restyled front end. There are also changes you can’t see, such as improved ride and handling, thanks to a new front suspension which rides on a heftier chunk of front frame.

The base engine has grown to 2.5-liters and now puts out 117 hp, up by five.

The Explorer gets a host of minor changes, starting with a larger piece of glass in the rear tailgate, which also gets a new handle. There are revisions to the rear bumper, new tape stripes on up-level models, changes to the sew-style on the seats and a console-mounted cupholder for the base models. Eddie Bauer and Limited versions get optional steering-wheel audio controls.

By fall, the new F-Series trucks get a facelift, and the full-size Expedition carries on without changes.