Just The Facts, Ma'am
Seems you've gotten them slightly skewed. Ford did not threten to close any plants, but to cease their funding if the company failed to bring customer satisfaction up from the bottom rung of the ladder. The US is their largest potential market, but while JD Powers only rates based upon domestic polling, similar poles exist wordlwide. Why would any ivester continue funding when the largest markets are dissatisfied? Maybe a boot where the sun don't shine is what it needs to divest labor of their "not invented here" attitude.
FWIW, Mate, Ford has had nothing to do (As in ZIP, ZERO, NADA) with designs of any LR product. However, and despite your apparant bias against US design and engineering, maybe LR should have asked for some assistance.
The Explorer has consistantly outsold other SUVs, and ranks highest for out-of-the-box quality. While I admit to shuddering at the first pics of the Discovery Series 3 (LR3), in the flesh, it is not nearly so, how shall I say, weird. The rear door splits ala Rnagies, as opposed to swinging ( a design that only benefitted RHD countries) and the vehicle can actually be driven while it's open. Whatever it looks like, how anone could suggest it looks like an F series pickup, or some Hummer thingy, is beyond me.
I, too, have been driving LR products, some thirty years now, but never considered one out of necessity, only the fun they all impart.
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