Editor Of Motor Trend Not Too Happy With Ford

[shelbymotorsports]

The editor of Motor Trend Magazine, Angus MacKenzie, is not too happy with the Ford PR folks.

 

It seems M/T wanted a 2010 Mustang GT from the Ford PR Fleet Pool to do a comparison of the Mustang GT against the Hyundai Genesis. Well the Ford folks said no. They will not let M/T use one of their cars for a comparison article against the Genesis.

 

According to MacKenzie the Ford PR guys told him that "If the Mustang wins its still king of the hill. If the Genesis wins we've only made a hero out of a Korean upstart."

 

I'll admit the Hyundai cars of today are leaps and bounds better than the Hyundai's from the 1980's but for Ford to be running scared makes you wonder why.

 

I'm a little disappointed in Ford's attitude towards this but then again I'm also disappointed in MacKenzies position. If he is so upset about this that he devotes a full page editorial to it in the current issue of M/T then why didn't he just get a Mustang GT from another source. M/T could have borrowed one from a reader, from a dealership or even rented one. Makes you wonder if MacKenzie was fearful that he would be cut off from future Ford loaners if he indeed printed a Mustang vs Genesis article.

 

C'mon Ford, I know you can do better.

 

Steve

[shelbymotorsports]

Here is a link to the M/T editorial.

 

http://www.motortrend.com/features/editori...ture/index.html

 

And look what car M/T ended up using for the Genesis comparo:

 

[cobra2go]

I read the MT editorial when it came out, and put myself in Ford's PR shoes.

 

The car mags have asked for 2010 Mustangs and GT's since they first rolled out, feature articles, and comparisons with the Challenger and Camaro.

 

I also would have said no way, not because I would be scared of the results (pure exaggeration and sensationalism to sell magazines), but because there are reams of info from earlier tests. Why send another car out to get the same results? And that's what they ended up doing anyway.

 

Angus, I expected better ...

[robertlane]

I've borrowed cars from Ford's media fleet, Daimler's, Saleen and etc., and they never asked what I wanted them for.

 

In fact, we were going to match race a GT500 (alloy) against a Charger SRT in Michigan and neither company would have even known until we published it.

[ilmor]

I'm sure Ford has their version of this story too, however I just compared the Mustang GT and the Genesis Coupe by comparing the specs from the Genesis / Camaro article and the Mustang / Camaro / Challenger comparison article (both are on-line). The Mustang GT wins all performance comparisons, gets only 0.5 mpg less and costs about $4K more as tested. Really no contest IMO.

[shelbymotorsports]

I'm sure Ford has their version of this story too,

 

 

Gotta agree with that. The ol three sides to every story thing.

 

Angus MacKenzie has always seemed like a level headed guy so perhaps it was Ford's PR guy with the actual problem. Wonder if this PR guy is still working for Ford.

 

Steve

[07-2937]

a hyundai hell no its not even the same category. one is a throwaway hunk of junk and the other is a basis to bolt on and customize I dont blame ford I wouldnt even want them to compare that junk against fords junk i mean focus

[Secondo]

Most of these mainstream Auto magazines (Motor Trend, Car and Driver, etc) really have consistently and historically been favoring imports. And, they also favor the new model which in this case would be the Genesis. Remember when the Challenger was released? They tested it against a GT500 which beat it in all but two of the categories (including gas mileage!) and they still said the Challenger won the comparison. I don't blame Ford one bit!

 

Oh, and Angus is a crybaby!

He goes on to criticize US automakers and say that the only reason they were still in business in the earlier years was because the US was one of the few countries that still had a manufacturing base left after WW2. Well Angus, remember there is a reason WHY we won WW2!

[COBRA SCOTTY]

IF I WAS FORD CORPORATE I WOULD NOT HAVE LOANED THEM THE MUSTANG GT

 

EITHER. WHY WOULD YOU LET A MAGAZINE DO AN ARTICLE ON CARS THAT ARE NOT

 

IN THE SAME SEGMENT. IT IS COMPARING APPLES AND ORANGES. WHICH DOES NOT

 

MAKE ANY SENSE TO ME AS A READER , BUYER OR AS PUBLIC RELATIONS OR MARKETING

 

MANAGER OF FORD.

[svtbird91]

Most of these mainstream Auto magazines (Motor Trend, Car and Driver, etc) really have consistently and historically been favoring imports. And, they also favor the new model which in this case would be the Genesis. Remember when the Challenger was released? They tested it against a GT500 which beat it in all but two of the categories (including gas mileage!) and they still said the Challenger won the comparison. I don't blame Ford one bit!

 

Oh, and Angus is a crybaby!

He goes on to criticize US automakers and say that the only reason they were still in business in the earlier years was because the US was one of the few countries that still had a manufacturing base left after WW2. Well Angus, remember there is a reason WHY we won WW2!

