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How the Flex will be a success


elkarlo

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As in a Mazda Miata? Sure. Ford could sell 25k roadsters from April to October at $25k a pop, or they could sell 80-100k Flexes from January to December for about $32k a pop. You do the math....

 

And to the C-Max question, we already have it, it's called the Escape, and it sells pretty well, thank you very much.

 

When I said the Mx5 and C-Max I just plucked something straight out of the air. I have read through this thread and bearing in mind that this is an enthusiasts site for Ford, then there seem to be an awfully high number of people on here who really dislike this car strongly. It seems like a big gamble to me. That said I accept I'm the wrong person to judge it's likely sucess or failure.

 

Someone on here made a really good point, that in the US you need to think big. That person was thinking about what WILL sell, rather than what might. Ford need to hit guaranteed home runs. This is'nt it.

 

In Europe Fiat found itself in a simlar crisis to Ford a few years ago. Their recovery plan was to give consumers what they most wanted from Fiat. The end result was a range of small cars (the 500, Panda and Grande Punto). These cars have sold well and in some counteries like the UK Fiat's sales have gone up by 50%. Fiat's rationale was that the Stilo bombed because it was bland and NOT the car people wanted from Fiat but small cars were.

 

So what do people want from Ford North America? Well hey I'm not American so I'd struggle to answer that. But I can tell you what Europeans want from Ford USA. We'd love your next generation V8 Mustang to come to Europe. We'd also probably take a few other models (maybe a 5 door version of the Mustang) for example. Put this another way. If it fails Lincolnfan will no doubt say it stole resources from Lincoln, so please Ford sign off the right models :)

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That said I accept I'm the wrong person to judge it's likely sucess or failure.

 

Someone on here made a really good point, that in the US you need to think big. That person was thinking about what WILL sell, rather than what might. Ford need to hit guaranteed home runs. This is'nt it.

Oy. You contradict yourself, first (honestly) asserting you are not a good judge of success or failure, and then asserting that this is -not- a 'guaranteed home run'.

 

And here we have it, folks, a competitive sport metaphor. Of very limited use in the business world, as success does not depend on sheer volume (at the end of the year, they don't put the 3 best selling trucks on a podium, and play the official anthem of the 'winning' truck.)

 

The Flex, MK-Flex, MKX, and Edge collectively need to keep 2 shifts of OAC workers working on solid retail demand.

 

That's all.

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Oy. You contradict yourself, first (honestly) asserting you are not a good judge of success or failure, and then asserting that this is -not- a 'guaranteed home run'.

 

And here we have it, folks, a competitive sport metaphor. Of very limited use in the business world, as success does not depend on sheer volume (at the end of the year, they don't put the 3 best selling trucks on a podium, and play the official anthem of the 'winning' truck.)

 

The Flex, MK-Flex, MKX, and Edge collectively need to keep 2 shifts of OAC workers working on solid retail demand.

 

That's all.

sad but I doubt there will EVER be another "homerun" as such...the market is truley SATURATED and China is just starting to lick its chops...and thus MORE choices and manufacturers....

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As in a Mazda Miata? Sure. Ford could sell 25k roadsters from April to October at $25k a pop, or they could sell 80-100k Flexes from January to December for about $32k a pop. You do the math....

 

And to the C-Max question, we already have it, it's called the Escape, and it sells pretty well, thank you very much.

 

I would LOVE a 2-seater roadster as my family's 3rd car for my daily commute (~50mi.RT). I figure it'd be fun & more economic than my wife's Rabbit.

 

That being said, it makes perfect sense that ford works on it's 'main course' before worrying about dessert.

 

for midgets maybe.....I can overtake a full Scion uphill riding a uni-cycle.....with a flat tire

 

:hysterical::hysterical::hysterical:

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30 with a diesel...not impossible. 30 with the 3.5...yes, impossible.

Since you can't keep up, I will explain it to you:

 

J-150 said that the Flex has..."Cavernous interior. Potent engine and tranny. AWD. It has the makings of a great vehicle."

 

I came back and said that the D3s have all of those things as well... and they aren't selling for shit, for some reason.

