Ford, Lincoln/Mercury offers new features on 2001 models

By BJ KILLEEN
of GlenMoor Enterprises Media Group

For 2001, the Mercury Division is only offering five models, anchored by the flagship Grand Marquis. The big news for the division will come in 2002, when the completely redesigned Mountaineer makes its entrance.

Mercury
Cougar: The sporty Cougar gets some design changes for 2001, including new grille, front headlamps, fog lamps, rear spoiler and 16-inch painted wheels. Inside is a new instrument panel featuring a satin aluminum finish, along with matching aluminum left foot dead pedal, clutch, accelerator and brake pedal pads. For audiophiles, the Cougar now features an AM/FM/single CD audio system standard on the base four-cylinder and V-6 models.

No changes have been made to either performance or handling setups in the regular models, but an “S” version, with more horsepower and torque, a sport-tuned suspension, dual exhausts and 17-inch aluminum wheels and tires, is scheduled for arrival in late 2001.

Grand Marquis: Mercury’s best-selling full-size sedan continues to be popular with those looking for a blend of performance and value. For 2001, the Grand Marquis continues to improve on its five-star safety rating by adding the standard Personal Safety System first seen in the Sable. The PSS includes dual-stage airbags, crash severity sensors, seatbelt use detection, and seat position. The popular power-adjustable pedals also are available as an option on the GS model, and standard on the LS Premium version.

Mountaineer: The only big update for the 2001 Mountaineer is the addition of second-row child seat tethers. The Monterey and Premier Feature vehicles will remain in the lineup for this year as well. The 2002 Mountaineer will go on sale in the first quarter of 2001, and be completely redesigned with two good engine choices, a standard third row of seats, and a bold, beefy exterior design.

Sable: Safety is the key word, and the Sable remains true to its mission by featuring the Personal Safety System introduced with the 2000 model year redesign. Minor changes for 2001 include exterior colors added/deleted, the addition of the Child Safety Seat Restraint anchor system, and an optional AM/FM/single CD audio system. A five-star safety rating continues to make the Sable a favorite with families.

Villager: This is the last year for the Villager, a minivan that rides and handles more like a car. Even though it was recently redesigned, for 2001 the Villager features a restyled front fascia with a satin aluminum-plated grille. The liftgate area also sports a newer look. Don’t search for the key cylinder on the driver’s side; the only way in is with the standard remote keyless entry. Inside, new seat fabrics (leather is standard on the Estate model) and new gauges are the only visible changes.

Lincoln
Four carryover models make up the Lincoln line for 2001, but the focus will be on a variety of new products over the next five years. Also news for 2001 is Lincoln Complimentary Maintenance, which covers all scheduled maintenance for any 2001 Lincoln for 3 years/36,000 miles. In addition, all Lincolns will feature wiring for advanced telematics communications. Like GM’s OnStar, the optional service will provide hands-free emergency service, as well as 24-hour access to internet information such as stocks, weather, sports and email.

Continental: The only front-drive offering in the Lincoln lineup, the Continental soldiers on another year, but sales continue on a downslide. Minor differences mark the 2001 version, including two new exterior colors, standard HomeLink garage door opener feature, and adding a five-passenger seating option vs. the standard six-passenger bench design.

LS
The LS is the media darling, winning praise and awards from many automotive publications. For 2001, the LS offers all-speed traction control on the V-6 manual model, not available on 2000 versions. There are rear lower child-seat tether anchors, an additional power point for rear-seat passengers, standard compass in the rearview mirror, optional 17-inch chrome wheels for the Sport Package setup, a new valet key, and the emergency, glow-in-the-dark trunk release handle.

Navigator
The favored son of celebrities and sports stars, the Nav will not see any increase over the standard 300 horsepower from the 5.4-liter DOHC V-8 engine. What is new are a standard auxiliary climate-control system on both the 4x4 and 4x2 models, second and third-row lower anchors and tethers for child seats, and two new exterior colors.

Town Car
The favorite of limousine companies, the Town Car continues to please buyers looking for comfort over performance. For 2001, the Town Car gets a bump in power from 200 to 220 on the Executive and Signature models, and up to 235 on the Signature Touring and Cartier models. Unfortunately, this is still 65 horses shy of the offerings from Lexus LS 430 and the Cadillac DeVille. The L Series, a 6-inch extended wheelbase model, is just starting to see some sales results.

Town Car also features new seatbelt pretensioners, power-adjustable pedals as standard, new leather grab handles, no-dim daytime dash lights, and headlight on with windshield wiper activation; golly gee whiz.

Ford
The Ford division has been busy this year, introducing two all-new models, redesigns of old favorites, and plenty of carry-over. Trucks and SUVs remain strong staples in the Blue Oval garage, but the Ford cars are experiencing strong sales.

