rmc523
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Posts posted by rmc523
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35 minutes ago, Rick73 said:
That preceded last night’s quarterly update with investors. Original source of that information was Reuters from days ago so we’ll have to see if that’s another round of dispute between Musk and Reuters. First round was around April of last year IIRC. 😀Ah, I didn't see any new news on it.
BUT....given it's Tesla, they could show it tomorrow, and it wouldn't be out for another 3 years.
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16 minutes ago, DeluxeStang said:
True, but what's stopping Ford from staying in these segments while also making them more enthusiast oriented? Like for instance, using CE1 to make an escape replacement that's sportier, swoopier, and more compelling.,
As for reentering other segments, Farley and others have implied a CE1 hatchback/sedan is something we could see from Ford. There was an interview with this smoking tire podcast where he didn't say a sedan or hatch was coming, but he didn't shut the idea down in the slightest. I believe he said specifically that CE1 could enable Ford to reenter those types of segments over time, and that those vehicles are really good for areo which is exactly what you want with an EV.
I believe he also said if Ford brought back a sedan, he wouldn't want it to be something generic, comparing in to something like the BMW 2002 that was really unique for it's day.
Ford. Ford is stopping itself lol.
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27 minutes ago, Rick73 said:
Q1 results were bad, some would say dismal and worse than many expected. Important IMO was that they acknowledged brand damage. Investors seem pleased with Musk stating he will spend much more time managing Tesla and less in government after next month. People/buyers seem to have short memory so there may be hope for Musk and Tesla to turn things around, starting by repairing image.
They are still promising a cheaper car soon though I’d still bet on it being mostly a stripped decontented Model Y or 3. A Model 3 or Y with smaller battery, cloth seats etc. should be easy to pull off so they can claim success, when what Tesla really needs is an all-new lower-cost car. That will be difficult to achieve with declining sales and profits plunging. Anyway, it will be interesting to see what they come up with in next 10 weeks if they remain on schedule for first half.
Tesla to Delay New Affordable EV, But Goes All-in on Robotaxi Launch
Three sources with knowledge of Tesla’s plans to manufacture a new, more affordable electric vehicle (EV) have shared that the automaker is delaying its US launch of the budget-friendly model, according to a Reuters report. Tesla initially planned to produce a $25,000 EV, but internal messages and meetings at the company confirmed Elon Musk decided to axe the effort during Q1 2024 to focus on its Robotaxi, which is still scheduled for a June release.
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Interesting story - probably one of the higher ups' car.
Also, it's the Yorktown, not Lexington....
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I actually didn't mind the current gen model. This turns it ugly again.
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6 minutes ago, akirby said:
We were talking about the SUV not the pickup.The original 2 door comment mentioned both truck and suv.
keeping the 2 door for the SUV has to be a cost-saving measure to maintain the common parts with the truck.
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12 minutes ago, T-dubz said:
This is up there with the jaguar commercial as one of the dumbest things I’ve seen from an automotive company. Nobody is thinking about “wellness” when buying cars. Just build vehicles that look cool with the features that buyers want. The nautilus is a perfect example.
"Luckily", it'll go unnoticed because 1) there's no substance to the "announcement", and 2) Lincoln doesn't get much attention anyway...
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14 hours ago, DeluxeStang said:
Lincoln versions of the bronco and mustang wouldn't be insanely difficult to make, would have pretty hefty profit margins in theory, and would elevate Lincoln's image. If we're adding more products, those are the ones I'd start with.
12 hours ago, fuzzymoomoo said:
not entirely. I’m willing to bet the doors, swing gate, floor pan(s) and dash (firewall) could all be used for both Bronco and Lincoln, not to mention the front structure pieces already shared between Ranger and Bronco.Mustang I agree with - I think it'd be good for the brand to have a single sedan offering, even if it doesn't sell a ton. Regarding a Bronco Lincoln, I don't really see what that would add, though it would give them additional product.....I think to do it right, you'd have to rebody the entire thing and make a full solid roof version of it (no removable hardtop). If they're just going going to slap a new grille and dash on the existing Bronco, it'll absolutely fail, IMO.
For the roof, If they don't want to completely reinvent it, I guess they could try to offer some sort of skytop setup with a fixed roof with sliding center panels (maybe glass panes?) on the existing setup with more sound deadening and interior panels?
