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I've been following the FCA news on these forums, but I never felt the desire to post my thoughts until now. I must say I am surprised to read the post by the original poster. I don't have anything really to say except, welcome to the club. I was born and raised into a Mopar family and drove nothing but Chrysler products (real Chryslers, not rebadged Mitsubishis, Renaults, or AMCs) in my high school and college years. My grandfather sold Chrysler products since the mid 1930s and eventually opened his own Chrysler dealership in 1955. My dad worked right alongside him as the Service and Parts Manager. He, too, was (and still is) an avid Mopar fan, although that has dropped off as of late. So, my family ties to Chrysler products go way back. That all came to a halt in 1998 when the "merger of equals" happened. I was against the idea the very second I heard it announced on TV. I knew the Germans were going to take over and run the company. Chrysler was going to play second fiddle - and that was something I (and our family) did not want. Unfortunately, there was nothing that could be done about it and Eaton and his gang got their way. Fast forward to today and we all know the outcome of that decision. Anyway, it was at that time (1998) that Chrysler Corporation became dead to me and I swore I would never spend a penny on DCX. So, I changed the family's direction by being the first in the family to buy and drive a non-Mopar. In 2002, I ordered a 2003 Ford Mustang Mach 1. I really didn't know much about Ford or the Mustang, but I knew I didn't want a DCX product and GM was just killing the Camaro/Firebird, so it was easy to appreciate Ford's understanding and appreciation of its heritage. It also helped that my dad worked for a great Ford dealer for a brief time after he was pushed out of Chrysler for good in 1992 (dealership was sold). As it stands today, I still have that Mach 1 and have since added a BMW 435xi coupe, and just yesterday a 2015 Ford Focus SE. Unless something miraculous happens, I don't see myself in another vehicle with a Dodge or Chrysler nameplate (with the exception of my Daytona Shelby whenever that gets restored). I was never a fan of the Fiat/Chrysler merger and have been against it since day 1. After having gone through so much for so long, I would rather the Dodge and Chrysler nameplates die to put them out of their misery. Based on the news from a few days ago, it looks like that is a real possibility. I don't care about Jeep or Ram, so they could go to China or somebody else for all I care. I never did see Chrysler or Dodge staying around for the next 10 to 20 years and I figured I would be alive when those nameplates eventually leave the marketplace. They just aren't strong nameplates now and with Sergio's new plan, it looks like they are closer to death than ever before. Dodge is really just the Charger and Challenger division because nothing else sells. Chrysler is pretty much the 300 (which has become old) and the Pacifica. For all the hype about the 200, it never lived up to its billing. Sales had to be propped up by heavy incentives and high fleet sales. In December, the 200 sales dropped almost 50% reflecting what I believe to be the real sales numbers for the car - roughly 8,000 to 9,000 units per month. Not very good. So, what really is a Dodge and Chrysler to the American car buying public? I also don't believe FCA will be around in 10 to 20 years. I just don't see the strong foundation that I see with Ford, Toyota, Honda, BMW, etc... I think FCA will be around as long as Sergio is at the helm, but once he leaves, it will most likely be merged (bought) by somebody else. Or it might even be parted out if Autoextremist is correct. I believe that Sergio's latest plan is not being done in the long term interests of FCA, but rather as a short term clean-up and package effort to make certain pieces attractive to an eventual buyer. He'll keep the company going just long enough to which he can retire in 2 to 4 years and leave before it falls apart or is gobbled up. At that time, I believe Dodge and/or Chrysler is gone. Again, I really don't care what happens to Jeep or Ram. In the end, this is bittersweet for me. On one hand, this should refute all the claims that Sergio, Fiat, and Auburn Hills are the smartest people in the industry. However, I am bitter by this because things could (and should) have been different at Chrysler. The poor leadership over the decades contributed to the problems Chrysler has had to overcome time and time again, but there are only so many times that a company can screw up before it can't be fixed anymore. That time has come and has been coming for some time.

I won't get into the analysis of the rebranding of FCA, but I did want to point out something kind of interesting. Notice on the Jeep slides that they point out the 75th Anniversary of Jeep, but for Dodge there is no mention of Dodge's 100th Anniversary for 2014. I don't know if it was simply overlooked or left off on purpose, but it is interesting nonetheless.

I agree with your comments. I wish the new Escape, Focus and Fiesta borrowed some exterior and interior design elements from this new Fusion. I actually like the exterior design of the upcoming Escape, but I'm not too thrilled with the dash setup. I would like to see a new Fiesta and updated Focus borrow more from this Fusion in terms of exterior style and interior design. I think that the busy interior and front end design on those two cars hurts when it comes to sales. Americans say they like bold and daring design, but they sometimes go conservative when they actually make their purchase.

