Ford limiting car lineup to Mustang, Focus

[Millenium Vette]

Not so sure this is a great idea......

[Datawiz]

AND....the days of HIGH GAS PRICES are nearly upon us, upon which time people shed their gas guzzling SUV's and get CARS.

Lemme know how that strategy works out for you.

Our short term memory as a nation really sucks.

[04 commemorative]

[snide]

Dumb idea.

[Millenium Vette]

Originally Posted by datawiz

AND....the days of HIGH GAS PRICES are nearly upon us, upon which time people shed their gas guzzling SUV's and get CARS.

Lemme know how that strategy works out for you.

Our short term memory as a nation really sucks.

This could really be a disaster for Ford if gas prices shoot up. And what do you know, they always do.

Their CEO, Jim Hackett was the CEO of Steelcase, a local office furniture manufacturer. He either has no clue of how the car business works, or he is looking for a short term stock gain. All he is looking at is the profitability of vehicle lines. Looks great in theory until gas prices shoot up and the herd mentality takes over and everyone decides their Denali or Navigator is passe and the hot thing is a car. Ford will be fucked. GM and Chrysler also if they follow Ford's lead. Then the imports will take up the slack and eat up market share. I first remember this happening in 1980. History does have a way of repeating itself.

[SubZero]

I'm curious as to where the cut models are built and if any of them being built in mexico and any Trump policy regarding increasing import tariffs.

[FasterTraffic]

From a business perspective, you have to take action if this is your reality:

The New York Times said yesterday that Ford loses money on the Focus, Fiesta, and Fusion...

They're adding the Ford Focus Active to the lineup so the Focus name continues, if not in the same profile as today.

I think, though, that not offering anything for sedans is a bit drastic.

[Milton Fox]

[Millenium Vette]

Originally Posted by FasterTraffic

From a business perspective, you have to take action if this is your reality:

Quote:
The New York Times said yesterday that Ford loses money on the Focus, Fiesta, and Fusion...

I think, though, that not offering anything for sedans is a bit drastic.

And that's where Ford is being shortsighted. We must not forget the power of the EPA. We have a president who understands business and has common sense. It might not always be that way. Suppose a President Cory Booker or President Kamala Harris is in our future. They could and likely would drastically raise EPA mileage standards. With no volume of cars, Ford would be fucked, to say the least. It would take them three or so years under the best of circumstances to bring a new car to market. I doubt their stock price would thrive under such circumstances.

My guess is Mr. Hackett will get educated by car dealers who were around in the early 80's and know the importance of having "economy cars" in the lineup.

[FasterTraffic]

Originally Posted by Millenium Vette

And that's where Ford is being shortsighted...

We're on the same page. They need to take action but, to me, the appropriate action is to ax the Fiesta and Fusion and instead create an EcoBoost-powered, AWD Ford take on the Audi A3. Ford makes great, stylish cars when they break free of the design-for-the-lowest-common-denominator mindset.

[Black94lt1]

Originally Posted by Millenium Vette

Their CEO, Jim Hackett was the CEO of Steelcase, a local office furniture manufacturer. He either has no clue of how the car business works, or he is looking for a short term stock gain. All he is looking at is the profitability of vehicle lines.

Yeah his experience is leading a company who’s customer base is Fortune 500 companies who are willing to spend thousands, or 10’s of thousands, of dollars per office for furniture and generally sole source it as they don’t want a mixed bag of furniture.

[Millenium Vette]

Originally Posted by Black94lt1

Yeah his experience is leading a company who’s customer base is Fortune 500 companies who are willing to spend thousands, or 10’s of thousands, of dollars per office for furniture and generally sole source it as they don’t want a mixed bag of furniture.

Yeah, sometimes the truth ain't pretty.....

He may want to avoid at all costs ever having any interactions with their dealers. Unlike the corporate lackeys he's used to kissing his ass, the dealers aren't interested in kissing corporate ass(at least the successful ones...).