Escort
Although the Escort name has been dropped from the Ford family, the ZX2 carries on for a while longer. The sport-oriented coupe features a DOHC 16-valve four-cylinder engine producing 130 horsepower. No changes have been made for 2001.

Focus
Cute, spunky and inexpensive, the Focus has won the hearts of several car enthusiasts. Available in coupe, sedan and wagon versions, the Focus doesn’t change much from 2000, when it was introduced in America. The big news is the addition of Advance Trac, the yaw control system previously found only in the Lincoln LS. It’s optional on the ZTS sedan and ZX3 hatchback. Get this option, and you get standard rear disc brakes. The SE wagon features a manual tranny, along with a standard 2.0-liter DOHC Zetec inline four cylinder. Six-spoke 16-inch aluminum wheels are optional, as is a premium group package for the ZX3.

Mustang
For 36 years, the Mustang has been the favored coupe for the youth market. For 2001, the Mustang changes are minor, and include a new console with larger cupholders, standard rear window defroster, and new hood and side scoops on the GT model to boost differentiation. If you are looking for style and value, a new “value leader” model V-6 coupe is offered. The full-blown pony car, the Cobra, is still for sale; good luck finding one. The 320-horsepower engine, sport suspension, exterior design details, and price set it apart from the common ‘stangs. For 2001, look for white-faced instrument gauges, standard 6-disc in-dash CD changer. “Cobra” logos and badges all over the body panels, a unique hood design and front fascia, and 17-inch Cobra-only wheels and tires.

Taurus
The best-selling Ford sedan carries over unchanged, with the addition of more standard security and safety features, such as the child-seat tether system, SecuriLock anti-theft system and Personal Safety System. For 2001, all Taurus models get an 18-gallon fuel tank, and air conditioning, power windows/locks/mirrors, and tilt steering column as standard.

Crown Victoria
The favorite sedan of police departments everywhere gets a safety boost for 2001 with the addition of the Personal Safety System. Power adjustable pedals also can be had as an option, and there’s a minor boost in horsepower (20) from last year’s model.

Windstar
Ford’s popular minivan receives extensive updates for 2001, including a new front end with a chrome grille on SE and SEL models. Those two models also get 16-inch aluminum wheels. All Windstar models are equipped with the standard 3.8-liter OHV V-6 engine, along with the standard Personal Safety System. Since this is a family van, the AutoVision entertainment system has been improved with a fold-down LCD screen in the overhead console. Other highlights include a Low Tire Pressure Warning System, a new transmission that features improved shift quality while reducing noise, vibration and harshness, and the mid-year availability of Advance Trac, the stability system that uses a combination of steering inputs and yaw sensors to help provide added control in emergency situations.

Escape
This is one of Ford’s all-new products for 2001. The Escape fits in the mini-SUV segment, although it’s bigger overall than the Honda CR-V or Toyota RAV4. The Escape features two engine choices: a 2.0-liter inline four or the 3.0-liter V-6 of 200 horsepower found in a variety of other Ford/Mercury products. Unibody construction, two- or four-wheel-drive capabilities, five-passenger seating, and a choice of manual or automatic transmissions give consumers plenty of selection when ordering this cute ute.

Two trim levels are features: XLS and XLT, with the top model sporting an upgraded stereo, premium seat materials, ABS and fog lamps. Safety remains paramount for Ford in this SUV, and is seen in the safety cell construction, front and side airbags, and the fuel pump inertia shutoff switch. All this and more for a starting price around $18,000. The Escape should do well competing in this segment.

Explorer/ Sport/Sport Trac
There are three versions of Explorer this year: four-door Explorer, two-door sport and the clever Explorer Sport Trac hybrid.

Explorer
Only minor updates for the 2001 four-door, since an all-new Explorer is waiting in the wings for 2002. Changes include making the 4.-liter SOHC V-6 standard across the lineup since the 4.0-liter OHV version has been eliminated. Gone as well is the five-speed manual tranny and the XL (fleet) series. The child-seat tether restraint system has been added.

Explorer Sport
For the new two-door model, the looks are familiar but the ride is a bit choppy on the shorter wheelbase. This year, the Explorer Sport offers more standard equipment, more safety features, improved ride and handling characteristics, more front leg room, a standard 203-horsepower SOHC V-6 mated to a five-speed manual tranny, and a completely updated exterior appearance. For those who don’t need the utility of a four door, the Sport fills the bill, with a cargo volume of over 70 cubic feet and a tow rating of more than 5,000 pounds (when fitted with the optional tow package).

Explorer Sport Trac
Inventing a new segment is tough these days, but give Ford credit for combining a pickup bed with an SUV body. Voila, the Sport Trac. Features abound to please even the trendiest college student: composite rear cargo bed, optional hard tonneau cover, flip-and-go cargo cage, a 210-horsepower, 4.0-liter V-6 engine and more.

