rmc523
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Posts posted by rmc523
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On 2/10/2024 at 3:04 PM, akirby said:
A $60 discount on a $40k+ vehicle? Seriously?My problem is - today it's park assist, tomorrow (or rather also today on many models) it's the keypad, next it'll be heated seats, etc. and they'll continue to pull away features while not decreasing the price
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23 minutes ago, Oacjay98 said:
Federal and provincial government gave them 590 million dollars for this project. As far as I know plant is proceeding as planned FOR NOW. I don’t know if Ford is obligated to do anything to be honest.
didn’t the last contract also promise several vehicles that never appeared? -
18 hours ago, jpd80 said:
You know, I was just about to post that same thought, it seems like the natural thing to do.
Just a thought on contingency plans,
To save time and money, Ford could just rebrand the Evos as the new Edge,
it and Nautilus could be imported from China until OAC reconfigure is completed.
Evos is not the proper form to be an Edge and would fail as “Edge” - id guess we’ll see 50/50 conquests from sedans and edge, as there could be some overlap but edge is higher and more upright11 hours ago, tbone said:You read my mind. They’re building a brand new 5+ billion dollar plant as we speak for production of the next GEN Lightning, The anticipating capacity of this plant is 500,000 vehicles. They’re having trouble selling 100,000 lightnings right now that are currently being built in another plant.
Flex manufacturing has been the standard for a very long time, so I would anticipate this plant would be a flex plant like the rest. Why not consolidate all BEV production into this plant since they will have battery production on site, until BEV adoption becomes greater?
They have been all over the place with their battery plant construction plans, but they certainly seem to need batteries, but more specifically hybrid batteries since their hybrid production always seems to be limited. Can anyone explain the difference between a hybrid battery and a BEV battery?
Ford has shown they’re willing to stop construction on new plants in the past, however, I don’t think they’re going to do that with BOC. With that said, they certainly could stop their plans at OAC, and Switch to an alternative. As stated above the obvious consideration would be to move Chinese Nautilus production to this facility, along with the C2 based Chinese edge L, perhaps with some styling changes, although it has grown on me, but it does already exist. And put the dang Evos there as well already. People like the MME, but I think they would just prefer a gas version.
I wonder if they’re still pumped about getting rid of all those ICE engineers? Ultimately, this has turned into a major debacle. If I care to guess nobody will be held accountable for it either.
it looks better there than other photos -
17 hours ago, fuzzymoomoo said:
So they took an actually useful feature hardly anyone uses away and kept one that’s useless that nobody uses.that’s some powerful logic right there
yeah no kidding….though if you’ve seen people park around here they really could use the feature lol.my problem is taking away features once they’re there
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2 hours ago, Bob Rosadini said:
So without parallel park, what's left?
The system goes into perpendicular spaces now, IIRC.
So it did both perpendicular AND parallel....until now.
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2 hours ago, silvrsvt said:
The minivan that looks like a cross over lol
I think that's what they're going for to avoid the minivan stigma.
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17 hours ago, DeluxeStang said:
We all like those positive surprise reveals. But you have to get the timing of a product reveal and release just right. You don't want to drop a product onto people with no hype or build up. But you also don't want don't want to reveal a concept car five years before it goes into production.
The affordable EVs Ford is referring to are almost certainly at least 2-3 years out. If they showed a concept off now, most people would lose interest by the time they went into production. Better to wait to show something until we get closer to the release date. In terms of what we will see this year, my money is on the three rows, and t3, probably this summer at Detroit.
I understand that completely - I agree you don't want to show something too far out (unless a sort of design concept). I just don't see the point of announcing this "skunkworks" team.....that won't produce anything until 2-3 years from now?
Why bother? It's just a "we're working on it!" announcement since they've screwed up/changed plans so much.
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2025 Kia Carnival revealed with new hybrid powertrain option - Autoblog
At the Chicago Auto Show, it revealed that the Carnival is getting a hybrid powertrain, helping it compete against the hybrid-only Toyota Sienna, and available plug-in hybrid in the Chrysler Pacifica.
