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Ford Motor Company: April 2008 Sales Figures


igor

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It seems that the bitching is all about its use in trucks, where the competitor's higher-powered V-8's are extolled as superior.

 

However, the basics remain: the engine architecture is superb. The breathing capability of the latest 4-v variants is astounding, as the twin-turbo enthusiasts are showing.

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Define "Suck" ? I've never had any issues with the 4.6L or 3.9L V8s, or know of anyone personally that has had anything go wrong with their 10 year old Modulars or Duratecs...even the Vulcan is bulletproof while being nothing special and outdated. Maybe the 4.0L OHV from 10 years ago, I hear some engine knocking going on on a few Aerostars..., but that engine is gone. Otherwise, I haven't heard any issues. I mean, GM has their pistonslapping issue which has plagued hundreds of thousands of vehicles....

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Well, those big hogs are losing sales by the crapload, and reasale is shit, now. And Hmm, Ford made $$ while the supposed "money makers" sales are way, way down. :stirpot:

 

Also, dealers are not taking SUV's in trade, the ones they got piled up like left over burgers are being dumped in Russia. :hysterical: Also, the Grand Marq, the only retail Panther car sold, is down 50%, to only 3,201!, near nothingness. :stats: [How is that making any big $$$?] TC and CV basically are cabs or cop cars.

 

Point is the chest thumpers who think "all vehicles have to be big V8 BOF hogs" have to get over it and move on, :happy feet:

 

 

The Panthers are pretty much on target for yeary sales from one shift at STAP. Ya can not expect great things from vehicles that have been on the market with little visible change in 10 and 17 years. It is amazing that they even sell at all. The High price of gasoline is not going to help them either.

 

 

Matthew

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I'll take a Ford Modular V-8 over any engine produced right now. There is NOTHING any tougher built.

 

Toughness is irrelevant in today's market. What is important is the perception of technology and the delivery in vehicles of good fuel economy with high power density. The Modular had great BSFC and probably the best botton end on the market, but the engine doesn't breathe well (means it becomes difficult to develop excellent power density), the engine is too big, and the bottom end durability has become less important given the manufacturing techniques of today (allowing competitive engine to be just as durable for typical customer use). Honda has small engines that develop excellent power density and overall superior fuel economy in the vehicle. That is what cusomers want these days. The modular (with its compromises due to head design and inefficient bore centers) is yestertech.

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The modular (with its compromises due to head design and inefficient bore centers) is yestertech.

That's your opinion. Please supply specifics on head design compromises. The 3-v and 4-v heads flow exceptionally well, and the engine appears to have superior combustion with lower emissions: for example, the mods do not require 2 spark plugs per cylinder, like the Hemi, to meet emissions.

 

Hemi: yestertech. Mods: futuretech. You'll love the next generation. Then again, maybe you won't. :)

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The Panthers are pretty much on target for yeary sales from one shift at STAP. Ya can not expect great things from vehicles that have been on the market with little visible change in 10 and 17 years. It is amazing that they even sell at all. The High price of gasoline is not going to help them either.

 

Matthew

If it has to stay around for another three years, the least they should do is give it a new top hat,

maybe a mix of styles like D3 MKS and Aussie Falcon - something to really snap heads around.

D37 and 6R transmission as a base and 4.6 3V and 6R as option.

 

Put some zip back in the RWD market.

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That's your opinion. Please supply specifics on head design compromises. The 3-v and 4-v heads flow exceptionally well, and the engine appears to have superior combustion with lower emissions: for example, the mods do not require 2 spark plugs per cylinder, like the Hemi, to meet emissions.

 

Hemi: yestertech. Mods: futuretech. You'll love the next generation. Then again, maybe you won't. :)

 

No the heads don't flow well. The entire modular design was limited due to the requirement to fit the engine block in FWD vehicles. This limitation reduced the ability for the modular to EVER get the flow necessary to produce high power density. That is NOT to say that the vehicles don't produce good torque at lower operating RPM. That's what they were designed for anyway (since the majority of applications are for trucks).

