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Ford News

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  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    edited October 2011
    "Ford’s slide was largely caused by problems with the MyFord Touch infotainment system, which also caused Ford to be downgraded earlier this year in the J.D. Power Initial Quality Study (IQS)."

    Consumer Reports Dings New Ford Models (AutoObserver)

    That said, Ford was the largest sales gainer by volume for Q1-Q3. Sales were up 17.9%. Earnings were up 1.65 billion for the third quarter, a slight decrease from a year ago. (detnews.com)

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  • mz6greyghostmz6greyghost Member Posts: 1,230
    Yay! More CR dribble! :P

    Seriously, CR knows absolutely nothing about cars, and are one of the WORST sources for "reliability" surveys. I'll stick to CR if I need a new toaster, thanks!

    And they "ding?" an automaker because buyers don't take an extra half-hour of their "busy" lives to RTFM? I've been exposed to these systems, and within 15 minutes, I was comfortable with it, and was able to do the basic functions almost instantly.
  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    Yep, like BMW's iDrive. Early adopters get hammered before they can get the system and their customers sync'd.

    Ford's bigger problem right now is the lousy European economy. The flooding in Thailand has affected them some too.
  • berriberri Member Posts: 10,165
    I think Ford may have pulled a Microsoft and brought out Synch too early before it was fully ready. The dumbest part is that I don 't think a lot of the "actual" buyers were clamoring for something like it either.
  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    Makes for a new acronym as the teething pains get resolved.

    Fix or Reboot Daily. :-)
  • berriberri Member Posts: 10,165
    Fix or Reboot Daily

    I like that one!
  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    Already forgot where I stole it. :)

    Too bad I'm not in the market; I'd really like Sync hooked up with Pandora. If I lived in my car more, I'd have to break down and either sign up of SiriusXM or get a mp3 player and a cassette thingy.
  • robr2robr2 Member Posts: 8,805
    I have My Touch in my new Explorer and I will admit there is a learing curve to it. I don't drive it everyday so I'm not as familiar with it as my wife whose DD it is.

    She has created her favorites screen and that's where it boots up to. It allows her to do all the stuff she needs to quickly. She does like the voice activation but has to remember to speak clearly and like the unit expects.

    For instance when using the NAV you say the street address and city together. The other night I had to go to Tewksbury, MA. I pronounced it Tooks-berry - just like a good Bostonian would. The NAV brought up every town ending in "bury" in MA and asked me which line.

    Say you need to go to Gloucester, MA. Here we pronounce it Gloss-tah. The NAV doesn't understand Boston accents so you have to say Glaw-ses-ter.
  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    edited October 2011
    Heh, can you try Ishpeming, Ontonagon, Negaunee or Ossawinamakee Beach on it? Between the Indian names and my Mississippi mumble, voice activation could get me into a lot of trouble. ;)

    Bet Ford doesn't even offer it in Great Britain.
  • robr2robr2 Member Posts: 8,805
    Heh, can you try Ishpeming, Ontonagon, Negaunee or Ossawinamakee Beach on it? Between the Indian names and my Mississippi mumble, voice activation could get me into a lot of trouble.

    Well here in MA we have Lake Chargoggagoggmanchauggagoggchaubunagungamaugg. I'll see if the POI can find it. BTW it means you fish on your side and I'll fish on mine.

    Bet Ford doesn't even offer it in Great Britain.

    Actually Sync is the part of My Touch Ford that houses the voice control. That is offered in England. Bet those Scots and Welsh can't get it to work. I wonder if Neffies in Canada can get it to work??
  • mz6greyghostmz6greyghost Member Posts: 1,230
    Doesn't the MyFord and Sync systems offer a "training" program that makes you say and repeat a few words and commands, so it can "learn" your voice and better understand you? I know cell phones do it to "learn" voice commands...
  • robr2robr2 Member Posts: 8,805
    No it doesn't have the ability to learn your voice AFAIK. No mention of it in the manual.
  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    "Ford Motor Co. has begun a broad search for candidates to replace current Chief Executive Officer Alan Mulally, who is expected to leave the company within two years, people familiar with the matter said."