It's a familiar unit: the turbocharged 1.6-liter four-cylinder coupled with a 72-horsepower electric motor also found in the Kia Sportage and Sorento hybrids. It makes 242 horsepower and 271 pound-feet of torque between the engine and motor. The only transmission is a six-speed automatic, and like the standard V6 model, it just powers the front wheels.
2025 Kia K5 gets new look, more power, and better tech in Chicago - Autoblog
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Ford Q4 2023 Earnings: $0.5 Billion Loss On $46B In Revenue (fordauthority.com)
Ford Q4 2023 earnings were headlined by net loss of $526 million on $46 billion in revenue. Compared to the fourth quarter of 2022, the results represent a 138.5 percent decrease in net income and a 4.5 percent increase in revenue.
The performance represents a net income margin of -1.1 percent, down 4 percentage points from 2.9 percent in Q4 2022. Earnings per share (EPS) diluted was -$0.13, down $0.45 from $0.32 over Q4 2022. Cash from from operating activities was $2.5 billion, up $1.3 billion or 108 percent from the $1.2 billion in Q4 2022.
Ford Blue, the company’s gasoline and hybrid vehicle business, reported:
- 758K vehicle deliveries, flat year-over-year
- $26.2 billion in revenue, flat year-over-year
- $813 million in Earnings Before Interest and Tax (EBIT), down $736 million over a year ago, on to an EBIT-adjusted margin of 3.1 percent, down 2.8 percentage points
Ford Model E, the automaker’s emerging electric vehicle division, posted:
- 34K vehicle deliveries, up 14 percent year-over-year
- $1.6 billion in revenue, up 2 percent year-over-year
- -$1.57 billion in Earnings Before Interest and Tax (EBIT), a loss that’s $939 million higher than during the same time frame a year ago, on to an EBIT-adjusted margin of -98.2 percent, down 57.8 percentage points
Ford Pro, the division focused on commercial customers, posted:
- 361K vehicle deliveries, up 1 percent year-over-year
- $15.4 billion in revenue, up 11 percent year-over-year
- -$1,811 million in Earnings Before Interest and Tax (EBIT), up $361 million over a year ago, on to an EBIT-adjusted margin of 11.8 percent, up 1.3 percentage points
Ford provided the following guidance ranges for 2024:
- EBIT-adjusted of $10 billion – $12 billion
- Adjusted free cash flow of $6 billion to $7 billion
- Capital expenditures of $8 billion to $9.5 billion
- Flat total costs on $2 billion in industrial cost improvements, offset by higher expenses for labor and major product refresh actions
- Ford Pro EBIT of at least $8 billion to $9 billion
- Ford Blue EBIT of about $7 billion to $7.5 billion
- Ford Model E loss of $5.0 billion to $5.5 billion
- Ford Credit Earnings Before Interest and Taxes (EBIT) of about $1.5 billion
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This announcement is fine and dandy, but it would have been even better if they just unexpectedly unveiled a vehicle - like they did with the 2nd gen GT - BAM here's our new EV that's coming out in 6 months.
Right now, it's more generic "look at what we're working on!!!" with no results.....waste of an announcement to me.
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2 hours ago, silvrsvt said:
Using this as deduction, with FRAP having height issues-
2024 Mustang 55in tall
2024 Monedo 59in tall
2024 Taurus 59.2
2024 Evos 63 in tall
2024 Edge 68 in tall
So the Edge is too tall, but is the Evos short enough to clear? Maybe some creative height solutions to make it fit?
1 hour ago, silvrsvt said:Right but I don't think adding a sedan back the lineup would be exactly bright either. The Evos is different enough that its not quite a sedan not quite a station wagon or crossover too.
1 hour ago, akirby said:
Zephyr would be a much better choice than Mondeo both for Ford and dealers.
Just imagine the options Ford would have if they had redone the paint shop at FRAP years ago.
I think Evos would give them an entry into the "sedan" market BUT they'd be able to charge higher prices over a sedan because it's a liftback, which aligns better with their profitability goals.
Not sure if it's slightly too tall vs. the Mondeo sedan, which is effectively a sedan version of Evos.
