Driving home today I saw a little old lady driving a pristine Tempo, complete with plastic flowers attached to flag holder on the window, with an emblem on the trunk saying it was 4 wheel drive or AWD. How many of these beasts were made ? Can't be too many left on the planet. Steve
Actually they have several AWD Models - Fusion, Taurus, Taurus X, Edge, Flex (not counting SUVs which also have AWD or A4WD - Escape, Explorer, Expedition).
I would guess with he 3.5L engine in the Taurus (aka Five Hundred and Freestyle), and the new Ford built 6 speed, Ford felt the CVT was not an advantage. My Mother's 2005 Freestyle has the CVT and I like it, but some people aren't comfortable with the lack of distinctive shifts. The CVT offers little to no advantage compared to the more powerful 3.5L V6 engine and heavier duty 6 speed (the one in the Freestyle is actually a Ford unit, unlike the Fusion V6 which uses a Aisin-Warner 6 speed).
AWD Tempos were made in 1987 -1988. The idea was great, but the technology at that time was limited. The 2 "weak links" were the Viscous Coupling in the rear end and the "drop gear" setup on the ATX trans that provided power to the rear wheels. I drove a few of them and they were like friggin' mountain goats in snow and many off-road conditions. Excellent design, poorly executed, par for the course with Ford. They "almost" had a car to contend with Subaru.
The front "drop gear" setup off of the ATX trans was unique to Ford, but they took the rear "viscous coupling" from a Subaru design. The FWD was great until AWD was called for when the front wheels were spinning. Then, KA-CLUNK-BANG-GRRR, you had a regular FWD Tempo. There was no control over "when" the rear was engaged except an "on- off" switch. They didn't like high speed engagements. That took out the rear drive. The Viscous Coupling was a fluid coupled rear differential, instead of a ring and pinion and planet gears. They just didn't last in that application. (They didn't buy them from Subaru). The AWD Tempo was a great idea that was implemented about 2 years too early for the design to be perfected. And about 8 years too early to be widely received. IIRC, some of them had the short lived 2.5L HSC engine that was used in the Taurus.
If you want to start a Club/Forum for an unknown and unappreciated car, the AWD Tempo would be a good one. They're out there, but there aren't many. Total production was less than 10,000 .
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