    Search Begins for Next CEO at Ford (Wall St. Journal)
  • xwesxxwesx Member Posts: 16,762
    Absolutely, but he has certainly set the momentum in the right direction!
    2018 Subaru Crosstrek, 2014 Audi Q7 TDI, 2013 Subaru Forester, 1969 Chevrolet C20, 1969 Ford Econoline 100, 1976 Ford F250
  • robr2robr2 Member Posts: 8,805
    I'm sure Mark Fields is ready and willing to continue Mullaly's strategy.
  • fintailfintail Member Posts: 57,097
    Ford Europe CEO maybe, the brand has fared well there for some time.
  • robr2robr2 Member Posts: 8,805
    Well the Americas is where Ford is profitable and Mark Fields is running that show.

    BTW, someone from Ford PR posted in the comments section of thsi story on wsj.com basically said the slant of the story is false. Mulally will retire some day but right now it's not an active search. It sounds like the WSJ created a story for the sake of a story. It's a what if type of story.
  • fintailfintail Member Posts: 57,097
    I am pretty sure Ford Europe is profitable too. IMO the European style designs aren't hurting, and we will only see more of them as time goes on.
  • dieselonedieselone Member Posts: 5,729
    I agree. Mulally has certainly led Ford on the right path. The next CEO needs to keep moving forward. Last thing Ford needs is another bean counter at the top. Granted Mulally really isn't a car guy, but at least he's an engineer with great leadership skills. Mulally cleaned up Ford's engineering/design process along with how they manufactured cars. With those area improved, maybe the next CEO can utilize those improvements to produce even more competitive product. Lincoln is still irrelevant.
  • robr2robr2 Member Posts: 8,805
    Ford announced today they will reinstate a dividend on common stock - it was dropped back in 2006.

    WSJ Ford Article
  • anythngbutgmanythngbutgm Member Posts: 4,277
  • dieselonedieselone Member Posts: 5,729
    Almost like seeing the model T stopping production;)

    Those Rangers were tough little trucks, to bad Ford has decided to give up that market. I guess they'd rather sell full-size trucks to those considering a compact.
  • robr2robr2 Member Posts: 8,805
    Ford gave up that market because to introduce a new truck to America would be too costly. Yes they did create a new ROW Ranger but to bring that to America would involve building an expensive plant for few sales or dealing with the 25% tarriff on foreign built Rangers.

    As an aside, the reason Rngers sold in the numbers in did was because it was cheap not because people wanted a small truck.
  • dieselonedieselone Member Posts: 5,729
    As an aside, the reason Rngers sold in the numbers in did was because it was cheap not because people wanted a small truck.

    I agree.
  • jerrys2jerrys2 Member Posts: 189
    Anyone know if 2013 MKZ will be released in early 2012 ?
  • cannon3cannon3 Member Posts: 296
    Sad, very sad. I owned 2 of these trucks and both were excellent vehicles. I had one in high school I beat this truck to death and the truck still came back for more. This was a bad move by Ford. Ford is known for its trucks/SUV line up. Ford needs to bring the Ranger back as soon as possible. Ford just gave up the small truck market to Toyota/Nissan. I have been a Ford fan for years and this just sickens me... :sick:
  • tlongtlong Member Posts: 5,194
    Ford just gave up the small truck market to Toyota/Nissan.

    As far as I'm concerned, there are no more "small" trucks in this country. Even the smallest of any mfr are midsized. There are still plenty of small trucks in other countries, including those made by Toyota that are like the ones we saw here in the 1970's.
  • robr2robr2 Member Posts: 8,805
    The problem with the Ranger is that the people who bought it did so because it was cheap - not because it was a good truck.

    To offer a new Ranger in North America would require pricing it too close to the F150 and that wouldn't make any sense.
  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    "Fusion is a key contributor to Ford's car renaissance," said Samantha Hoyt, Fusion marketing manager in a statement.