 

Well stated Secondo MT, C&D, R&T and even Consumer Reports all favor the imports and are completly bias against American car companys. They always have an agenda and it looks like Ford didn't want any part of it this time.

I say Kudos to Ford for not playing their game.

[500forme]

Well stated Secondo MT, C&D, R&T and even Consumer Reports all favor the imports and are completly bias against American car companys. They always have an agenda and it looks like Ford didn't want any part of it this time.

I say Kudos to Ford for not playing their game.

Well......not always, Consumer Reports recently named several 2009 Ford products "Best Buys", "Recomended" and "Top Recommended" . Perhaps the perception is changing?

[Canadian Bear]

I am sure someone may have already said this but why would ford even bother with m/t or c+d anymore they already have preconceived notions about what they are going to write anyway. As For the coparison with the camaro and genesis, we all knew who they were going to pick before you read the article. Both of those publications have been crapping on Ford for years now. They never do proper comparisons. They pit the zo6 with the GT500 KR and then say the KR is too much for what it offers. Now that being said the GT500 is not the direct rival of the corvette anyway. Its direct rivals are the camaro, challenger, and others which like the GT500 have four passenger capability. But in their efforts to make Ford and the Mustang look bad they clearly stack the deck in favour of who they feel should win!! Then they go and compare the gt mustang to the srt8 challenger and the camaro ss and again say ford came up wanting. So when they ask ford for a vehicle from their pr fleet why would'nt they say no!! Hell, they should have just given them a focus to compare we all know the results would have been the same. So why should they bother to give either publication a car when they already know what the outcome is. A biased opinion is just that an opinion, not a factual based comparison. Thus not informative at all. A recent slanderous article from c+d proved that!!

 

Sorry just ranting again.

[500forme]

I am sure someone may have already said this but why would ford even bother with m/t or c+d anymore they already have preconceived notions about what they are going to write anyway. As For the coparison with the camaro and genesis, we all knew who they were going to pick before you read the article. Both of those publications have been crapping on Ford for years now. They never do proper comparisons. They pit the zo6 with the GT500 KR and then say the KR is too much for what it offers. Now that being said the GT500 is not the direct rival of the corvette anyway. Its direct rivals are the camaro, challenger, and others which like the GT500 have four passenger capability. But in their efforts to make Ford and the Mustang look bad they clearly stack the deck in favour of who they feel should win!! Then they go and compare the gt mustang to the srt8 challenger and the camaro ss and again say ford came up wanting. So when they ask ford for a vehicle from their pr fleet why would'nt they say no!! Hell, they should have just given them a focus to compare we all know the results would have been the same. So why should they bother to give either publication a car when they already know what the outcome is. A biased opinion is just that an opinion, not a factual based comparison. Thus not informative at all. A recent slanderous article from c+d proved that!!

 

Sorry just ranting again.

+1 Thats why I subscribe to Auto Week only.

[svttim]

I have to agree, MT and CD should not get any press cars from FORD. And, looking at the Genisis, Until it has a V8 in the lineup, Its not a direct competittor anyway. I get AW but my favorite mag is Grassroots Motorsports

[LimeGreenGT]

I worked at the Hyundai Tech Center in Michigan for 4 miserable months this time last year. I don't have enough time or ambition to type and share all I saw in that amount of time. I don't know how they offer the warranty they do, because none of their engines will pass a durability cycle Yet they will say it did when they talk to the homeland in Korea

 

It was like a prison sentence. Ford or any other car maker has nothing to fear. TRUST ME! They will always be a #5 or worse car company. They do not have a clue, are stubborn, and benchmark 8 year old technology. If it wasn't for the fact Hyundai owns 75% of South Korea and built the most ocean frieghters, the car company would collapse, it's a hobby for them.

 

It was like taking a 10 year step backwards going there. Thankfully the company I left wanted me back and I wanted to go I was there for the big Genesis hoopla. What a joke! Ford had nothing to fear, trust me.

 

As for Motor Trend...big deal. That is a rag IMO, for wannabe car people, not real car people. Border line consumer reports, but leaning toward who spends the most on advertisements.

[LimeGreenGT]

Most of these mainstream Auto magazines (Motor Trend, Car and Driver, etc) really have consistently and historically been favoring imports. And, they also favor the new model which in this case would be the Genesis. Remember when the Challenger was released? They tested it against a GT500 which beat it in all but two of the categories (including gas mileage!) and they still said the Challenger won the comparison. I don't blame Ford one bit!

 

Oh, and Angus is a crybaby!

He goes on to criticize US automakers and say that the only reason they were still in business in the earlier years was because the US was one of the few countries that still had a manufacturing base left after WW2. Well Angus, remember there is a reason WHY we won WW2!

 

If it wasn't for us, he'd be speaking German! How many car companies in the UK? Oh yeah...NONE! They've all been sold or folded.