 

So, despite having "all the makings of a great vehicle", the Flex may be another D3 disaster and have very poor sales numbers.

 

Comprende?

 

The D3s actually had a reasonable uptick in sales last month from previous months. I think people are starting to discover them (after 2 years as Five Hundred and 1/2 as Taurus)

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Oy. You contradict yourself, first (honestly) asserting you are not a good judge of success or failure, and then asserting that this is -not- a 'guaranteed home run'.

 

And here we have it, folks, a competitive sport metaphor. Of very limited use in the business world, as success does not depend on sheer volume (at the end of the year, they don't put the 3 best selling trucks on a podium, and play the official anthem of the 'winning' truck.)

 

The Flex, MK-Flex, MKX, and Edge collectively need to keep 2 shifts of OAC workers working on solid retail demand.

 

That's all.

 

So far, it seems like they're on their way to doing that.

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sad but I doubt there will EVER be another "homerun" as such...the market is truley SATURATED and China is just starting to lick its chops...and thus MORE choices and manufacturers....

 

Is the Mustang not a guaranteed home run? All I'm saying is this car seems to be one of the most devisive on the web.

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The Flex certainly seems like a car that could be more than a home run, more like a grand slam, I could see 250k sales the first year as long as the economy doesn't collapse. It's got all the room/versatility/safety/features of an SUV, with pretty much every option needed if people want to spend the money, along with better fuel economy/handling/braking/access of a car.

 

I'd expect tons of people to be interested in the Flex who are coming out of SUV's/minivans of all manufacturers due to gas prices and the bad image of minivans. I'm still trying to think of another car that has the running boards being part of the door, it may not seem like much, but I think it's really cool, something you'd only expect on concept cars (Shoud be popular with the ladies). I just think of all the times I've got dirt on my pant leg getting into cars, with the Flex you don't have to worry about it. And those indents on the sides of it are another interesting feature, it's that kind of attention to detail Ford needs to put into all it's vehicles, and really sets it apart from the competition. I think it's the perfect car for families, who on Earth would want a crappy looking minivan or a lumbering gas guzzling SUV when you can get one of these? A twin force Flex with a sport package would be awesome too(suspension, brakes, wheels/tires).

 

I can see people taking these things home and having all their neighbors wanting one, for all the talk of it resembling a Scion it actually looks more like a Range Rover or a giant Mini, two cars most people love, so I don't think that's a bad thing at all..

 

Now If Ford doesn't advertise the hell out of this thing I'm driving to Dearborn to bitch slap everyone at Ford personally, I can't see these things not selling as fast as they can build them, I wonder what production capacity is?

Edited by Blueblood
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It would be nice, but it won't happen. They don't even have the capacity to build that many.

Yep, I just got an internal sales report for 07' and it said that sales were down 12% since 06' but our capacity was cut back 22% since 05'. So basically we are not trying to be the best selling, but rather the best quality and do it profitably. let our competition flood the market and give them away when the new models are released, all we have to do is sell all that we build at retail if we can make it happen!

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It would be nice, but it won't happen. They don't even have the capacity to build that many.

 

OAP is already working OT to build the Edge/MKX, and built about 170,000 of them this year. If Ford could sell about 100,000 Flexes tops, and another 25,000 MKT's, that would be capacity of plant or close to it. Looks like OAP promises to be very busy plant and why CAW contract coming up this year is so important. Right now, OAP has become Ford's most crucial plant bar none. Without that plant going great guns, Ford is sunk.

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OAP is already working OT to build the Edge/MKX, and built about 170,000 of them this year. If Ford could sell about 100,000 Flexes tops, and another 25,000 MKT's, that would be capacity of plant or close to it. Looks like OAP promises to be very busy plant and why CAW contract coming up this year is so important. Right now, OAP has become Ford's most crucial plant bar none. Without that plant going great guns, Ford is sunk.

Lets not over state the importance of your plant, It is definatley important but the pruduct could be moved! I will say this you guys are doing an great job and I love my wife's Edge. Right now Ford has two class leaders and the Edge, and MKX are one of them. I hope we can do the same in other segments in the future, colectively we are building a great company! Great job CAW!

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