Edmunds.com | Inside Line | Auto Observer Your Account | Help | Directory
You are here:
![[F]](http://a332.g.akamai.net/f/332/936/12h/www.edmunds.com/media/townhall/webxicons/site.gif){kind=small}
Forums
Automotive News & Views What about the future of Ford Inc?? 
1858 messages, Last post on Oct 16, 2006 at 6:25 AM
You are in the Automotive News & Views Forum. Your Hosts are steve_ & claires
|
much discussion about future of GM but future of Ford? Is Ford Motor any better off than GM? Despite huge success of mustang Ford still managed to lose 900 millon during april-jun quarter. Whats in the future plan for Ford?
|
|
|
Replying to: norne (Aug 12, 2005 7:44 pm) From a product side, I think Ford's new vehicles are still better than what has come from GM. We'll see whether GM's new full-size pickups and SUVs and the Fusion/Milan/Zephyr change that opinion. Looking at it from a purely business perspective, I'm not sure that Ford is any better run that GM. norne: Whats in the future plan for Ford? That's a good question. I sometimes wonder if even William Clay Ford, Jr., knows the answer to that one.  I will say that if the Fusion is anything less than a total success, then I think Ford will be in BIG trouble. I mean complete restructuring, loss of Mercury and maybe Lincoln and the sale of some of its foreign acquisitions. |
|
|
Let's give this one a little more focus (ouch... pun alert) and keep this one from going all over the map before it gets started. Let's talk about Ford's product line a bit, in general mind you. We have spercific topics elsewhere to handled detailed discussion of each make/model. Perhaps start with a simple thumbs up or thumbs down on the different models?? Then we can move on from there. |
|
| I've heard the Fairlane concept is going to replace the current Ford minivans. I liked the look of this concept a lot, but I'm wary about losing the sliding door. Minivans are purchased for their utility. | |
|
http://biz.yahoo.com/usat/050815/13045157.html "For the first time in generations, Ford Motor (NYSE: F - News) has resorted to firing employees and immediately escorting them from corporate buildings - shaking up the company and compelling Chief Executive Officer Bill Ford to send a message last week to employees." The stock was basically flat on the news, so I'm assuming this was expected or already accounted for in the stock price. |
|
|
|
|
makes good decisions mixed in with really dumb ones. They are leveraging their relationship with Mazda to provide a platform and other component sharing from the really sterling Mazda3 and even the Mazda6 to a more limited extent. This is a good thing. They chose NOT to bring over the new C1-based Ford Focus from Europe, even though it is a killer. Why not? They have never offered anything in the way of explanation for this omission, and the current Focus is yesterday's news by every measure. This is a bad thing. They also use Volvo's expertise in lots of important ways, using the best parts for domestic-badged vehicles yet keeping Volvo separate enough to avoid the "rebadging" stigma. This is a good thing. After developing a really great 7-seat crossover, the Freestyle, and then watching it steal 30% of Explorer's sales, they choose to end the Freestyle's run early, so they can redesign Explorer in the hopes it will return to its former sales glory. I am sure it will not, and 7-seat crossovers like Freestyle are where the market is headed, and I'm not alone in that assessment - most car mag editors seem to agree. The new emphasis on Explorer and even larger truck-based SUVs is a bad thing. Perhaps the worst thing of all: they absolutely DO NOT KNOW when to stop throwing away money on Land Rover and Jag, even as they totally ignore that they even HAVE an "upmarket' brand of their own: Lincoln. Oh, the wasted money on these components of PAG.
|
|
|
Replying to: nippononly (Aug 15, 2005 10:34 pm) After developing a really great 7-seat crossover, the Freestyle, and then watching it steal 30% of Explorer's sales, they choose to end the Freestyle's run early, I hadn't heard before. When did this happen? In brief, I too think it was a mistake not to bring over the new European Focus. It is a killer car much in the same way its platform mate (the Mazda 3) is here for a small car for not a whole lot of money. I'm sure the Ford version would be cheaper still. They're even going to offer a hardtop convertible version next year. Its a cool little car, but I guess that since the Mazda 3 and various Volvos share this platform they decided to sell Americans the tired old Focus a few more years. This and the fact that Ford desperately needs a new corporate V6. 201hp just doesn't cut it anymore, CVT or not. I think for the most part that they've done the right thing with their PAG brands, but after all this if they don't make money they need to think about selling one or two of them off. I'd keep Volvo and Aston-Martin. Jaguar is going to require more money still. I think Land Rover should be ok, or at least headed strongly down the path of being ok. They have a mostly new and/or refreshed product lineup for 2006. Volvo is arguably the most valuable from a business standpoint because of their safety know how, inexpensive/adaptable platforms and because they're the only one of the PAG brands that make money. Aston-Martin should be ok too once their new entry-level car hits the market pushing their volume to a Ferrari-like 4K units a year. M |
|
|
Replying to: nippononly (Aug 15, 2005 10:34 pm) nippon - I agree with you, but I have heard an explanation. Apparently, if they brought the European Focus here, it would be too expensive to sell at the current Focus' price point. Don't ask me if it's an emissions thing, or a exchange rate thing, or what, but that's the explanation I've heard. Hopefully they can overcome the problem and get it over here, but I doubt we'll see it before 2008. |
|
|
|
|
They have announced that Freestyle will end its life in two short years, although a rebadged Mercury version will remain. Sales have been good, relative to other vehicles of this type. Killing it is a bad idea. They have spent a BUNCH of money updating the Explorer for '06, to make it more like the new F-150 inside and out. It will still get sub-20 mpg in these new days of almost $3 gas. Bad thing? They have basically given up on the Ranger and thrown it away. I realize the volume sales in pick-ups is the full-size trucks, but Ranger was good for a couple hundred thousand a year just two years ago. That's meaningful sales, seems to me. Now it will run un-updated for more than a decade and then get killed entirely around MY '10. As for the little old 3.0 Duratec, they are ALMOST ready with the 3.5 supposedly, so at least they heard you on that count!  mirth: now that you mention it, I do remember them offering that explanation, although I read it as "the Euro Focus is too nice for you American consumers, who just won't ante up for nice compact cars". Perhaps it is true, but a little insulting nonetheless. People are anteing up for the Mazda3, I believe, which also gets pricey when loaded up. GM and Ford both have this attitude that small cars have to be cheap cheap cheap, or else they're just not worth the effort to bring to market. It is part of the reason their annual sales are so truck-heavy, while the Japanese make tons of profits selling cars. |
|
You are here:
Forums
Automotive News & Views What about the future of Ford Inc??
New? Join Now!
Forum Tools
Search Forums
Browse by Vehicle
Browse by Board
Browse by Topic
Today's Chats