11 hours ago, jpd80 said:Cadillac’s Escalade is literally miles ahead of the Lincoln Navigator and it shows in sales.
Lincoln really needs to go back to the drawing board with both Navigator and Aviator and do much better
in terms of ride and interior feel, the areas where Cadillac seems to be a generation ahead of Lincoln.
Here’s a thought regarding Lincoln LT, imagine CD6 based Explorer Sport Trac and Lincoln LT versionI think that’s more in keeping with Lincoln buyers expectations of a pickup, a point of difference with Cadillac?
I recently read that Borg purchased a new Nautilus and declared the best Lincoln he’s owned in recent years
because it feels and drives like a Lincoln’s should. pretty sure that others on this forum have had a simliar
experience with Nautilus so maybe Ford needs to find a way for local manufacture, maybe a new C2 plant.
I disagree with Aviator - Aviator is better than Caddy's efforts in the segment. That said, they can't just let it languish as they tend to do, and need to keep pushing forward, which they don't do. Navigator is just a heavy refresh of the current model, though, and while touchpoints all changed which the average buyer wont notice, people who know, know.
As several of us have suggested, Louisville should've become a "mega" C2 plant, producing Escape, Corsair, and adding Nautilus and a new Edge, with the CE1 BEVs going to BOC until additional production is needed/warranted.
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New Lexus ES Drops The Grille And Embraces Electrification | Carscoops
There are hybrid and EV versions. We'll see which ones we get.
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16 hours ago, DeluxeStang said:
Like seriously, has there ever been a time in Ford's entire history when they're making as many cool and interesting products as they are now all at the same time? I honestly don't think so. I know this pivot to more aspirational, and passion oriented products might be hard for some to get behind, it's a pretty hard turn from where Ford has been in the past, but think about it for a moment.
The Chinese are coming on strong, and the market they're dominating in is the super affordable low maintenance A to B transportation appliance crowd. A market Ford used to play in more, and that brands like Kia and Nissan really lean into. But answer me this, what happens when you're Kia, and Nissan, and pretty much the only reason you've ever given customers to buy your cars, because they're cheap, is wiped out overnight because the Chinese are here, and they can beat you on price and quality all day long? You go out of business is the answer. You have literally no breakout attributes for your product that make it a must have.
All these legacy brands relying purely on low cost, appliance type cars have built their empires on sand, and the Chinese players are the rising tide. Ford realized what so many of these other brands haven't. That game is not only unprofitable, there's no future in it, you stick with it, your company goes under.
But if you get people to love your company because it makes awesome products that only you offer, and that they're super passionate about, well then all of a sudden, it doesn't matter what sort of bloodbath is happening to cars selling at 15k because you pivoted your company not to rely on that market anymore.
That doesn't mean you walk away from making affordable vehicles, it just means you come up with ways to make affordable vehicles worth a damn for a change. Like the maverick, or the bronco sport. You find a way to spin affordable vehicles into something worth lusting after so people still desire them even if the Chinese pod car being sold is 5 grand cheaper. You're willing to pay 5 grand more to have the cooler, better car.
I think it's a double-edged sword too, though. Sure there are more enthusiast products, but they're also increasingly ignoring the core segments and dropping products.
As pointed out above, hopefully CE1 can come out with some new products that allow Ford to reenter some segments it's abandoning.
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12 hours ago, Sherminator98 said:
The one thing I'm really curious about is the design choice to go with only 2 doors-given how the SUV/Truck market has gone with multiple doors since the 1990s, how much demand is there really for 2 door product?
As @akirby said, I'm guessing that's the way for them to keep it cheap - 2 fewer doors, seats, windows, etc etc.....the old "sure we can make it cheap, but that'll remove features x,y,z that you say you want."
It also looked like the design allows them to effectively slap a cap on the back to become the SUV (presumably removing the bulkhead, of course).
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38 minutes ago, rmc523 said:
It means they don't have any products on the horizon, but they want to still act like they're doing something....
Or, maybe that's why she was shown the door ("retired") because that was her big plan?
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3 hours ago, fuzzymoomoo said:
Wtf does that mean?
It means they don't have any products on the horizon, but they want to still act like they're doing something....
