Transmissions were mostly automatic and included two versions of the four-speed AOD and a five-speed manual from Mazda. Later, the 4.9-liter Windsor V8 was available (’91-’93), as well as the 4.6-liter Modular V8 (’94-’97). Less overhang, more performance.įour different engines were on offer depending on the year, and at base was a 3.8-liter Essex V6 in naturally aspirated and supercharged variants (for the Super Coupe). The new MN12 cars were sleeker and more rounded than the Aero Bird, and though they were shorter overall, had a nine-inch growth in wheelbase over the outgoing model. He’d designed the ninth generation T-bird and Cougar as well. Ford aimed high and wanted the edge in handling and performance over the front-drive offerings from GM.įor the new cars’ design, Ford relied once more on the VP of design at Ford from 1980 to 1997, Jack Telnack. They were the only domestic rear-drive cars with that feature outside the Corvette. To that end, the MN12 coupes (and later the FN Lincoln Mark VIII) were given an independent rear suspension amongst their other technical upgrades. Ford started development of the new platform in 1984, when it made an internal declaration that the next Thunderbird and Mercury Cougar be sophisticated enough to compete with European marques like BMW. An all-new 10th-generation debuted for the model year 1989, on the exciting new MN12 platform. But by the late Eighties, the ninth-gen was looking a little aged, and Ford saw it was time to step away from the Fox platform with regards to personal luxury.

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