I really like what I see from that Facebook image. It appears to be very classy and elegant. I like the full width light bar and the way the designers spell out the Lincoln name. I have to wonder if the Lincoln nameplate will be used across the back or if it will be replaced with the Lincoln badge. I sort of like it the way it is shown in the image. I am very interested in seeing the full picture of the Lincoln MKZ (both exterior and interior). From the pictures above the front looks pretty good, but to me, the rear end seems to be progressing much better. This car could be very good, if not great. Ford has a chance to set the world on its ear with this car.

The 2013 Fusion looks pretty good. I wasn't as positive when I saw the other pictures that were posted over the last few days, but these pictures do improve my mood a bit. I like the previous versions of the Fusion and I think this version seems to keep the positive trend going. The new design seems to give the car a more expressive and expensive look compared to the older versions. I just hope it isn't too far out there for the average American consumer. Still, I think the design team did a great job and the car "should" do very well. The interior is much better than I thought. Like earlier posters, I too was a bit worried that the interior would look more like the Fiesta, Focus, and upcoming Edge. I much prefer this easier, more "rationale" approach (to use Richard's description) to interior design over the overstyled look of those smaller vehicles. One concern is that I hope Ford offers more color choices for the interior. Black interiors are fine, but some people prefer lighter interiors. The new Fords always seem to have dark, dull interiors, so I hope this car adds more color choices for the seats and door panels. It will make a great interior even better looking. Regarding the engine choices, I hope the loss of the V-6 doesn't hamper sales. I know Ford is offering 4 cylinder turbos that will equal the power of a V-6, but some people just like having a V-6 engine. I guess it is nothing to worry about too much since that doesn't hurt Hyundai with its Sonata and Chevy's new Malibu. We'll see what happens I guess. Also, there are more pictures on the web, including one picture that shows something special on the left front fender! (for akirby)

From the small piece of the car that is shown, I really like what I see so far. Without seeing the other parts of the car it is hard to tell, but I think this car is unlike any current or previous Lincoln. It seems to have a much sportier (almost exotic luxury) look about it that I never thought I would see on a Lincoln. This impression might change when I see the whole car, but for now, the rear of the car shows a great deal of promise. As for the corporate/marketing speak about the Lincoln brand doing this or not doing this, please don't put too much into it. Let the new MKZ come out so you can form your opinion about Lincoln's direction. When that car is unveiled in Detroit next month, you will then be able to better judge Lincoln's future direction. This car, I believe, will show whether Ford is serious or not about Lincoln. We just have to keep watching for little sneak peaks here and there to keep our interest going. I can understand the pessimism in this post. Many people have been burned over the years by Detroit executives stating that things have changed and the old way is being thrown out the door, only to see their optimism turn sour. Try growing up as a Chrysler fan if you want to see some true heartbreakers - you eventually become so pessimistic that you could care less about it. I think, and hope, that Mulally and his team will do Lincoln right. The engineering and quality need to be top notch right out of the gate for the MKZ. If there are any big problems, the press will certainly make it known. Anyway, I am really looking forward to the first release of the MKZ in Detroit. I hope it is a stunner. :yup:

Fiat-Chrysler's sales numbers look impressive when you look at the percentages, but when you actually look at the sales numbers, its performance looks less impressive. I have been checking their sales numbers against the competition every month this year and I've noticed a few interesting things in last month's sales numbers. 1) Fiat-Chrysler increased sales by 45% which is impressive, but not as impressive as Mercedes-Benz and its 47% increase. Why did Mercedes-Benz sales skyrocket at an even greater pace than F-C? 2) Toyota, with its much older and less exciting lineup outsold F-C for the second straight month (and majority of the year). Personally, I think Toyota will hold on to the number 3 spot this year. Even with all the negatives affecting Toyota this year, that is a pretty impressive feat. I have to wonder what Toyota will be like when it has its own product onslaught next year. 3) The Dodge Ram sold almost 20,000 units. That is pretty much expected for this truck and I figure this is pretty much the limit (20k-23k). So, nothing really earth shattering here. It still trails the Ford and Chevy trucks, but it is F-C's best selling model. 4) The Grand Cherokee had impressive sales numbers last month (probably its best this year at 13k+), however, why was it consistantly in the 7-8k range throughout the last few months and a good chunk of the year? What caused the sharp increase last month? 5) In my eyes, the minivans aren't doing very much. The Town & Country is down year-to-date, while the Caravan is up. Does the T&C really have better brand recognition in the U.S., or is price the factor? I also noticed that F-C may lose the best selling minivan title as the Toyota Sienna is now currently outselling the Dodge Grand Caravan. I wonder if F-C will pull out all the stops in December to make sure the Grand Caravan is number 1 for 2011. 6) Even though the Dodge Durango has eye-popping increases in terms of percentages, its sales volume of 3k-5k a month is disappointing in my eyes. With its Hemi engine and good looks, I thought for sure it would be fighting the Explorer tooth and nail. Afterall, the Durango is the "manly" SUV, while the Explorer is the "mall cruiser". So, what gives? Is the Grand Cherokee taking a bite out of Durango sales? Do people even care about the Durango? I expected better. 7) One thing about F-C sales numbers that everybody has to watch for is consistancy. Lately, the Avenger, Journey, Charger, 300, etc... have been selling well. However, for most of the year, these models have been dead. Why are they showing sharp increases in sales all of a sudden? Auto companies (when they want to) can goose sales on certain models to make them look respectable. When the remodeled versions of these vehicles were pushed out, I expected increased sales. I thought people would see the "improvements" and buy them in larger numbers. That hasn't happend up until recently. Why all of the sudden surge in sales? Did people just now find out about these models? 8) The Fiat 500 continues to decline in sales. Sergio and company's first real product plan in the U.S. isn't going that well. 9) Finally, can F-C keep up these same eye-popping numbers next year when the year-to-year numbers are compared? :club: Now for the clubbing to start.....

It is frustrating seeing the Focus not gaining traction in the U.S. market. However, I have to wonder if it is fair to compare this year's sales numbers with last year's sales numbers. Last year's Focus was putting up incredible sales numbers, but Ford was also pushing them through rental fleets and pricing them at used car prices. Ford wanted to get the last of that model Focus out the door so it could bring in the new and much improved "global" Focus. With this model being much better and more "special", I don't see Ford using scorched earth tactics to get it to sell. Therefore, the new car is selling on its features and virtues against competitors that are selling their compacts on price. In my opinion, I think it is hard for a new product with hardly any wiggle room in price to match or surpass a model that is/was sold at bargain-basement prices. I also think the Fusion (as mentioned several times above) is cutting into the Focus sales. I also believe Ford is not supplying enough Focus models to its dealerships. The dealer lots in Detroit may be full of them (which is pretty much what I would expect), but the Focus is still few and far between down here in the St. Louis area. Sure, the number of Focus models has increased, but there just aren't that many to choose from at dealer lots. I haven't checked in awhile, but I think the Titanium model is still a rare bird in these parts. I hope I'm wrong, but I think the new Escape may meet this same fate that the Focus is going through. The new Escape may be a massive improvement, but the price (or deal) still trumps a great product in this market, and I think it will be tough selling the new Escape at the same sales rate as the much cheaper current model. Again, I hope I am wrong, but I think a good deal of Americans are price conscience and will buy a cheap product over a much superior product.

Borg, I thought the same thing when I saw the Mustang's numbers. However, I wonder how many people actually buy a Mustang (or any performance car) in November when it is late fall and winter is right around the corner. I currently have a Mustang Mach 1, but I'm not the least tempted to look at a Mustang now. The summer is a different story - and I think that is when cars like the Mustang sell in much better numbers. I also think Ford isn't pushing the Mustang because of that reason. So, I wouldn't expect too much out of the Mustang now. Still, the Mustang is getting left behind by the Camaro. Not good! As for your comment about the Challenger possibly being "canned", where are you getting this from?

