630land

Toyota doesn't sell Corollas "high priced" or at sticker anymore. Civics were going for cheap until the current re-design, and even at that, they don't command premium pricing. With non UAW plants, low fixed costs, and importing, they can under cut Ford. If Ford brought the C1, H-T would still be cheaper, and no one would pay a higher price for a Ford compact.

Who says that that are getting the axe? Where is there an official press release? IF they did, the greenies would have a field day and killing compact cars would look bad. I bet the station wagon will die, before the ZX3. Also, there is this hit comact car called "Dodge Caliber", that is a 5 door hatch, and why would Ford not want to counter it?

Fusion is a D and Focus is a C, how can they abandon the C? BORG predicted the Escape would flop and that the Ridgeline would overtake the truck market. Who are you going to believe?

Ford can only make $$ on the C1 if they build them in Japan, or call them Volvos and prices them at 40K$ And the MZ3 doesn't handle as well as the old Protege anyway. And the C1 hatch looks like a huge cockroach, no teen male will want to be seen in one, too feminine looking. Honda would walk all over it, and Ford would not be able to price C1's higher than Civics and Corollas. Unless they make them in non union plants.

"how was ford supposed to know this would happen ? LOL lack of leadership, lack of direction, and fear " Yeah beacuse the C1 platform should be replacing all of Fords vehicles, right? A new unibody F150 off the C1 out to pull stumps and 'handle the twisties" like a Euro Focus Turbo, right??? And Toyota doesn't actaully make pickups, that is pro Union propaganda, they only make Hybrids, right???? Oh, and no one actaully needs pickups anymore, most should be able to haul stuff in their 'sweet handling' Focus hatchbacks anyway!! So, Ford should hand over the CEO spot to "Mr Focus C1 for everyone" and we can all join hands and sing 'Kumbya'!

"The VAST majority who buy Focus are because they are CHEAP and they can't afford anything else, or they want a Ford Product with good gas mileage. I agree that there isn't anything appealing about this, but its what Ford has to work with till 2010 or so. There's nothing you or I can do to change this and just have to accept it. In no shape or form, the Focus isn't a inspirational car to buy. " I totally agree, someone who posts here endlessly complaining about "No C1 20,000$ Focus" needs to get a fR@($*@()* life!

Reasons they are in a mess: Gas prices Thinking all America wanted BOF SUV's Keeping the Turus lame, dull, forgettable Dumping it into fleets cheap crappy parts crooked dealers 'who cares' attitude ignoring segments other than big trucks thinking Focus would be good enough to last 8 years ignoring import competition

"Ford in fact does hate their core customers - they doing everything they can to drive them away for a fantasy world where women, homosexuals, and young people will save the... " ?Are you for real? As if no female or queer has bought a Ford? Where were all the 'real' men when Town Cars needed sales? I will be happy if the TC dies, only because it will break the hearts of some bigots. [They can join a militia and try to save the TC] Also, other car companies are kicking ass, because they don't cater just to inbred men who think they are the shit and spit on anyone else "not like me". Guess what, the world is changing!

"The camry went a lot further with its redesign than ford went with the explorer and the expedition and the upcoming escape," Umm I didn't know Camry was an SUV? Trucks and cars are completely different timelines and no one should expect a "whole new look" in a truck every 4 years at all. Look at the Import trucks and see they don't go "all new" each so called "generation". Look at how "new" the current Xterra is, and the 2007 CRV mainly is hiding the spare tire, something the Escape always did. Small SUV's are NOT a 'dying segment' at all, btw. Explorer sales are down not on "old looks", but GAS PRICES! DUh!!!!!! The mythical trade in is not to anohter big SUV cuz it loks different, but to a smaller less hoggy vehicle! Car enthusiasts can be too emotional, and care too much about looks, specs, and really do not know enough about the real world car biz.

Corolla is going to be a 6 year car, so the whole car magazine dogma of "cars are dated at 3 years old" is itself 'dated'. Bet on Civic going to 6 years? Were people actaully thinking a C1 was coming? If Ford did, 99% would say "I'll wait for the rebates". This ain't Europe, where only the upper classes [so much for Europe being so enlightened] can afford new cars. And no, we don't need to see 'BicycleSixteen' post a long winded "Ford should force an expensive compact on America"

Borg and others seem to think car companies should be all one blob, run in Tokyo. Japan still has an image of "saints" running businesses, but they are really cut throat. And, no no no, Ford and Toyota do NOT 'belong together'. Some want to see a Japanese name on all cars so they can "think and feel good". And why should they rule the world, just because the 'borgieous' [upper materialistic] class in America "like the feel of the interiors".

