Hey guys, anyone know what came of the engine cover featured in all of the prototype FEH's?

This first one looks closer to what we have now than the second.

 

Unless I'm mistaken, the covers weren't a feature, they were to keep secret the engine during early press events, and to make sure that feedback systems weren't interfered with during the testing phase.

Think of it as they wanted everyone to know they had it, but they wanted no one to know how theirs worked.

 

You also have to remember that when a vehicle goes from prototype to production the "bean" counters come in. Anything that isn't "necessary" or doesn't provide a benefit in marketability goes away to cut costs. Frankly most people don't open their hoods enough to make such covers enough of a "feature" that they'd be willing to pay for the increased costs... so away it goes....

 

I'd be surprised if there is even an engine under that cover. That prototype was shown quite a while ago. Most of those prototypes are pushed or they may have an electric motor propulsion system just to get it to move on stage.

Check out the 05 production cover and then an 06...

 

HEAT...!!!

 

As a beancounter (not in the Automotive industry, however) I resemble that remark.

It is funny how much the truth hurts though

 

Your forgiven... we engineers dislike the "bean" counters... but in the end if you weren't there we'd end up with products that had too many cool but costly features that just reduced profit margins.

In the end the back and forth is good and hopefully both sides give a little

You'll love your Escape when you get it by the way.

 

They could have made it an accessory.

I kind-of like the HEV cover that matches the ICE cover.

Now, if they only used a ICE cover that had Mercury's logo on it, instead of the Ford logo, I would be all set.

 

They could... but alot of people don't realize how much money is invested in making the molds for such an accessory referred to as NRE (non-recurrent engineering costs). You can make single copies of things via various prototyping methods, but now you are talking thousands of copies... Molds can cost thousands (tens of thousands) of dollars that you have to split across each one you happen to sell.. they only sell 12,000 or less FEH in a year anyway. How many people would buy the cover if it ended up costing an extra $900-$1000 or more because of the low number of them made?

Its easy for us customers to say they could have made it an option and I would have bought one, but they have to sell thousands to make it economically viable (and cheap enough that someone would actually buy the thing). Its a tradeoff unfortunately, and in the end sometimes it doesn't make sense for a company thats loosing billions already.

 

They could have made the mold logo impression in the plastic the same size and shape for Ford and Merc badges...but then they would add to manufacturing complexity in the plant.