Doofi they have been.
Ford deleted all of their IC engined vehicle engineering staff some years ago.
Stupid, stupid, stupid.
The 5 litre modular V8 was a great engine. I have one 20 years old and it is still running like new.
Their most refined design was in the Panther Platform of the Marquis, Crown Victoria and Town Car. Similar to the GM B-body, you can’t buy a car made today that is more reliable, comfortable, economical or affordable.
If that car or the last model Buick Lucerne with a non-leaking North Star engine were made for an inflation adjusted price similar to what they were back in the day I’d go buy one right now. I don’t need or want a car that has an electronics operator manual thicker than the mechanical owners manual or that has a big screen in the dash. Certainly not a navigation system, 360 degree radar and camera, adaptive cruise control etc. I’ve managed to travel the world to pinpoint destinations since the 60s without benefit of such devices and still can.
I’ll give them some slack and presume that the Biden administration strong-armed them into doing it.