    Ford Fusion Racks Up Record Sales (Inside Line)
  • xwesxxwesx Member Posts: 16,762
    That's a lot of Fusion! I see the AWD version of the Fusion all over the place here, but they sure seem expensive to me for a mid-size sedan.
    2018 Subaru Crosstrek, 2014 Audi Q7 TDI, 2013 Subaru Forester, 1969 Chevrolet C20, 1969 Ford Econoline 100, 1976 Ford F250
  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    Yep, MSRP for a SEL AWD is almost $28k. Base Legacy is around $20,500. Plus the $150 Alaska deliver charge that Subaru tags you with. :shades:

    Option them up to be more comparable and the price difference may ease a bit.
  • dieselonedieselone Member Posts: 5,729
    Pics look interesting. Guess no more v6:( Overall I like the looks, hybrid looks interesting, i wonder how much the electric model will cost.
  • xwesxxwesx Member Posts: 16,762
    edited January 2012
    Visually, this is a stunning improvement over the outgoing model; I'm curious as to whether the driving dynamics can live up to the promise its looks convey. Honestly, I think the engine choices will result in a reasonably peppy sedan with better economy than the V6. The only reservation I have with the engine choices relates to longevity. I'm not convinced yet that boosted engines will enjoy the same life expectancy as their non-aspirated counterparts.

    That said, the available powertrains also create a little more differentiation between this car and the flagship Taurus.

    Actually, in terms of engine choices, aligning the Fusion this way, in combination with the sizes of all four car models, provides a logical progression from model to model in the lineup. Impressively so.
    2018 Subaru Crosstrek, 2014 Audi Q7 TDI, 2013 Subaru Forester, 1969 Chevrolet C20, 1969 Ford Econoline 100, 1976 Ford F250
  • podpod Member Posts: 176
    The looks of the new Fusion are certainly different and the power train options are new with no V6 and now turbos and hybrids, etc. I cannot figure out whether there are substantial changes to the 270 HP I4 6speed driving dynamics. Are the changes for this engine choice primarily cosmetic or have there been changes to the engine or suspension or some other major system which will affect driving dynamics. I have a 2010 Milan I4 and am very pleased. Would the 2013 drive differently. I know it will look different but will it drive differently?
  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    edited January 2012
    "Overall, CNW found that Ford has seen a 10-percent decline in the average age of its primary drivers since 2005, from 58.4 years to 52.5 years.

    “Much of that is a reflection of a strong message to younger consumers with Fiesta and high use of social media,” Spinella surmised."

    Primary Drivers’ Median Age Tells a Tale (autoremarketing.com)
  • xwesxxwesx Member Posts: 16,762
    That's a good thing, as it means a higher chance of repeat buyers assuming those owners have a good experience with their current product.

    I haven't tried out the new Impreza yet, but so far the Fiesta is still at the top of my list to replace my Escort. I'm hoping they come out with the ST in the next year. If they do, that'll be it.
    2018 Subaru Crosstrek, 2014 Audi Q7 TDI, 2013 Subaru Forester, 1969 Chevrolet C20, 1969 Ford Econoline 100, 1976 Ford F250
  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    Ford tidbits:

    "Ford reported its 11th consecutive profitable quarter.

    It was another good solid year, but the gains weren’t quite as dramatic as in previous years.

    In the fourth quarter, the Dearborn, Michigan-based automaker was hamstrung by a weakening European market and flooding in Thailand that wiped out profits in its Asian operations, Chief Financial Officer Lewis Booth said today.

    U.S. consumers paid an average of $32,028 for the company’s models last year, up 25 percent from 2002 and the highest price Ford vehicles have ever commanded, according to online auto researcher Edmunds.com.

    Automotive debt, which excludes Ford Motor Credit (F1), was $13.1 billion at year’s end, an increase from $12.7 billion on Sept. 30, the company said.

    The debt rose in the quarter primarily because it tapped loans from the U.S. Department of Energy that boosted its obligations by $300 million, the automaker said. The federal loans are being used to produce fuel-efficient cars."

    Ford Fall Short of Profit Estimates (Bloomberg)
  • xwesxxwesx Member Posts: 16,762
    It can't always be roses. Ford's direction is positive and strong, so I think they'll continue to shake off their old stigmas as long as they stay the course and keep quality high.

    They really need to sort out Lincoln and strengthen its brand as well. That, I think, would provide a solid (image) boost.
    2018 Subaru Crosstrek, 2014 Audi Q7 TDI, 2013 Subaru Forester, 1969 Chevrolet C20, 1969 Ford Econoline 100, 1976 Ford F250
  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    Remember that $300 million part the next time someone lauds Ford for not taking any federal money. ;)
  • xwesxxwesx Member Posts: 16,762
    Loans are a part of doing business. It doesn't bother me much, but then I'm pretty easy-going. :P
    2018 Subaru Crosstrek, 2014 Audi Q7 TDI, 2013 Subaru Forester, 1969 Chevrolet C20, 1969 Ford Econoline 100, 1976 Ford F250
  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    "Ford Motor Co. also said its U.S. sales rose 7.3% to 136,294 cars and light trucks. Ford was boosted by strong sales of its Focus compact car, on which the auto maker began offering extra cash incentives in January to help lower excess inventories.