 

And these are not just my opinions, they have also been the opinions of people like Jim Clarke and Frank Fsadni.

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How many units did the Fusion move in it's fifth month of sales? Thats right 10,703.

 

How many Malibu's did GM move this past April...MORE upwards of SEVENTEEN-THOUSAND CARS. The Malibu in it's fifth month of sales has already surpassed the Fusion's BEST month...by a lot.

 

Would you stop making dumb statements like this? The Malibu isn't in its 5th month. More like its 125th.

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http://media.ford.com/article_display.cfm?article_id=28166

 

Ford's new Focus posted an 88 percent increase in retail sales compared with a year ago; highest April sales for Focus since 2000.

Retail sales for mid-size sedans also were higher; Ford Fusion up 31 percent, Mercury Milan up 19 percent, and Lincoln MKZ up 20 percent; Fusion and Milan set April sales records.

Total car retail sales up 21 percent.

Crossover retail sales up 11 percent led by Ford Edge (up 24 percent) and Ford Escape (up 13 percent).

 

 

I think that is a great sign for the Focus. They are selling well enough that the don't need to dump em into fleets.

 

While I think finally Ford has shifted back into the smaller vehicle market. The implosion of the SUV market got em with their pants down.

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Hey, you won't find any argument from me here. The Malibu, as much as I like my Fusion, is a better-executed car, since GM actually had worthwhile engines to give it. But I think CD3, having provided Ford with a best-selling CUV and a mid-size sedan that actually sells at retail more than once a month, still has to be considered a major success, and I think any rational person would see that. Which might be my problem. If you want to see a not-success, look in Chrysler's direction, or at the Five Hundred/Taurus, or the Saturn Aura, or Nissan's B and C cars.

 

In any case, where was Ford going to get their Malibu, or the ad campaign money for that matter? Say what you will about the Mondeo's driving dynamics and its healing powers for young leukemia patients and the elderly, but it's not The Car You Can't Ignore. It's The Car You Can't Ignore If It's Sitting Next to a Contour, but Not an SVT Contour. (The five-month comparo isn't very informative, either, seeing as the Malibu was launched behind a massive and incredibly well-executed ad campaign.)

 

2 things.

 

First, am I really the only one who thinks the Aura is doing pretty well considering it's a Saturn? They sold like 6000 of em.. I think it's pretty impressive. Now the Astra....

 

Second, I heard the malibu had an incredibly BADLY-executed ad campaign. I heard they started the whole campaign when there were still no malibus in the dealer lots. GM kept saying " oh the dealers sell every malibus they can get". Well that's not a good thing, that means potentiel buyers can't get one. Ford did much better for the Focus, at least here in Canada. They started the ad campaign and there were quite a lot of focus already in the dealer lots. Now now.. I'm not sure Ford increased their C-segment market share with it, but the execution of the whole selling process was a lot better than what GM usually does.

 

I'm kind of disappointed of the number of sales for the Malibu. For all the money they spent on advertising the car, I doubt they make that much money. I expected the malibu to sell at least 20k per month in the US. I know they did +115% in retail sales, but still.

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First, am I really the only one who thinks the Aura is doing pretty well considering it's a Saturn? They sold like 6000 of em.. I think it's pretty impressive. Now the Astra....

 

The Aura didn't even meet Saturns own sales targets so the answer is no, it's not doing well even considering it's a Saturn.

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Gee, in all the "GM reports 7 bazillion dollar loss, Kerkorian launches hostile takeover of Ford family--plans on marrying into family if that doesn't work" stuff, we've missed the more run-of-the-mill "sky is falling" monthly sales report gloom and doom.

 

Doggonit I knew something didn't feel right!!!!!!

 

 

Play artist Doom & Gloom!!

