jpd80

As far as I'm concerned, politicians gave up their right to over see restructuring of the auto industry when they rejected the Auto Rescue Package last year and viciously attacked GM, Chrysler and Ford CEOs.

Yeh, I mean I find these comments very confusing: Surely he isn't saying the Atlanta taurus is bigger? Is there another Taurus I don't know about?

Nah, I was being smart thinking he couldn't tell the difference between Focus and Fusion.... After his moan about the size of the Taurus, I thought it was fitting.

Maybe that's why the Fusion hybrid didn't seem to special to him, was it actually a Focus?

Fiat's plan for world domination: 1) Acquire Chrysler and Opel 2) ? 3) Profit I hope Magna pulls out, they don't deserve to lose their $900 Million and the the other hidden $4 billion. They would be better off buying Volvo from a reputable company.

Good call Macattack1, This should be seen as an opportunity to improve technology and efficiency, not as an impediment. Look at the people in the late 1970s, they thought performance vehicles were gone forever and drivers were sentenced to an eternity of econo boxes but by the mid 1980s thinks had changed for the better.

There's no need for a gas tax. As the oil stockpile is reduced, gas will rise above $3.00/gallon, people are then forced to make choices. No, that's what happens when technology is ignored. Consumer demand force car makers to deliver same size and performance vehicles but the regulations force them to do it with better fuel economy. As discussed elsewhere, the new regs use uncorrected EPA scores, a lot of vehicles do meet the standard already including most F150s. So relax the sky isn't falling.

I wish the offer included Holden, I'd LMAO.

I think you'll find that vehicles over 8,000 lb are also regulated but have different rules to follow, I know diesel locomotives have to comply with EPA NOX regulations so I guess trucks are in the middle. Freight companies in Australia tried super singles, they are false economy, mini duals are better. Reducing vehicle weights doesn't me we all have to drive pintos, look at the Fusion Vs Atlanta Taurus.

Journalists like to base their assumptions on last years sales, you can't do that at the moment. This guy would like to be critical of Ford but he hasn't got a killer punch and there's no smoking gun. Ford is right in what they're doing, it's not just a product roll out - it's the reinvention of Ford Motor.

That's all fine but will they get to June and decide the need more cash?

Fiat are starting to be see for what they are, an Italian version of "PAG empire building".

I wonder if CAFE standards is really top of people's minds, 2016 to them is a ways off, the recession has thrown the anchor out on car sales, not to mention bankruptcies. Is fuel economy really upper in people's minds when buying vehicles or are they looking more at a best in class package?

And finally the penny drops with the media, maybe the negatard journalism will abate for a while......

So where does this leave car makers like Ford who previously rolled out a technology plan that described 2008-2012, 2012-2016 and 2016-2020 milestones for meeting the previous CAFE plans? Does this mean we'll see a ramp up in delivery of all strategies including weight reduction?

Poor Camaro doesn't realize it's big V8 is already redundant......

They have to change the basic ideology of GM. GM has always been quantity based, managerial bonuses are determined by factory production levels. There is a huge temptation to over produce and then cover up the mistake with incentives. I see GM clinging to Silverado and their larger SUVs to make profits, even the government acknowledges this is the only way GM will recover to profitability. So what really has changed at GM? Apart from the size, nothing.

Well I hope you get the family heirloom Nick, the full head of hair that is. BTW, anyone wanna guess what an EB V6 in the Mustang would do in terms of performance and economy?

I as referring to the chassis not the body, you have to get it really hot to burn like that, In the Falklands War there was a ship deck made of Ally that went up but that was a missle strike. I've had enough goes on this thread, time to step back, thanks for listening.

That's why Ford started out with power trains but ultimately weight is the enemy. I do know that FoA had a plan for a future Falcon that used magnesium chassis and Aluminium body but the plan soured when a magnesium project near me went bust due to lack of a major investor, Ford and Fiat agreed to buy the first 5 years of production..... edit, When manufacturers finally decide to step off steel and go to Aluminium, the volume will bring the price down - at the moment it's about $3,000/car. Would your customers pay $2,000 extra for a Focus with remarkable economy? Only people like you in sales could gauge whether that is achievable or whether the whole thing is purely driven by meeting regulations. I hope manufacturers see real opportunity in this.

Oh yeah, and Ford haven't even begun to explore lighter materials yet. These new laws make motor companies bring to market technology advances they would normally eek out to buyers over much longer periods. Nothing like targets for inspiring engineers. Edit, Weight reduction is the best way to meet tighter fuel regs, I'm looking forward to the possibility of magnesium chassis and aluminium bodies on our Fords - cutting 400 to 750 lbs from small to big....

But hang on, your base V6 is near $20,000, add an EB V6 and GT extras - that still under $30,000. Edit, It's also lighter and has better fuel economy than the V8 GT.

This works for me.

Or a hybrid SUV to a specific Mini.....