Historic Ford Sign Blows Away in an Irrefutable Sign From God to Change Course

Matt Posky
by Matt Posky
historic ford sign blows away in an irrefutable sign from god to change course

In what could only be defined as an act of God urging the automaker to stop calling itself a mobility company, gusting winds ripped the 20-foot Ford logo off the company’s Dearborn headquarters.

How do I know that it was willful cosmic intervention and not simply dumb luck? Because a day earlier, Ford Motor Co. released another implausible mobility solution called “Autolivery” as if it were actively working on the technology.

Autolivery is a delivery service where an autonomous van drives a package to your home within hours and then releases a drone that carries it the rest of the way. Ford showcased the concept at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, along with the TriCiti and patently ridiculous Carr-E urban transportation devices. It’s my belief the universe finally had enough of Ford’s mobility marketing nonsense and removed the sign as a warning.

I photographed Ford HQ for work this morning after their logo blew off in the wind pic.twitter.com/Nud9gFhasM

— Mason Christensen (@mkrauszc) March 2, 2017

The last time the iconic sign came down was when Former CEO Jacques Nasser decided usher in the new millennia and replace it with cursive script. Nasser’s removal of the Blue Oval and over-diversification of the company crippled the its ability to function. Despite Bill Ford Jr.’s best efforts to clean up the mess, you cannot put the toothpaste back in the tube.

Thankfully, Ford returned the emblem to its rightful place in 2003. But like a mummy’s curse, the evil could not be satiated until blood was spilt and Ford fell further into disarray and destitution.

It wasn’t until recently that Ford turned things around and became profitable again, which makes you wonder why it’s tempting fate with so much of this mobility malarkey. It isn’t that Ford shouldn’t be spending billions on autonomous R&D or state-of-the-art automotive technology — it should be. The problem is that it’s becoming disingenuous with how it’s presenting itself.

Distractions like the gimmicky Carr-E are flummoxing and hoisting it up as an incredible mobility solution that “goes where cars can’t” is a ridiculous claim for one of the world’s oldest automakers to make. Is this the best a mobility company can offer? While the industry certainly needs to evolve with society, it does feel a little like Ford is getting distracted with promoting hypothetical mega-cities and drone delivery services that other companies are surely better equipped to handle.

At any rate, Ford spokesman Mike Moran told the The Detroit News earlier today that they are working to replace the missing sign soon as possible. I just hope it isn’t too late and the curse hasn’t returned.

[Image: Ford Motor Company]

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  • Art Vandelay Dodge should bring this back. They could sell it as the classic classic classic model
  • Surferjoe Still have a 2013 RDX, naturally aspirated V6, just can't get behind a 4 banger turbo.Also gloriously absent, ESS, lane departure warnings, etc.
  • ToolGuy Is it a genuine Top Hand? Oh, I forgot, I don't care. 🙂
  • ToolGuy I did truck things with my truck this past week, twenty-odd miles from home (farther than usual). Recall that the interior bed space of my (modified) truck is 98" x 74". On the ride home yesterday the bed carried a 20 foot extension ladder (10 feet long, flagged 14 inches past the rear bumper), two other ladders, a smallish air compressor, a largish shop vac, three large bins, some materials, some scrap, and a slew of tool cases/bags. It was pretty full, is what I'm saying.The range of the Cybertruck would have been just fine. Nothing I carried had any substantial weight to it, in truck terms. The frunk would have been extremely useful (lock the tool cases there, out of the way of the Bed Stuff, away from prying eyes and grasping fingers -- you say I can charge my cordless tools there? bonus). Stainless steel plus no paint is a plus.Apparently the Cybertruck bed will be 78" long (but over 96" with the tailgate folded down) and 60-65" wide. And then Tesla promises "100 cubic feet of exterior, lockable storage — including the under-bed, frunk and sail pillars." Underbed storage requires the bed to be clear of other stuff, but bottom line everything would have fit, especially when we consider the second row of seats (tools and some materials out of the weather).Some days I was hauling mostly air on one leg of the trip. There were several store runs involved, some for 8-foot stock. One day I bummed a ride in a Roush Mustang. Three separate times other drivers tried to run into my truck (stainless steel panels, yes please). The fuel savings would be large enough for me to notice and to care.TL;DR: This truck would work for me, as a truck. Sample size = 1.
  • Ed That has to be a joke.
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