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There is a big difference between the standard "ricer" (no racial offense, just a generic term - think of "poser") Honda Civic and the Supra.

Someone was lamenting about front-engine rear-drive. I would add another thing - forced induction.

I used to be a Ford maniac, eagerly reading all the technical coolness that was "just around the corner". Throughout the 80s, they offered up TBI, single cam in block, 2 valve head, 2 wheel disc brakes, live axel suspensions, etc. They never delivered.

All of this was trumped in 1987 by the Supra (4 wheel discs with ABS, TEMS, 4 wheel independent double wishbone suspension, DOHC, 4 valves per cylinder, turbocharged, intercooled, direct electronic fuel injection, etc.) All with one of the best build-qualities in the business.

I bailed and went Japanese. Working on cars is fun again.

Now lately, things are looking up on the domestic front. Ford was first with the 4.8L OHC engine. Many of these cars are worth a second look. The Mach 1 sounds interesting. Add to that the fact that Toyota doesn't make a US spec car I'd buy now (I don't do front-wheel-drive. Sorry) and I may someday own another Ford. Clearly, it's nice to see somebody serving this market as the Japanese recently abandoned it.

PS: Horsepower numbers are for the stock car. With bolt-ons doubling that is possible. Many have done it with stock internals! I sure don't miss the "Save a Buck or Two" attitude that I always encountered with disassembling some domestic component.

Here are the specs on the Mach 1. Looks like the live axel is alive and well.

I used to be a Ford maniac, eagerly reading all the technical coolness that was "just around the corner". Throughout the 80s, they offered up TBI, single cam in block, 2 valve head, 2 wheel disc brakes, live axel suspensions, etc. They never delivered.

What in the heck were you driving? Are you sure you aren't thinking of GM?! :) My 88 Thunderbird has a fuel-injected, turbocharged, intercooled OHC engine putting out 190 hp, ABS, big 4-wheel disc brakes, an electronically controlled suspension that stiffens up the ride when you flip a switch or corner/accelerate/brake hard, it has a switch that changes the boost and timing for either premium or regular fuel, two extra shocks to hold the axle in place on hard acceleration, and a bunch of other cool stuff.

The next year, Ford released an all-new Thunderbird with pretty much the same goodies, plus a supercharged V6 and 4-wheel independent suspension. That was also the same year they came out with the Taurus SHO, which had a 220hp 24v DOHC Yamaha engine. I think 0-60 was about 6.8 seconds. That's great by today's standards, let alone 13 years ago!

I'd say Ford was really on the ball back then! They sure have slipped though. They used to have a ton of sporty, very good cars (T-Bird, Cougar, Merkur XR4Ti, Mustang, Taurus SHO, Mark VII, Mark VIII), but now they're trying to make a bunch of different Mustangs in hopes that everybody will be happy with one or another. Looks great on paper to the beancounters, but it sure sucks in real life. Personally, I'm getting kind of bored with Ford's "Mustang of the Week" gimmicks.

>I sure don't miss the "Save a Buck or Two" attitude that I always encountered with disassembling some domestic component.

I don't know much about cars, but I'll take your word for it. (Comparing, say, Sony consumer electronics to US consumer electronics -- to the extent that we make any these days -- presents a very similar emotional experience.)

Mark W.