Inside, the Sport Trac looks like the Explorer, with comfy seats for five, plenty of amenities and a power rear window that drops at the push of a button. White-face gauges, a washable floor mat and plenty of storage have helped make the Sport Trac a big seller, even though it’s been available since early this summer.

Expedition
The full-size market continues to expand with models from other manufacturers, but the Expedition remains the best-selling vehicle in its segment. For 2001, the Expedition gets a bump in power on the 4.6-liter V-8 to 215 courtesy of a revised intake manifold; the uplevel 5.4-liter V-8 still cranks out 260 horses. In addition, the Eddie Bauer 4x4 features a Class IV Trailer Tow Package as standard equipment, as well as the HomeLink transmitter. Privacy glass is standard across the Expedition lineup, while the XLT version with the Comfort/Convenience Group receives power-heated side view mirrors and 16-inch cast aluminum wheels.

Excursion
The best way to describe the Excursion is SUV taken to the max. And what’s more fitting for excess than more power. The 7.3-liter Power Stroke turbodiesel V-8 gets bumped up to 250 horsepower and an incredible 505 pound-feet of torque … that’s more torque than on the HumVee army patrol vehicle! The Limited version has added power signal mirrors for 2001, as well as integrated front bumper fog lamps, Nudo leather seats, and the option of an in-dash 6-disc CD changer. Look for the power adjustable pedals to appear late in the model year.

Ranger
Ford has earned the rights to the best-selling compact pickup in America for 13 straight years. To keep it fresh, Ford had made considerable changes for 2001. Most noticeably, the truck gets a new grille, bumpers and headlamps across the line. The Edge model gets a new hood and new wheel lip moldings, as well as standard fog lamps (also found standard on the XLT 4x4 model). This year, it’s easier to tell the two-wheel-drive truck from the 4x4 model. Optional for all models are the hard tonneau cover and bed extender.

F150/Lightning
The F-Series continues on as the best-selling vehicle for 23 years. With more than 44 versions of this truck, there is definitely something for everyone. For 2001, the basic F-150 gets standard anti-lock brakes, while the upgraded XLT models get standard remote keyless entry and an AM/FM stereo with cassette at no extra charge (also on XL). A single CD player also has been added to the XLT freebies list. Safety continues to reign, with power adjustable pedals standard on Lariat and optional on XL and XLT models.

The big news is the new F-150 Super Crew, a true 4-door cab with seating for the whole “crew.” The Super Crew features standard power pedals, available moonroof and entertainment system, and even a bed extender that increased the cargo box length for longer loads. The engine in this people mover is the 4.6-liter Triton V-8, but you can opt for the 5.4-liter, which produces another 40 horsepower.

If you don’t need the space but want the power, you might want to wait for the Lightning, which will be out as a 2001.5 model-year vehicle. Horsepower bumps up to 375, with a 0-60-mph time of 5.8 seconds (yes, we’re still talking about a truck here!). Styling changes include new front grille, new head lamps, fog lamps and tail lamps with clear lenses, with a taillamp design that’s reminiscent of the Mercury Cougar, with bulges that create a more 3D look. New wheel designs are on tap for the Lightning. This model will act as an interim until the 2003 next-generation model appears when the F-150 gets a major redo. Only 5,000 will be made, and prices are estimated to be about $31,995 for these collector pickups.

Super Duty
The Ford truck line doesn’t stop at 150; the Super Duty trucks range from the relatively lightweight F-250 all the way up to the big monster F-750 work trucks. For those looking to excess, the 2001 F-350 DRW with the 7.3-liter Power Stroke turbodiesel will offer an 11,500-pound gross vehicle weight rating, the highest of any full-size truck in its class. A bump in horsepower and torque will help make that happen. Beast that it is, there’s still some civility, with power mirrors and remote keyless entry standard on XLT models. The 350-550 models get driver and passenger front air bags, more horsepower and torque from the 7.3-liter, and an assortment of additional wheelbase configurations. The big trucks, the 650-750s, will get a new idle speed control, cruise control, vertical exhaust, air ride suspension and a late-availability 260-horsepower Cummins 5.9-liter ISB engine.

E-Series
Don’t call it Econoline anymore. This is the E-Series or what we call the full-size van. The E-Series can be had in commercial or recreational versions, and both come with a choice of engines: 4.2-liter V-6 (E-150/250) or 5.4-liter V-8 (E-350). New for 2001 are a standard heavy-duty battery and deluxe engine cover console. Both front seats feature a standard inboard armrest.

This year, the E-Series will receive the Class I Trailer Tow Package standard, and dual air bags also are no charge in both model vans, as well as the cutaway vans. An optional Traveler Package will net you leather-trimmed seats, entertainment system, sound system with everything, leather-wrapped steering wheel, cargo organizer, Class II/III/IV tow package and two-tone paint. So much for roughing it!

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