Damned if they do or don't Left: If they continue to make trucks, they are "destroying the world" Right wing: If they don't sell enough trucks, they are "not making enough for shareholders and are junk status"

"It looks like a 2 year old KIA Spectra5!" The Spectra copied VW and the Mzda 3 , duh. It looks like what the Golf has looked like since forever ago. And, VW has never claimed that the Golf or Rabbit were to be 'much different than the Jetta'. See the post above that starts with 'You guys don't know jack...."

Highly doubt that, most 70s and 80s cars have rusted away by now. LOL

"because Ford is run by Euroweenies and Americans racked by liberal guilt" Well, those 'real American' conservatives in DC certainly don't give two shits about Ford and GM. "Build more relavent products" says King GW. In other words 'drop dead". And Cheney only cares about oil. I don't see GW saying "buy a Crown Vic, I did". And Fox News B. O'Reilly loves the Prius, so much that he said 'let Toyota take over the car market" one time. In fact, I am surpirised that the so called "real Amurricuns' driving the tanks still get them, since they are made in "liberal" Canada, you know where 'anything goes'?? No way is the AUS Falcon coming here, it would be 'locked in' by now if coming in 2008. Also, the cost after shipping 4000 miles would be way more then most 'bue collar' RWD V8 fasn would pay.

It's something shoud have been doen a while ago, but there probably was 'red tape' and crap. Also, dealers now won't be able to try to sneak on loans some extended warranties for $3000!

Try October. It will compete for promos with the new Altima and Versa.

The previous gen Golfs were from FRD, after 2000 Jettas only came from MEX. Some will say the old Rabbits were junk, but look at 70's Car&Drivers, and they made the car out to be the 2nd coming. Shows that you can't rely on car mags

BORG in charge of Ford: Would keep Taurus going, with $10K rebates. And the LS priced at $15,999, after the $25K rebate. See how long the Chapter 11 filing would come.

Oh Gawd, shouda imported Fiesta? People would confues it with Festiva and not gotten it. Anyway this forum is about Lincoln, and it's not going to be canned like Olds. So it should be given good products. Unless Ford wants to settle all the L-M dealer lawsuits. Maybe can get the Bikeman to negotiate with them?

It looked like Dr Z's voice was dubbed, like a foreign film. They are desaparte to unload Rams and Dakotas too, seeing pics of them all over Detroit unsold. Why doesn't Hemi and friends buy some?

The new Rabbit is nice, but no earth shattering car. Next gen is coming sooner, and rumor is it might get a [gasp] beam axle!! ROFL Looks like C170 ain't so 'old' after all, ;-) jk

Well, this lengthening of the 'gold standard' compact throws water on the tired "Focus shoulda been changed more..." rant. I bet some competitors are breathing a sigh of relief, now they can say "well if they can go 6 years..." Some forget that Japan Inc used to be 4 years, and they quietly went to 5 a decade ago. No screaming back then! Good thing: maybe this will keep car prices down for buyers? Bad thing: Car nuts want to see "new new new" cars! Well, maybe they can do more facelifts/interior updates to satisfy them?

"For those who refer to the Fairlane as being boring or bland, how about these:" Yes, but Torino is more memorable to most average car buyers. The Fairlane name was tuned out nearly 40 years ago. On music, to most men, "1978 FM rock" is not their playlist. Ask most young guys what they listen to, it's not Boston, Styx, or REO Speedwagon! What would have been called 'disco' then, is what teens listen too now. Some may not like hip-hop, but most suburban teen boys have it blasting in their cars. Ford sure can't be like Chevy and use Bob Segar "Like a Rock" for 20 years. They have to use what is going on now. And AI is going into its 5th season. A lot longer than some 'classic rock' bands were together!

No, actually, I think that this whole 'redo the whole car ever 4-5 years' is getting to be too expensive for car makers and will eventaullty stretch out some more. Just the car mags and nuts demand 'newness' for the sake of it. People now are getting new cars with 72 month loans, and cannot get a new one till they get equity. Suddenly saying "your 3 year old car is outdated", when they are years away from pay off is disheartening and makes one think "why buy this car from Brand X, if it is just going to be dated next year?" If mighty Toyota moves out to 6 years, how long will the current Civic last? Car rags and nuts badge a car 'outdated' just on looks, pictures, and the 'birth ceritificate', instead of really driving and comparing them. Or, if they all are eventually made in China, then we can see all new looking cars every year, since they will be so cheap, right??