FFAN Posted August 24, 2007 Share Posted August 24, 2007 http://online.wsj.com/article/SB1187903764...0.html?mod=MKTW DETROIT – Ford Motor Co., which used to make most of its money on trucks and sports-utility vehicles, is making a big bet on small cars. The embattled company next month will launch a redesigned version of its Focus compact, and then offer a glimpse of new pint-sized model to follow about two years later. At the Frankfurt auto show in mid-September, Ford will unveil a concept car called the Verve, a sporty subcompact that's smaller than the Focus. A model based on the Verve should arrive in U.S. showrooms in 2008 or 2009. Ford, which posted a $2.8 billion operating loss in 2006, is hoping that spiffing up its small car line up with help the company back market share down the road. Like General Motors Corp. and Chrysler LLC, Ford has steadily ceded market share over the last 20 years as customers defected to foreign makes like Toyota and Honda. All three companies have had little or no success enticing those import buyers to come back to domestic vehicles. But small cars often attract people who are buying new cars for the first time, and whose allegiance is still up for grabs. On top of that, sales of small cars are on the rise, helped by high gasoline prices and increasing interest in high-mileage vehicles. Small cars represent "a tremendous opportunity for Ford," spokesman Said Deep said. "It is a segment that is going to become very important to us." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jhgraves5767 Posted August 25, 2007 Share Posted August 25, 2007 A three-door hatchback! The pictures linked to this post and on the Ford site look pretty cool. My 2003 Focus ZX3 and I are so happy that there will still be a hatchback in Ford's future. :hyper: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NickF1011 Posted August 26, 2007 Share Posted August 26, 2007 A three-door hatchback! The pictures linked to this post and on the Ford site look pretty cool. My 2003 Focus ZX3 and I are so happy that there will still be a hatchback in Ford's future. :hyper: I wouldn't jump up and down just yet. From what I've heard, the US will only get a sedan and 5-door hatch. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
igor Posted August 27, 2007 Share Posted August 27, 2007 The Verve is one of THREE Design Studies Ford will release in the next months - this one is from EU, we will see one for US and one for Asia - Ford will take the feedback from all three and incorporate it into a small car that will debut in EU i the fall of 2008, US in the spring of 2009 (don;t know about asia). Nick is right - while the information is sketchy at best, it seems 5door hatch and a sedan are the most likely possibilities - however the only thing we know definitively is that we will get a sedan and a hatch - we do not know for sure which hatch. Igor Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NickF1011 Posted August 27, 2007 Share Posted August 27, 2007 The Verve is one of THREE Design Studies Ford will release in the next months - this one is from EU, we will see one for US and one for Asia - Ford will take the feedback from all three and incorporate it into a small car that will debut in EU i the fall of 2008, US in the spring of 2009 (don;t know about asia). I don't see why Ford even has to bother with a design study for North America. They already had a KICKASS design study with the Reflex. Why they completely abandoned that idea is beyond me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blueblood Posted August 28, 2007 Share Posted August 28, 2007 I don't see why Ford even has to bother with a design study for North America. They already had a KICKASS design study with the Reflex. Why they completely abandoned that idea is beyond me. Ford loves to waste money and time, they have sooo much to waste you know? We won't even see our B car at dealers for another 3 years.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
igor Posted August 28, 2007 Share Posted August 28, 2007 Ford loves to waste money and time, they have sooo much to waste you know? We won't even see our B car at dealers for another 3 years.. 1.5 - spring 2009 - get your facts straight Igor Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blueblood Posted August 28, 2007 Share Posted August 28, 2007 1.5 - spring 2009 - get your facts straight Igor They said they are using the concepts to decide which way to take the production car, which means the design isn't even done yet, and we're a year behind Europe. And then you have to factor in the mandatory Ford delays and "mull" time.. :P Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NickF1011 Posted August 28, 2007 Share Posted August 28, 2007 They said they are using the concepts to decide which way to take the production car, which means the design isn't even done yet, and we're a year behind Europe. And then you have to factor in the mandatory Ford delays and "mull" time.. :P From what I understand, the concepts will all be mechanically similar, and likely share a lot of the same hard points, so if the only thing that's left to decide is some styling details, then I don't see it taking too long to go from decision to production -- assuming the powertrain/platform testing is already well under way, which it seems to be. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
igor Posted August 28, 2007 Share Posted August 28, 2007 (edited) The three concepts are to spark excitement in the different markets, to showcase all 3 bodystyles, and to test out the look before the final soft points are green lighted. Ford has the car finished - the prototypes are running around Europe, but they have a couple minor edits ready in case something does not fly well with the concepts (the Chrysler looking top grille of the Verve for example). EU car is on sale in 3rd or 4th Q of 2008 US car is on sale in 1st or 2nd Q of 2009. No amount of your speculation will change that plan. Ford will not pull an MKS with this Car - the schedule is set, the Bahia plant is being modified for expanded capacity, and everything else is on track .. Igor Edited August 28, 2007 by igor Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bolita Posted October 31, 2007 Share Posted October 31, 2007 Ford will not pull an MKS with this Car - the schedule is set, the Bahia plant is being modified for expanded capacity, and everything else is on track .. Igor Igor, Given the speculation regarding Thailand and China...what do you think? Also, as I really don't have a clue, how long does a plant need to re-tool to launch a new or in this case all-new model? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.