Ford establishes 100,000 annual Flex sales goal

[smok]

I think this is a healthy optimism and will probably be met with good response from corporate about launch campaign, and a good response from the consumers - consumers like taking mood from ads - if you sound confident in your product - they think you truly have a reason to be confident, and they are impressed - look at the CR-V and Accord ads - they barely say anything substantial about the car - jsut "look at this awesome car we can sell you - we know you want it - come get it" and people eat it up.

 

Igor

 

100k? Not so sure. The Flex is really nice inside. Great family vehicle. I think the kids are defenitely gonna think this thing is cool. I'd consider it if I needed a family van with 3 rows.

Honda is different. They don't need flashy advertising campaings to sell cars. They have their reputation.

[regfootball]

FLEX pricing is TOO EXPENSIVE!

 

drop the prices and i think 60k is doable, 80k if they are lucky. and i hope it doesn't cannibalize much Edge sales.

 

maybe they have some focus group and clinic data they have done that suggests the roll out will be a bigger hit than anyone knows about.

 

aside from pricing and rather unadventurous and underachieving interior design concept, flex really lacks cargo space. passenger space is probably fine, but the lambdas and chrysler vans will kill the flex in utility. i hope the press doesn't have a field day with it.

 

smart buyers will wait till the flex comes out and than get their taurus x they wanted at really huge discounts or lots of nicely lightly used ones to pick from.

 

another HUGE gripe. i can't get AWD on the SE. can't get cloth with heated seats.....you have to get much more expensive model to just get a sunroof or heated seats.

 

where's the manual shift mode with paddle shifters? is this going to have the same cheap plastic as the edge?

 

lastly, ORANGE color is not available on the flex and that would be the best color for it.

Edited April 12, 2008 by regfootball

[P71_CrownVic]

FLEX pricing is TOO EXPENSIVE!

 

drop the prices and i think 60k is doable, 80k if they are lucky. and i hope it doesn't cannibalize much Edge sales.

 

maybe they have some focus group and clinic data they have done that suggests the roll out will be a bigger hit than anyone knows about.

 

aside from pricing and rather unadventurous and underachieving interior design concept, flex really lacks cargo space. passenger space is probably fine, but the lambdas and chrysler vans will kill the flex in utility. i hope the press doesn't have a field day with it.

 

smart buyers will wait till the flex comes out and than get their taurus x they wanted at really huge discounts or lots of nicely lightly used ones to pick from.

 

another HUGE gripe. i can't get AWD on the SE. can't get cloth with heated seats.....you have to get much more expensive model to just get a sunroof or heated seats.

 

where's the manual shift mode with paddle shifters? is this going to have the same cheap plastic as the edge?

 

lastly, ORANGE color is not available on the flex and that would be the best color for it.

 

X2!!!!!!!

[suv_guy_19]

FLEX pricing is TOO EXPENSIVE!

 

 

No, its not, its quite in line with its competitors.

[Edstock]

rather unadventurous and underachieving interior design concept,

That's your opinion. Most seem to disagree.

[Noah Harbinger]

Second, it is not that big. A typical minivan can hold a max of 130-140 cubic feet of cargo. Ford's 'minivan' replacement can only carry a dismal, Explorer like 83 cubic feet. Hell, the Ford Focus Wagon could hold a max of 73 cubic feet...

 

Holy cow: 15 cubic feet behind the third row? The Fusion has a bigger trunk than that.

[Noah Harbinger]

No, its not, its quite in line with its competitors.

 

Well its competition is too expensive too!

[EBV8]

Would this be a good time for "size isn't everything!"

 

Its not the size of the _____, it's how you use it. (And looking good in the process)

Edited April 13, 2008 by EBV8

[Noah Harbinger]

Would this be a good time for "size isn't everything!"

 

Its not the size of the _____, it's how you use it.

 

Well it's true that you can often fit what you need in the small cargo space, but with a larger cargo space, it takes so much less effort! You have to be a master of your cargo space to achieve the same effect as someone with a larger cargo space.

 

However it is true that those with smaller cargo spaces end up making up for their deficiency by learning greater packing skills.

 

Edit: Heh, I quoted you before you edited

Edited April 13, 2008 by Noah Harbinger

[EBV8]

However it is true that those with smaller cargo spaces end up making up for their deficiency by learning greater packing skills.

 

Thats true... for the dismalness of the Explorer, I sure fit a lot 'o crap in it (aka, everything I own minus furniture). You just gotta know how to pack it...

[P71_CrownVic]

Thats true... for the dismalness of the Explorer, I sure fit a lot 'o crap in it (aka, everything I own minus furniture). You just gotta know how to pack it...

 

Yeah...but thats an Explorer...not a 'minivan' replacement. One would think that a 'minivan' replacement would have cargo space that was somewhat close to a minivan.

[regfootball]

No, its not, its quite in line with its competitors.

 

haha what are you smoking? a flex with all options is 45k.

 

you can buy a new kia sedona loaded to the gills for real world price less than the flex SE's base price.

 

the flex is about 5k too high in all trims i think.

 

if they want to sell 100k of this thing in a showroom where the edge is cannibalizing some sales as well, i would hope they would get the prices more in line with the chrysler vans (real world prices) across the board and only add the 2k surcharge for a simple all weather all wheel drive system.

 

simply put, pricing will need an adjustment if they want volume. people movers are a family segment, families have no money, no money, no buy car.

 

you want minivan segment volume you need cheap prices.

Edited April 13, 2008 by regfootball

[regfootball]

That's your opinion. Most seem to disagree.

 

HAHA. let's take the same third row seats as the taurus x.

 

let's take the 500 dash and just change it slightly (not yet bothering to fix the problem of the radio and such too low.