Zephyr would also be a good choice - I think one good entrant in the segment would be fine for both brands (no need for a Continental size model, as sales taper off there too much to justify the cost).
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There aren't that many parallel spots near me, and honestly, it takes longer to set up the parking feature than it does to just park it yourself.
That said, we all know this will NOT result in MSRPs dropping, it's just another feature Ford will take away and continue to bump up prices.
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Eh, is it vertical, or just a bigger horizontal one that we can't see the bottom of ?
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On 2/6/2024 at 4:20 PM, joseodiaga4 said:
So this is the upper trim for China or probably the 2025 Navigator
Navigator is my guess - it looks more squared off than Aviator is.....we just all assumed it was Aviator given it was spied in an Aviator tester.
On 2/7/2024 at 1:27 AM, tbone said:
The interior isn’t that far removed from the old interior, so it’s going to age pretty quickly in this category.Well, it's at least a good design, so even if it isn't "new", it still looks great.
On 2/7/2024 at 7:46 AM, silvrsvt said:The CD6 Platform is supposed to get a major refresh in the next
3-4 yearsto allow it go into the next decade till its replaced by an EV platform. This nothing more then an MCE on a product that is about 5 years old and had a screwed up launch, then COVID hit.aka 6-7 years when Ford's plans inevitably change as they always do and it gets put on the backburner lol.
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This seems like a good thing to me. It's always struck me as odd that Ford would intentionally limit real customer orders at specific dealers essentially "because" (I know there's a formula etc).
To me, it should be real orders get priority and allocation rules don't apply to them, and then stock beyond that falls under the regular allocation formula.
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Finally got around to making the green/red charts for January 2024:
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15 hours ago, fuzzymoomoo said:
No.Not sure what it would be then.
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1 hour ago, akirby said:
Inspired by Rally racing which is huge in Europe and other parts of the world. And apparently it has the off road performance to go with the looks.I'm just not sure if I see it selling here.....and certainly not in any numbers that would light the world on fire.
I wonder if he's hinting at *stirs pot* a Mustang sedan........
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On 2/4/2024 at 10:06 AM, tbone said:
I definitely think this is a problem. It does appear they tried to hold the line a bit on the 2025 Explorer, so that’s a good sign they might be recognizing the problem. I was surprised to see them drop prices on the lightning, so, my theory that once prices go up, they never come down maybe incorrect. It would be nice if we would see some price drops on the vehicles people are actually buying. I refuse to buy the bronco models that I was looking at now because they are substantially more than when they were first introduced and I really don’t find the value in it anymore. If it weren’t for all the equity I had built up in my previous raptors (they hold their value exceptionally well ) that I had bought when they were more affordable, I’m not sure I could afford to buy a new Raptor today straight up. Im fortunate to have a well-paying job, and can afford to buy some higher end vehicles, but the average truck prices, etc., are really getting out of hand for the median income buyers out there that may be buying these things for work and basic transportation. I find that to be really troublesome.
The same trim Bronco that I have - Wildtrak - is now 8k more than what I paid out the door. Out the door I think I was around $62k or so just 2 years ago now - Ford's B&P now has my same model/options at $70,275. The only thing that has changed on them is the HOSS 3.0 suspension, which isn't 8k worth of stuff, not including the additional taxes etc. The increases are crazy.
17 minutes ago, Captainp4 said:At the Mach E vs Model Y level, the Ford just doesn't offer enough for someone to choose it over the Tesla and pay more for it unless they're a die hard Ford person or have an irrational hatred for Elon Musk. It almost matches most things, but falls a little short.. but who in their right mind would objectively pick it over the guys that have been doing it way longer when it's not substantially better in any category and pay more. If you're the new guy on the block and want to make things happen you need to leapfrog substantially to get someone's attention. It's like when Toyota/Nissan started getting into the half ton market. Ford is dipping their toes in but doesn't seem like they're fully committed. And I'd say the same about cybertruck compared to lightning - Tesla isn't fully committed to figuring out a truck buyer. IMO anyway. Hopefully we see some big improvements with the next gen of BEV out of Ford.