The article seems to be well written, but I think the first line is misleading in my opinion. It would be better stated that Chrysler Corporation created* the minivan segment in 1984 with the Plymouth Voyager and Dodge Caravan. Chrysler did not have an entry into the segment until the Town & Country minivan came out in 1989. I think this is what the article was trying to say, but I think it does a disservice to the Plymouth nameplate by not mentioning that it, not the Chrysler brand, had one of the original minivans in the Chrysler lineup. As for the news in this article and from the Detroit News, I think there are some other questions that need to be raised. For example, with the Town & Country being the only Fiat-Chrysler minivan in the United States market, does this mean the Chrysler brand will not move up market? To sell a good number of minivans, there will need to be a lower entry price, therefore, the Town & Country will most likely have to have a range from low price to high price. Second, upmarket brands like Audi, Lexus, Buick, BMW, Lincoln, Cadillac, etc... do not have minivans. However, Honda, Toyota, Hyundai, Nissan, VW, and Kia do. These brands are the mainstream brands of their respective companies, so is this where the Chrysler brand is ultimately headed? Second, if there is no Fiat-based small minivan taking on the Caravan nameplate, where does this leave Dodge? Without the Ram trucks and, now its second most popular vehicle, what will Dodge sales numbers look like after all of the changes? There was a time when Dodge competed head on against Ford and Chevy (after it finished kicking Plymouth to the curb), but now, it appears Dodge is probably in the weakest position I have ever seen it in. Without the Ram truck sales numbers figured in, I believe Dodge's sales numbers trail Kia's. I haven't checked the sales numbers in a while, but I do remember a time not long ago when Kia was outselling Dodge when the Ram truck sales numbers were removed. After the Ram and Grand Caravan, there really isn't any big sales numbers for Dodge. Add insult to injury and it could very well see Dodge not get a midsized sedan if the media reports are correct about there not being an Avenger replacement when it is dropped. So, I think there may be more to the story than just marketing the Town & Country in the U.S. and the Grand Caravan in Canada. How hard would it be to call it the Chrysler Grand Caravan in Canada? Afterall, it wasn't very hard to turn the Plymouth Voyager into the Chrysler Voyager several years ago. Just my opinion. * Some people argue that VW created the minivan market long before Chrysler did.

This is what is so exciting about Ford Motor Company. It has the cash to pay off the debt and cover operating expenses just like you said. Ford has plenty of options here with its cash flow, but I do agree that charting a middle course is the best way to go. If profits continue like this over time, Ford can start tipping the scales a bit more in favor of company investment instead of on the ever decreasing debt. I agree about the coporate structure and how industry problems will affect both companies as well. I guess we'll see how things go, but my money (in the form of stock) is on Ford.

Thanks for the analysis about the AOL article. I didn't think much of it either, but it sure burned my backside after reading the title and then the rest of the article. I'm not a blue blood Ford fan like most of you guys, but I like what Alan Mulally and company have done. I believe it is time to prop up American companies that are doing things right. And right now Ford (with a few exceptions) is doing things right. Fiat-Chrysler, Fiatsler, Fiasco (whatever you want to call) isn't doing things right in my opinion. I'll leave it at that, but I hate seeing failed companies put on the same pedestal as hard-working, successful companies like Ford. Ford did it the right way and should be presented that way.

I agree with the analysis and comments on this board regarding Ford's 2nd quarter results. However, what do you guys make of the media trying to show Ford in a downward spiral? This article on AOL Autos just blew my mind: Ford Stumbles, While Chrysler Cruises . What do you guys think? I have seen other financial articles starting to paint a dark picture of Ford as well. I don't agree with the pessimism and I believe what Ford is doing is the correct thing for long term viability. But, it is so hard to think that way when the media presents Ford in a different light.

I have received even more information that Kona Blue has been discontinued and replaced with Sonic Blue. The information I received mentioned that Sonic Blue might be available in August, so I guess I'll wait until then. I need to see what a Focus in Sonic Blue looks like before I go any further. Thanks for all the answers to my questions.:shades:

I am currently looking to replace my 1989 Dodge Daytona Shelby as my daily driver and I am looking at the 2012 Focus Titanium and 2011 Chevy Cruze LTZ RS. I have the Focus all planned out (equipment, etc...), but I have a few questions concerning paint color and availability. 1) Is Kona Blue still available to order on 2012 models? I talked to a Ford salesman a few weeks ago that said Kona Blue was discontinued due to the Tsunami in Japan and that Sonic Blue was its replacement. I've read that at other forums as well, but I wanted to see if that was still true concerning the Ford website still shows Kona Blue as an option. 2) If Kona Blue is not available, I understand Sonic Blue would be a late available option on the 2012 Focus. What does that mean exactly? What kind of timeframe are we talking about? When would I be able to order a Focus Titanium in Sonic Blue? 3) For Titanium models, how long of a wait is there between ordering and delivery? There are basically no Titanium models around here, so I am not sure how they drive and what they look like in the flesh. Is this a hard trim level to come by or are dealers afraid to order the Titanium model? I apologize if this is the wrong forum for these questions, please move to the correct forum if so. I just need to get some answers from individuals that either work for a dealer or work at the plant making the Focus. The answers to these questions will go a long way in my research. Thank you for your assistance.