 

let's make it all boxy forms and put woodgrain YUK on it.

 

let's make the vehicle huge and only give it 83 cf of cargo.

 

your most claim is unsubstantiated.

[regfootball]

Yeah...but thats an Explorer...not a 'minivan' replacement. One would think that a 'minivan' replacement would have cargo space that was somewhat close to a minivan.

 

LOL, exactly, or even close to a LAMBDA

[suv_guy_19]

haha what are you smoking? a flex with all options is 45k.

 

you can buy a new kia sedona loaded to the gills for real world price less than the flex SE's base price.

 

the flex is about 5k too high in all trims i think.

 

if they want to sell 100k of this thing in a showroom where the edge is cannibalizing some sales as well, i would hope they would get the prices more in line with the chrysler vans (real world prices) across the board and only add the 2k surcharge for a simple all weather all wheel drive system.

 

simply put, pricing will need an adjustment if they want volume. people movers are a family segment, families have no money, no money, no buy car.

 

you want minivan segment volume you need cheap prices.

 

 

The vans may start lower, but the CUVs don't. Flex is just over 28 starting and tops out just under 44 w Limited AWD (42 w/o).

 

Acadia starts at 30.5 and goes to 47 w SLT 4SB AWD (45.5 w/o AWD).

 

CX-9 starts at 30 and goes to 41 w GT AWD (w/o AWD 40).

 

As for the vans:

Sienna starts as just over 24 and tops our at 43 w Limited AWD (41 w/o).

 

Odyssey starts just over 25 and tops out at 41 w Touring and PAX and no AWD.

 

T & C just over 23 and ends at 41.5 on Limited X and no AWD.

 

Not really far out of line at all.

Edited April 13, 2008 by suv_guy_19

[P71_CrownVic]

The vans may start lower, but the CUVs don't. Flex is just over 28 starting and tops out just under 44 w Limited AWD (42 w/o).

 

Yeah...except this is Ford's 'minivan' replacement.

 

FAR too much money for a Scion ripoff.

 

The 'bigger', Taurus X starts less than the Ford xB, AND tops out at $37,205 (per Ford.com).

 

ONCE AGAIN...Ford takes the 'retarded' route and rather than spend a very little amount of money and advertise the X, they spend a whole ton of money developing a rolling refrigerator, that is no more useful than an Explorer.

 

BOLD MOVES indeed.

Edited April 13, 2008 by P71_CrownVic

[suv_guy_19]

BOLD MOVES indeed.

 

 

But just wait until you DRIVE ONE!

[Extreme4x4]

Who cares, they hate it. No amount of reasoning is going to change their minds.

 

They have condemned it, before it even came out.

 

BTW, do we know for a fact, that this pricing is engraved in stone???

[P71_CrownVic]

But just wait until you DRIVE ONE!

...Off a cliff?

...Into a repair shop?

...To the nearest junk yard?

...Into the river?

...Right to the damn gas station all of the time?

[Edstock]

...Off a cliff?

What a concept.

[EBV8]

LOL, exactly, or even close to a LAMBDA

 

Yes, I parked next to one of those (an Acadia) the other day... and it seemed huge compared to the Explorer... more along the lines of the Expedition parked on the other side of it. (in everything 'cept maybe height). Is that supposed to be Flex's competition?

 

If Flex is supposed to be a dead-ringer for a minivan or a Lambada then I agree, it has problems. But I'd guess it's not really a conquest vehicle for either of those items.

 

Whatever. We'll see what happens.

 

EDIT- I suppose it is a conquest for those vehicles. I should have said it's an alternative and therefore doesn't need to be exactly the same.

Edited April 13, 2008 by EBV8

[ManFord]

What month will be the Flex's first FULL month of sales?

[TomServo92]

...Off a cliff?

 

Would you? Please? PLEASE!?!?!?

 

:P

[suv_guy_19]

LOL, exactly, or even close to a LAMBDA

 

 

What? You can't like those, they're way too expensive. :rolleyes:

[regfootball]

The vans may start lower, but the CUVs don't. Flex is just over 28 starting and tops out just under 44 w Limited AWD (42 w/o).

 

Acadia starts at 30.5 and goes to 47 w SLT 4SB AWD (45.5 w/o AWD).

 

CX-9 starts at 30 and goes to 41 w GT AWD (w/o AWD 40).

 

As for the vans:

Sienna starts as just over 24 and tops our at 43 w Limited AWD (41 w/o).

 

Odyssey starts just over 25 and tops out at 41 w Touring and PAX and no AWD.

 

T & C just over 23 and ends at 41.5 on Limited X and no AWD.

 

Not really far out of line at all.

 

it's so easy to spit out list prices. the chryco vans are not getting anything near list price, they are going about 5-6 off list. ford's own taurus x which loaded is 5 grand cheaper at list than the flex, has to have 5-6k of addnl discounts to sell in a volume 1/3 of what the flex is trying for (with the cheaper and sexier edge in the showroom next to it...with a nicer interior layout too).

 

even cx-9 needs discounts to move and they are not selling 100k.

 

flex doesn't have the cargo space of the lambdas.

 

new freestars and montereys were selling for 10k off list back when they came out. looks like ford will have to go that road again. should we discuss the pacifica while we are at it?

 

yes, the vans are lower and that is why they sell. and traverse is supposed to have a 25k base price. you don't even get AWD option with flex on the SE so you are looking at 34 before you have any AWD choice on the Flex, bad move. bad move.

 

that 23k explorer rotting on the lot in the corner looks awfully good with AWD even with lesser mpg when the damn flex is 10 grand more.

Edited April 13, 2008 by regfootball