I think unfortunately, we have to remember MME is sort of a stopgap product as Ford gets its long-term BEV plans figured out. Remember it was a re-bodied "E-Max" or whatever it was called.
Let's really hope the 2nd gen is a big step up.
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7 hours ago, silvrsvt said:
I really don't see the point of a vehicle like this - from Porsche or Ford.
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3 hours ago, Rick73 said:
The guy previously owned a Kia Soul, hardly a passion vehicle. He’s more likely to buy based on affordability and value, which is about the only things Kia Soul and Maverick have in common. Obviously many buyers are passionate about getting a good deal, and not having to pay for crap they don’t want or need. Glad to see Ford will build more of them. Just hope they keep cost low.
Actually, I feel like Souls CAN be one of those "passion" products for Kia - I feel it had a following, at least initially. Maybe I'm wrong. I've always liked the Souls (though dislike what they did with the current.....the refresh fixed the front, but didn't like the wraparound taillight.
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3 hours ago, ANTAUS said:
This article adds a bit more on why the Aviator didn't have the Nautilus 48in screen...
..." Brand manager Sara Hendricks says the splashier screen went into the Nautilus because that model attracts a younger, techier, more metropolitan buyer, while the Aviator is more family-oriented."...
Seems like a cop-out answer - I'm guessing they didn't have the budget to make a massive change like that. Explorer kept the same lower dash, and re-worked the upper portion with things mostly in the same locations.
Changing to that Nautilus-style screen would've meant completely redesigning the structural parts of the dash beneath the surface.
4 hours ago, matt6 said:
The new front doesn't look AS bad in these photos, but I still think the bar should've run through the grille/emblem - it looks like it's missing a piece as-is, and doesn't match with the new design language brought in by Nautilus, and coming soon to Navigator.
The interior looks better, but predictable - the gauge cluster is new in addition to the new larger center screen. It looked great to begin with, but I worry the interior will start to age against competition - let's hope the full redesign is coming sooner than later....which I'm not hopeful of.
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On 2/2/2024 at 6:26 PM, tbone said:
I’ve been absorbing this refresh for a while now, and as a current ST owner, I just don’t know what to think. First Ford jacked up my new car purchase rotation by delaying this refresh over a year, but that’s another story.
The interior updates are great, but much to my chagrin, and many others, they eliminated the physical buttons for basic functions. We used these controls enough that it’s annoying, and I just don’t like the feel of touchscreens for these functions. It’s not just set it and forget it in our car, even though it automated climate control.
The rear of the Explorer is a major improvement. That was probably my least favorite thing about the prior model, as it was very bland looking.
Now as for the front end, I personally loved the prior models arrangement, contrary to some on here, and I’m just not sure what to think of the new grill. I thought the outgoing grill blended nicely with the lines of the rest of the vehicle. This new grill looks blobby and I feel it doesn’t blend with the rest of the lines well based on the pics. I’ll have to reserve judgement until I see it in person.
It is disappointing there were no powertrain changes but not surprising really. I just don’t know why they don’t add 15 to 20 hp on these refreshes, when it is pretty easy for them to do, so they can use it as a marketing tool.
I was really hoping for MagneRide suspension on the ST, at least as an option. I think that would have been an excellent upgrade to the ST.
I despise the the wheels on the ST. They look like something you would find on an XLT, instead of a performance vehicle. On top of it, I did the build and price on the ST and it is only showing Magnatite-Painted Aluminum Wheels, whereas the literature shows black. This must be an oversight as they certainly will need black for this model. With these ugly wheels, they need to have a wheel option with a style more consistent with the current model.
I like the painted roof option but it’s pricey.
I also think the molding on the platinum model needs to be painted body color to be consistent with a more upscale vehicle.
Ultimately, I really need to see this vehicle in person to get a better idea how I feel about it.
I agree, I think the new ST wheels look terrible.
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Ford Discusses New Affordable EV Platform
in Ford Motor Company Discussion Forum
Posted
Yeah, to me, the Hackett move always seemed like a knee-jerk stopgap move to "catch up" temporarily while Ford worked on its own in-house stuff.