ds91776

About a year ago or so a friend of mine was looking to buy a new car and asked for my help since he knew I was a car industry buff. We test drove 6-7 cars and he walked away happy with an Elantra only because the Focus was in such low supply at the time. In any case while answering one of his questions about the car industry I learned that he didn't know that Lexus was created by Toyota and Acura by Honda...and this from a guy whose family had owned nothing but Hondas or Toyotas for 20 years or more. In fact...he could hardly believe it. Intrigued, I took an informal poll amongst my non-car-industry-nutt-friends and family and I would say about only half of them knew that other than BMW and Mercedes-Benz none of the luxury brands were independent companies. Not scientific, I know...but an interesting story I think for us car-guys to remember.

I just downloaded the 2013 Fusion brochure from Ford's website. You know you're a car junky when you've been checking this everyday for months.

Dtorres, congrats on the new car! I'm really excited about the C-Max ( wish they picked a different name...but oh well ) and if I was in the market for a new car it would be near the top of my list. If you have the time I'd love a detailed review from an actual owner.

Joe771476, I have a similar story. One of my long dead family members traveled to this country on this magical vehicle that didn't require any gasoline, diesel fuel, or electricity. However, it took weeks to get here and there were no safety, convienienve, safety, entertainment, or safety features to speak of.

Hydra, no...Nissan is not cancelling the Quest...they just redesigned it. And Kia is retiring the Sedona this year to make way for a new minivan that will come out in a model year or two. And I completely disagree with you about the GM vs Toyota nameplate thing...and most people ( non-car guys/gals ) think of it as "GM"...they think of Chevy, Buick, GMC, Cadillac, etc.

jpd80, I understand where you are coming from when you say that you think Ford is going to think outside of the minivan box and create more of an MPV-style minivan for world markets as the Ford Galaxy, etc. However, I think you are forgetting China. Traditional Minivan sales ( much closer to the North American style ) are big business there. The Buick GL8 sells in high volume at luxury car prices. A Ford branded North American-Chinese style minivan sold in North America, China, Russia, and Europe could probably sell in excess of 150,000 units a year. Yes, making the next-gen Galaxy a NA style Minivan would lessen its appeal in Europe, but Ford can make up for that with the S-Max. Remember, when the S-Max and Galaxy debuted in 06 there was no Grand C-Max...so the S-Max can grow a little and so can the Galaxy. Russia and Eastern Europe could use a bigger van/minivan and their roads aren't as narrow as in Western Europe. Minivans make up a much bigger size of the market in Canada than they do in the US and a NA-style minivan can help cement Ford as Canada's Number One car company. Plus, China and North America would easily triple the sales of Galaxy as it stands now. But mostly, I think we should remember that if all these rumors are true, the Ford Galaxy-minivan would likely not sell more than 30-40,000 units a year in its first generation. The minivan market has shrunken over the last decade but has remained stable...but there is real possibility that it will grow in the coming decade as Generation Net starts to really reproduce. Minivans have high ATPs in general and many components can be shared across the Ford line so it won't be a huge investment. Minivans also attract people into the showrooms who ONLY want a minivan. For years now those buyers had to go elsewhere and thus their loyalty were up for grabs. This is a chance for marketshare gains if some previous Ford minivan buyers return or people who have a Fusion and a Caravan/Sienna/Odyssey in the garages now have a Ford minivan to cross-shop with.

The Ranger would have small margins in the US, if any, at a price range that would avoid treading on the F-150's turf. A new Ford North American Style Minivan "Galaxy" would bring in new customers that want or need a minivan...which is a far greater population than people who want or need a small truck. Sorry, but it is true. And I don't think the Windstar legacy is that bad. I think the Windstar was competitive for the 95-96 model years and for most of the second generation's life span. It was Ford's general downward spiral and the lackluster Freestar that did Ford in in the minivan segment. In my opinion if Ford had stuck with the Windstar name the Freestar wouldn't have been panned as much because with Freestar it sounded like Ford was trying to pass on an update as an all new model. I for one am happy that Ford will be making a NA style minivan again.

Honda and Toyota are not the major players in the mid-size market in Europe. Not at all. The major players are VW, Ford, Opel-Vauxhall, Renault, Citroen, and Peugeot. Fiat doesn't even have an entry in that class and Seat, Skoda, Honda, Toyota, Nissan, Hyundai, Kia, etc....either are not present in the midsize market in Europe or are only niche players.

I always felt bad for Ford fans and employees who need a sliding door minivan style vehicle to fufill their mobility needs ( wheelchair etc ) but had nowhere obvious to turn after the demise of the Windstar-Freestar. Hopefully this new Transit Connect will be better suited for them.