    The positive momentum should continue in the first quarter. Overall economic growth should continue in the 2% to 3% range," said Jenny Lin, a Ford economist, in a conference call today."

    January U.S. Auto Sales Jump (WSJ)
  • temj12temj12 Member Posts: 450
    I attended the auto show in Detroit. The Lincoln concept looked good and it promises to be close to the actual car. The styling should increase their market share. They have a separate design group working exclusively with Lincoln. Dan Akerson, CEO of GM, said good luck in trying to catch Cadillac. He better hope he is right.
  • jerrys2jerrys2 Member Posts: 189
    If Lincoln hopes to compete with Cadillac (or Lexus,etc.) they must upgrade their dealerships. On occasion I must bring my 2008 MKZ to a Ford dealership that took on Lincoln to replace Mercury ... I feel like I am going to a truck service center, lot loaded with dozens of trucks of various descriptions, service desk and waiting room suitable for folks with a truck or maybe a Ford . I plan to purchase a 2013 model, but unless things change at the dealership level it won't be a Lincoln ...
  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    "Don't you love an orderly succession plan at Ford Motor Company," Mulally said in an interview Thursday, unequivocally adding that he has "no plans" to retire. "Ford has always attracted the best talent. That's probably the most stable team in the industry."

    A smart move for the board:

    "The company's directors, in a separate step signaling an important strategic priority, said Jon Huntsman, the former Republican presidential candidate, Utah governor and ambassador to China, would join the board. The appointment, effective immediately, is likely to bolster Ford's credibility inside China."

    Ford's leadership pushes deeper into era of stability (Detroit News)
  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    "She credits her near-obsessive dedication to the car as the main reason why it's spent nearly half a century in her care.

    "When I buy gas, I write down the mileage, the date and how many miles per gallon I got," she told FoxNews.com in 2009. "I've never been a destructive person and I've just taken care of everything, except my husbands."

    Florida woman, 93, reaches end of the road after 576,000 miles in her 1964 Mercury (Fox)
  • xwesxxwesx Member Posts: 16,762
    I tell ya what, if all of us were as kind, thoughtful, and fortunate, this would be a mighty fine place indeed. :shades:
    2018 Subaru Crosstrek, 2014 Audi Q7 TDI, 2013 Subaru Forester, 1969 Chevrolet C20, 1969 Ford Econoline 100, 1976 Ford F250
  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    edited April 2012
    "There are plenty of interesting technical details about the 2012 Ford Focus Electric, but there's one number that trumps them all. That would be its MPGe, otherwise known as the official mileage number given by the EPA for electric vehicles.

    On the Focus Electric, the combined rating is 105 MPGe, a number that makes this Focus the most efficient sedan on the road. And yes, that includes the all-electric Nissan Leaf."

    2012 Ford Focus Electric First Drive (Inside Line)

    "By the end of the year, one out of every three Ford vehicle models will achieve 40 mpg or better, said Kevin Leyden, Ford's director of electrified vehicles, at a press conference for the Ford Focus here on Monday. This "power of choice" will appeal to consumers as gas remains above $4 a gallon." (Detroit News)
  • xwesxxwesx Member Posts: 16,762
    I was reading about the Focus Electric last week, and it's an interesting car.... but not $40K interesting! :surprise:
    2018 Subaru Crosstrek, 2014 Audi Q7 TDI, 2013 Subaru Forester, 1969 Chevrolet C20, 1969 Ford Econoline 100, 1976 Ford F250
  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    edited April 2012
    Mulally says that $12,000 to $15,000 of that is the battery pack.

    High Cost of Electric Car Batteries Spills (WSJ)
  • dieselonedieselone Member Posts: 5,729
    While I like the idea of an electric Focus, $40k is way to much. Either gas has to get more expensive or electric cars need to come down in price and yield better range.
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