| Ford Division
Ford Motor Company Dearborn, Michigan |
| Engine |
340-hp, 428
cu. in. V-8 |
| Transmission |
3-speed automatic |
| Steering |
Power-assisted |
| Suspension |
Standard |
| Brakes |
Disc F, Drum R |
Check
list |
| Engine |
| Throttle Response |
Good |
| Noise Insulation |
Excellent |
| Drive
train |
| Shift Linkage |
Very
Good |
| Shift Smoothness |
Good |
| Steering |
| Effort |
Very
Good |
| Response |
Good |
| Handling |
| Predictability |
Very
Good |
| Evasive Maneuverability |
Good |
| Brakes |
| Directional Stability |
Very
Good |
| Fade Resistance |
Very
Good |
| Interior |
| Ease of Entry/Exit |
Very
Good |
| Driving Position |
Very
Good |
| Front Seating Comfort |
Good |
| Rear Seating Comfort |
Good |
| General |
| Vision |
Fair |
| Heater/ Defroster |
Excellent |
| Weather Sealing |
Very
Good |
| Trunk Space |
Very
Good |
|
The biggest change
to the '68 Fords has been to extend the greenhouse aft. Incidentally,
this increases rear-seat head room, but it was done to shorten
the rear deck, emphasizing the sporty look originated by the
Mustang. Also incidentally, because the "C" pillars
are now wider, this has had the effect of limiting rear quarter
vision, a trend we object to. For
three years, Ford has been attempting to steal thunder away
from Chevrolet's successful 'Jet-smo-o-oth ride" theme,
by completely isolating the car's occupants from their environment.
Ford has overachieved in this area; the Galaxies are too smooth,
too removed from what's going on where the rubber meets the
road. It fits the public's notion of that "big-car luxury"
feel, but it also puts the drivers out of touch with their
cars. We'd prefer to have, some sensory clues as to how it's
doing, while it's doing it-not once it's done.
All the sound-deadening materials
seem to have added pounds that even seven liters of V-8 can't
impress. Our test car, with a 340-hp, 428 cu. in. engine,
propelled us along noiselessly but without much sense of acceleration.
If Ford keeps up this rate of
technological refinement for a couple more years, they can
dispense entirely with "luxury', cars like the Continental. |
