Anti seize on the plugs when fairly new would keep that issue from happening. The belt on the 4.7 is an easy change. The water pump needs to be changed anyway about the time the belt does, so it works out. If you want a bad pita timing belt change vehicle, the Germans have that covered. I wouldn't buy the timing belt variety of my Audi. The Germans also have made things like changing an air filter a tedious job.
At the expense of tq, but yes, engines have gotten very good at making more power per liter than ever.
Exactly ford should of Coates those bad boys. Most don't pull their 100 miles plugs at 30 miles and replace with antiseize coated plugs or when they bought it used with 130k miles and no one ever changed them yet or buy it at 80k and and then a year later you go to do Them and you have the problem.