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Well, those big hogs are losing sales by the crapload, and reasale is shit, now. And Hmm, Ford made $$ while the supposed "money makers" sales are way, way down. :stirpot:

 

Also, dealers are not taking SUV's in trade, the ones they got piled up like left over burgers are being dumped in Russia. :hysterical: Also, the Grand Marq, the only retail Panther car sold, is down 50%, to only 3,201!, near nothingness. :stats: [How is that making any big $$$?] TC and CV basically are cabs or cop cars.

 

Point is the chest thumpers who think "all vehicles have to be big V8 BOF hogs" have to get over it and move on, :happy feet:

Point is quit trying keep trying to spin #'s as "gloom and doom" just because the Panther is dying off.

 

WHO in the f&*king hell, are you babbling about???

 

The Panthers are pretty much on target for yeary sales from one shift at STAP. Ya can not expect great things from vehicles that have been on the market with little visible change in 10 and 17 years. It is amazing that they even sell at all. The High price of gasoline is not going to help them either.

 

Matthew

 

Thank you, Matthew.

 

Not to mention lack of advertising, lack of stock, standing orders to sales staff NOT to sell them, and they are STILL nipping at the almighty, all-new, D3's heels on top of all that.

 

cementfail.jpg

 

Oh, and Fusion vs Malibu sales do NOT equal out to FAIL by any means. If the pics I am seeing circulating around of the next Fusion are accurate, GM had better start worrying because that new Malibu is "ok" appearance-wise, but not "all that" in the looks department.

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more ads will sell old fart-mobiles? no one watches TV commercials anymore.

 

The Grand Marq is in the sales toilet, eventaully all the grandpapas who bought them in the 80s/90s would be not driving or pased on by now, time to put a fork in it and all of Mercury.

 

and, i love "babbling" on here too!

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"Ford makes money on the gas guzzlers :happy feet: "

 

Thats what got them in deep shit, basing the whole company on the Expedition/Explorer $$, how is that something to dance about????

Edited by 630land
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"Ford makes money on the gas guzzlers :happy feet: "

 

Thats what got them in deep shit, basing the whole company on the Expedition/Explorer $$, how is that something to dance about????

 

I don't see what's the problem in focusing in the SUVs market... in the past.

 

SUVs are a mix between high profit and high volume. Beats small cars and luxury cars.

 

Point is: making a 13k$, made in USA, profitable small car isn't possible when the oil price is low. High wages and health insurance costs demand high profit margins and high volume... and those were SUVs.

 

The big 3 knew what was going to happen, yet they couldn't do anything. Most Americans wont pay premium for small cars. 3-series. mini cooper, and C-class are exceptions.

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Most Americans wont pay premium for small cars. 3-series. mini cooper, and C-class are exceptions.

 

I'm not so sure that's entirely true any longer. With gas prices pushing people into smaller cars, they're going want the same premium features they had in their larger cars.

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The Grand Marq is in the sales toilet, eventaully all the grandpapas who bought them in the 80s/90s would be not driving or pased on by now, time to put a fork in it and all of Mercury.

 

:hysterical: :hysterical: :hysterical:

 

There's that "soon there will be NO MORE old people for the rest of time to buy the Panthers" logic again.

 

retard.gif

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How many units did the Fusion move in it's fifth month of sales? Thats right 10,703.

 

How many Malibu's did GM move this past April...MORE upwards of SEVENTEEN-THOUSAND CARS. The Malibu in it's fifth month of sales has already surpassed the Fusion's BEST month...by a lot.

 

Your post is so flawed in so many respects. For instance ... the Malibu isn't in its 5th month of sales - look at this awesome Chevy Malibu sports sedan:

 

chevrolet-malibu-31.jpg

 

Ummm .. and that isn't the first one either .. Malibu has been around for a LONG time bro.

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Your post is so flawed in so many respects. For instance ... the Malibu isn't in its 5th month of sales - look at this awesome Chevy Malibu sports sedan:

 

chevrolet-malibu-31.jpg

 

Ummm .. and that isn't the first one either .. Malibu has been around for a LONG time bro.

 

It is so time for hood ornaments to make a comeback.

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