My cousin is married and has two kids under 5. As a family they love to go on little camping trips and the like and currently drive a Buick Rendezvous and a Town & Country ( which replaced their Escape ). If Ford had brought over the Grand C-Max they would have gotten that instead of the Town & Country...but oh well. Anyway, my cousin really likes the current Transit Connect and asked me ( known as the car guy of my family ) if it was sold as a non-commercial vehicle. I told him yes and no. Because, let's face it, it really isn't intended for that market. But I believe that with this kind of vehicle becoming more popular in Europe as a family car ( from what I've heard ) it will become a far more family-civilian-friendly vehicle for 2014. If my cousin's wife doesn't kill me first ( she thinks the current one is too dorky ) I bet I could convince my cousin to replace his Rendezvous with a 2014+ Transit Connect Wagon.

Speaking of Michigan factories...what is going on with the old Wayne Assembly ( former production spot of the Focus )? I'm worried that if the C-Max begins to sell in any real volume ( more than 25,000 ) Michigan Assembly ( Focus, C-Max, Focus Electric ) will be overtaxed. Couldn't Michigan Assembly be made into a second production spot for Focus or converted into the North American home of the C-Max and Transit Connect? These are just ideas. Anyone have any information or better informed theories?

Please don't put a V6 in the F-150.....oh.....wait.

You're exactly right, 2B2....but I LOVE the Galaxy name...especially for an MPV/Minivan. I wish they would turn the next-gen Galaxy into a North American-style minivan and make its primary market the US-Canada and China while still offering it in Europe where they would still have the S-Max.

I don't like the C-Max name either, especially since it isn't surrounded by its big and little brothers like it is in Europe. But I truly think EcoSport would not fly here.

I'd love for the EcoSport to come here ( I think Ford needs a CUV/MPV to slott below the Escape ) but several things need to be done in my opinion before that happens. 1. Replace the world center console with a North American style console with integrated armrest and cupholders like what they did with the 2014 Fiesta. 2. It can't have the spare tire hanging off the back. 3. It needs to come with either the Focus' 2.0 I4 or the 1.6I4 EcoBoost as its engine. 4. It must go through a name change. I think EcoSport sounds incredibly cheap and tacky. I know if has been very successful in South America and bravo to Ford of Brazil. But I think in order for it to be taken seriously in North America it needs a new name..."Faction" pehaps?

Could be...but I highly doubt it'll have the MKZ retractable roof because of the hatch's rear wiper.

Do we know if this next-gen Transit Connect will be built in North America? You'd think that New World volume could justify localized production...possibly at the Mexican Fiesta plant?

Looks like I was right: updated Fiesta, New Transit Connect, New Transit revealed along with announcements that the Mustang and EcoSport would be launching in Europe. Also...it looks like the next gen Edge will be sold there as well. That announcement makes it seem like it will be a 2014 MY after all.

See, I've seen/heard information that is one model year ahead of what you're saying, 2B2. I ALWAYS use Model Year because it makes way more sense to do so. Automotive News says the Edge-MKX are for 2014 and the Taurus-MKS are 2015.

I'm pretty sure the Edge and MKX are going to be 2014 model years. Also, the Taurus and MKS will be 2015. 2015 model year should be HUGE. F-150, Taurus, Mustang, possible the Expedition, MKS, and possibly Navigator.

The 2014 model should be interesting for Ford. They'll have a new Edge and an updated Fiesta. But then they'll have a largely new commercial fleet with brand new Transit and Transit Connect. Very strange in Ford's history. Lincoln will have a more important year in many ways with a new MKX and possibly a new MKG-escape.

Very handsome, yet still fun and spunky. Yes, the armrest was missing but then last year they added a simple fold-down one for the driver. I'm glad they're adding a North American style center console.

I think he was saying that not all of the Crown Vics were PIs. A good deal of them could have been taxis, etc

I've been wondering what FOE's big product announcements will be on September 6th. Here are my thoughts of what this press conference could tell us. I'll start with the least interesting news and move more or less towards the bigger possible announcements. -official launch timeline of Mondeo -new powertrains available for non-refreshed vehicles -official news that the Mustang is coming to Europe -reveal of the updated Fiesta ( 2014 model year for NA ) -reveal of an unheard of Mondeo-Fusion ST/SVT -reveal of an unheard of B-segment CUV/MPV to pair up with the B-Max ( or possible launch of EcoSport in Europe ) -reveal of the next-gen KA ( rename Start ? ) -reveal of next-gen S-Max -reveal of next-gen Galaxy Ford seems to be saying that this announcement will be a big deal so I am inclined to hope that at least some of the more exciting possabilities are on hand. It would make sense that the KA, S-Max, and Galaxy would be revealed in the next year-year and a half because those are now the oldest vehicles sold in FOE's line-up, as well as world-wide. What do you guys ( and gals ) think?

Actually, even if the "Corolla" ends up outselling the Focus...it really won't have. Let me explain. Unlike the Golf and Focus, the Corolla is significantly different around the world, kinda like the Accord which has North American version and a European version. So no matter what the Focus will be the best selling single car design in the world.