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Outgoing Lincoln President Says Brand Will Pivot Toward Wellness
In a quasi exit interview with Automotive News, outgoing Lincoln president Dianne Craig let slip that the luxury division intends to set itself apart by offering wellness throughout its lineup. That starts with purposely crafted interior environments and exterior designs, but also on distinct features too. The “quiet luxury” mantra established in the 2010s remains in play, but “credible wellness” is guiding its engineers and designers toward a new paradigm. “We’ve got a really clear, compelling vision of where we want to take the brand,” said Craig. “We want to become the automotive brand that’s known for wellness.”
Whatever that means.....
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14 hours ago, mackinaw said:
Probably not, but a few years back, some Chinese company put out a F-150 ripoff that could have fooled most Ford truck fans. Ford complained, and that vehicle mysteriously vanished.
There's a difference between design similarities and copy pasting with a different logo.
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Thunder would also make sense as a performance version of Lightning.
"Lightning bringing the Thunder" lol
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On 4/18/2025 at 10:02 AM, akirby said:
Until C2. The problem is Ford’s most successful North American platforms (F series, Transit) are too big for Europe and Asia.T6 works with Ranger globally, Bronco here and Everest down under but doesn’t have enough models.
That's because they shoot themselves in the foot and start over on a new platform every time they finally get a platform settled.
And you use C2 as a success story, except for the fact that they're dropping most models on it in Europe......Escape and Corsair aren't long for the world either.
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On 4/19/2025 at 2:29 PM, blazerdude20 said:
They are trying to gain mainstream market share with this redesign. I think it’s more likely to alienate their core customers as it is no longer a wagon. It’s essentially a highlander with more ground clearance.
Still looks wagonesque to me....just because they call it a crossover doesn't necessarily mean anything.
Maybe they've partnered with local eye doctors to include free eye exams with a purchase?
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On 4/18/2025 at 9:15 AM, Rick73 said:
That’s what you got from my failed attempt at humor, or reply to a safety concern? 🙁You're saying we'll make vehicles larger and larger. I'm saying these vehicles aren't that big.
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Making such a controversial looking vehicle, it was never bound to have sales at what they were projecting.
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11 hours ago, Sherminator98 said:
I hope he used an alternate platform to verify his claims (i.e. mileage tracking app, etc).
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16 hours ago, jpd80 said:
Edit for clarity…
That’s great to hear but the point I was making is that adding another sports model like RS/STwhen the Mach E has the GT doesn't suddenly bring in loads more BEV sales which is what
I suspect Ford Euro boss wants with ST and RS on Euro models.
It could help boost sales of what's already there Europe-wise. But sure, it's not going to make sales double overnight.
2 hours ago, jpd80 said:Work backwards from what we know.
Europe is stuck with MEB for one product cycle only and will then want replacements for Explorer and Capri.
Europe will also want a BEV Transit Connect Van and passenger version, plus a BEV pickup to take some load
off T6 Ranger. On top of that, Europe also supplies vehicles to loads of other markets. Huge potential.
Even though CE1 appears limited with the three vehicles originally mentioned, there is a lot of potential there
for what I’d call aggressive regionalisation……if you follow that thinking, Europe and North American vehicles
could have a lot of differentiation style wise so there’s a lot to be positive about.
Ford hasn't seemed to do well at leveraging their global platforms with regional models.
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13 hours ago, jpd80 said:
I think they did the chart that way to make it look ambiguous, mostly because I doubt they actually
understand the data themselves or want to present it a certain way -does that kinda make sense?
Yeah it does....they probably wanted the data to come out a certain way, so they presented it as it did.
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15 hours ago, jpd80 said:
It’s a little more complex than that, China also contributes to the funding as well
but you guys won’t get much push back from me when the world’s biggest
polluting country get a virtual pass because cheap Labor and offshoring
by global corporation all of Europe and USA’s previous noxious industries.
China gets all that value adding dollars yet continues along the path of dirty power…the build up in BEVindustry is their store front window dressing.
Oh I know it's more complicated than that. Just saying.....
They definitely shouldn't be considered a "3rd world country" at this point.
Ford wants ST and RS badges to carry over to performance EVs.
in Ford Motor Company Discussion Forum
Posted
But that's the point - work to make the products you're putting in those segments more compelling and unique, rather than endlessly throwing in the towel.