[mrvette]

OK, lemme get this straight now, they expecting gas prices to nearly double in the near future.....ASSide from who's stupid fault THAT is......Ford wants to sell more SUV and Pickups?? that get maybe as much as only 18 mpg??
and run around empty most of the time??? how many pickups are actually in FACT used as work trucks doing shit that CAN NOT be done out of a car that gets 30 mpg or better?? nearly none.....look at your tradesmen....they drive 3/4 ton work VANS, tools secure, part and supplies DRY.....

SO they limit the car production when gas prices shoot up???

[69camfrk]

Originally Posted by Millenium Vette

This could really be a disaster for Ford if gas prices shoot up. And what do you know, they always do.

Their CEO, Jim Hackett was the CEO of Steelcase, a local office furniture manufacturer. He either has no clue of how the car business works, or he is looking for a short term stock gain. All he is looking at is the profitability of vehicle lines. Looks great in theory until gas prices shoot up and the herd mentality takes over and everyone decides their Denali or Navigator is passe and the hot thing is a car. Ford will be fucked. GM and Chrysler also if they follow Ford's lead. Then the imports will take up the slack and eat up market share. I first remember this happening in 1980. History does have a way of repeating itself.

And somehow we just can't learn from it....

[RedLS1GTO]

The New York Times said yesterday that Ford loses money on the Focus, Fiesta, and Fusion...

That's because they are all pieces of shit. You can't compete in the mid-size market with the Fusion and the Full-size market with the Taurus. There are simply too many cars that are better at similar prices.

If the plan is to cut the car lineup "forever", I agree that it is a mistake. If the plan is to cut it until you come out with something that can actually compete it may change the argument drastically.

A "redesigned" Fusion will always be seen as a Fusion, even if they were to turn it in to a great car. The only way you change the perception is something NEW, and not just a new model name on the same thing. Wipe it clean and start over.

I wouldn't be at all surprised if 2020 rolls around and we see an entirely new Ford lineup of cars to replace the ones that are going away. The "NEW" Ford.

Of course, sometimes "new" blows up in your face.

[Will]

No sedans = no sedan buyers = no building any brand loyalty with sedan buyers.

They'll HAVE to buy a Chevy or Dodge or Toyota sedan. Guess what happens when the sedan buyer later decides to buy an SUV or a truck? How many will go back to the same dealership, and how many will go to the Ford dealer they did not buy a sedan from?

[Will]

American automaker dumb as a bag of rocks, water wet, news at 11.

[Mike Mercury]

Originally Posted by Millenium Vette

Not so sure this is a great idea......

this either

Ford Truck Off Road fail - YouTube

[thecornerman]

Originally Posted by Millenium Vette

This could really be a disaster for Ford if gas prices shoot up. And what do you know, they always do.

Their CEO, Jim Hackett was the CEO of Steelcase, a local office furniture manufacturer. He either has no clue of how the car business works, or he is looking for a short term stock gain. All he is looking at is the profitability of vehicle lines. Looks great in theory until gas prices shoot up and the herd mentality takes over and everyone decides their Denali or Navigator is passe and the hot thing is a car. Ford will be fucked. GM and Chrysler also if they follow Ford's lead. Then the imports will take up the slack and eat up market share. I first remember this happening in 1980. History does have a way of repeating itself.

I watched Steelcase go from a little building on the corner of 36th & Eastern to a mile long facility, expanding manufacturing with a complex on the Beltline and on 68th Street then a piramid for R&D down to only the woods plant on 68th.
Is that where Ford is headed?

[Millenium Vette]

Originally Posted by thecornerman

I watched Steelcase go from a little building on the corner of 36th & Eastern to a mile long facility, expanding manufacturing with a complex on the Beltline and on 68th Street then a piramid for R&D down to only the woods plant on 68th.
Is that where Ford is headed?

Yes. If they start building desks.