[DarkShadow]

MT was going to bash Ford regardless of what they did. Like someone else said, the folks at MT aren't real car people, they are wannabe's. The Challenger/GT500 direct comparo proved it, end of story. You wanna know why the American car market is suffering? Yep you guessed it, idiots like MT editorial staff. Granted, back in the late 70's and 80's the big 3 didn't do themselves any justice with some of the vehicles they produced. A lot of folks got a bad taste in their mouths because of it. Things have come a long way since then, but people can't seem to let that stigma go. It's rather hard when the so called "experts" writing the columns always manage to have them come up short. People really buy into this stuff and take it as gospel. Every time I talk to a regular person about what car they are going to buy next I get the same old answer, "I'm looking at a Toyota or Nissan". I say "why"? As expected they always reply with "American car quality is horrible". I continue to ask them when the last time they really looked at them and drove one. Strangely enough, they really can't tell me. That's because they just choose to jump on the bandwagon with the BS that the magazines continue to perpetuate. It has been going on for many years and will be hard to break that cycle. The folks at MT and other rags of the like couldn't care less anyway. They sell more magazines this way. Do you really think the already brainwashed public would buy them if they featured rave reviews of American cars when they already have it stuck in their heads that they suck? Of course not. People want to buy the magazine that give favorable reviews of the cars they already think are great. Case in point...that's why we read 5.0 and MMFF right? But then again, we are true car people, not sheep.

 

DS

[David Hawkins]

Here is a link to the M/T editorial.

 

http://www.motortrend.com/features/editori...ture/index.html

 

And look what car M/T ended up using for the Genesis comparo:

 

 

 

The Genesis looks like a renamed Tiberon. If that's all it is then, it should not be tested with the Mustang but instead the Cobolt.

[Secondo]

MT was going to bash Ford regardless of what they did. Like someone else said, the folks at MT aren't real car people, they are wannabe's. The Challenger/GT500 direct comparo proved it, end of story. You wanna know why the American car market is suffering? Yep you guessed it, idiots like MT editorial staff. Granted, back in the late 70's and 80's the big 3 didn't do themselves any justice with some of the vehicles they produced. A lot of folks got a bad taste in their mouths because of it. Things have come a long way since then, but people can't seem to let that stigma go. It's rather hard when the so called "experts" writing the columns always manage to have them come up short. People really buy into this stuff and take it as gospel. Every time I talk to a regular person about what car they are going to buy next I get the same old answer, "I'm looking at a Toyota or Nissan". I say "why"? As expected they always reply with "American car quality is horrible". I continue to ask them when the last time they really looked at them and drove one. Strangely enough, they really can't tell me. That's because they just choose to jump on the bandwagon with the BS that the magazines continue to perpetuate. It has been going on for many years and will be hard to break that cycle. The folks at MT and other rags of the like couldn't care less anyway. They sell more magazines this way. Do you really think the already brainwashed public would buy them if they featured rave reviews of American cars when they already have it stuck in their heads that they suck? Of course not. People want to buy the magazine that give favorable reviews of the cars they already think are great. Case in point...that's why we read 5.0 and MMFF right? But then again, we are true car people, not sheep.

 

DS

 

+1!!!

 

The Genesis looks like a renamed Tiberon. If that's all it is then, it should not be tested with the Mustang but instead the Cobolt.

 

+1

[cal66]

MT was going to bash Ford regardless of what they did. Like someone else said, the folks at MT aren't real car people, they are wannabe's. The Challenger/GT500 direct comparo proved it, end of story. You wanna know why the American car market is suffering? Yep you guessed it, idiots like MT editorial staff. Granted, back in the late 70's and 80's the big 3 didn't do themselves any justice with some of the vehicles they produced. A lot of folks got a bad taste in their mouths because of it. Things have come a long way since then, but people can't seem to let that stigma go. It's rather hard when the so called "experts" writing the columns always manage to have them come up short. People really buy into this stuff and take it as gospel. Every time I talk to a regular person about what car they are going to buy next I get the same old answer, "I'm looking at a Toyota or Nissan". I say "why"? As expected they always reply with "American car quality is horrible". I continue to ask them when the last time they really looked at them and drove one. Strangely enough, they really can't tell me. That's because they just choose to jump on the bandwagon with the BS that the magazines continue to perpetuate. It has been going on for many years and will be hard to break that cycle. The folks at MT and other rags of the like couldn't care less anyway. They sell more magazines this way. Do you really think the already brainwashed public would buy them if they featured rave reviews of American cars when they already have it stuck in their heads that they suck? Of course not. People want to buy the magazine that give favorable reviews of the cars they already think are great. Case in point...that's why we read 5.0 and MMFF right? But then again, we are true car people, not sheep.

 

DS

[azmartin]

M/T Cancelled!