Future products of Ford Motor Company

[Ford Jellymoulds]

Profit., the same thing costs AUS$52,000 here FJM.

 

Quite simply, the Thai government is subsidizing products made and sold in it own country.

Some Rangers are still produced at the Mazda joint venture plant as part of Thailand initiative.

 

You said to me they were no longer going to produce the Ranger in Thailand you have changed you tunes different hats for different posts so you pay $47,649 that outrageous as well where is yours made in England l can't keep up with its manufacturing base it changes like the weather from day to day on BON.

 

So why then was the Thai made Ranger wild trak sold by Ford UK also sold for $41,757 when it was produced for us in Thailand, when the they paid $21,000 for it, before the recent only just started up production of the South Africa that you said would producing all Rangers for the Asia.

 

 

 

[jpd80]

You said to me they were no longer going to produce the Ranger in Thailand you have changed you tunes different hats for different posts so you pay $47,649 that outrageous as well where is yours made in England l can't keep up with its manufacturing base it changes like the weather from day to day on BON.

 

So why then was the Thai made Ranger wild trak sold by Ford UK also sold for $41,757 when it was produced for us in Thailand, when the they paid $21,000 for it, before the recent only just started up production of the South Africa that you said would producing all Rangers for the Asia.

 

 

 

 

It has to be a subsidy because no other country has that pricing for that particular Ranger.

Not that many Wild Traks are sold here, most people buy Ranger as a 4WD work truck for much less.

 

Ranger production is shifting to South Africa but both plants are producing vehicles at the moment.

Edited August 9, 2010 by jpd80

[ausrutherford]

South Africa cant be building that many Rangers...if any yet. They exported 1,040 vehicles in July...1,035 of them being Focuses.

 

They are building Mazda BT-50s though...exported 5 of them but no other exports.

Edited August 9, 2010 by ausrutherford

[jpd80]

South Africa cant be building that many Rangers...if any yet. They exported 1,040 vehicles in July...1,035 of them being Focuses.

 

They are building Mazda BT-50s though...exported 5 of them but no other exports.

It's a progressive change over, by the end of the year they will be up around 40,000/year and 60,000/year by mid 2011.

Probably timed with new diesel engine plant being built there too..

Edited August 9, 2010 by jpd80

[ausrutherford]

It's a progressive change over, by the end of the year they will be up around 40,000/year and 60,000/year by mid 2011.

Probably timed with new diesel engine plant being built there too..

 

They must only be building them for South Africa at this time then.

[Ford Jellymoulds]

It's a progressive change over, by the end of the year they will be up around 40,000/year and 60,000/year by mid 2011.

Probably timed with new diesel engine plant being built there too..

 

So why did you say to me in the past on BON that the Thai made Ranger sold in the UK was no longer being made in Thailand and they were being shipped in from South Africa. Now it turns out they have really not made any at all yet JPD?

Edited August 9, 2010 by Ford Jellymoulds

[FordBuyer]

Well, for the most part, Ford's NA lineup has been solidified. With a couple small niches still around as you alluded to with T-bird and C-Max, what else does Ford really have to bring to market right away to remain competitive? As long as the Ford brand keeps up refreshes and scheduled redesigns of its current lineup, they should be on pretty solid ground for the next several years. Those niche markets don't necessarily have to be addressed right away. It would be nice to see, but I'm hoping most of the attention is being placed on Lincoln's revival instead for now.

 

I wouldn't call the small or mid sized pickup market a "niche." I know it's smaller market than it used to be when Ford sold over 200,000 Rangers/year, but the Ranger even now sells better than Flex and some other Ford vehicles. And a few other manufactureres still see value in the segment. For sure, I don't see the minivan market as a "niche." Smaller yes, but far from a niche. As for RWD, there is talk that GM is going back in and certainly Chrysler is updating its Charger and 300, two other non "niche" segments. Smaller markets than what they used to be, but still viable to many. We won't even get into Bronco and T-Bird which certainly are "niches." And I do understand Ford will not do a new product unless it's off world platform. That is really working for Ford and I know it's not even fully there yet, but will be in a few more years. But there has to be more to the pickup market than a 5,600 behemoth called the F-150 and an over 6,000 pound pickup called the Super Duty. And there is more to people mover market than a Flex and Explorer. A small minivan would be nice with sliding doors and great fuel mileage built off of the Focus platform. I'm sure one is coming, but Ford has been so silent about it. In fact, how about a people mover based off the Fiesta platform? Or cargo mover as in smaller CUV or small station wagon. The options are numerous.

[NickF1011]

I wouldn't call the small or mid sized pickup market a "niche."

 

Did I mention the Ranger?

 

For sure, I don't see the minivan market as a "niche." Smaller yes, but far from a niche.

 

Why chase a shrinking market at all?

 

As for RWD, there is talk that GM is going back in and certainly Chrysler is updating its Charger and 300, two other non "niche" segments.

 

Talk about GM. Lots of talk. It'll be another non-starter like the G8 at this pace. Is that really the market you want Ford to pursue? The only way a RWD Falcon or T-Bird type vehicle will fly at all is if it shares platforms and is assembled in North America. That's a ways off any way you slice it in Ford's current development cycle.

[BrewfanGRB]

I agree with Nick, here. Ford has filled in the "big" holes. Now that they're filled, they need only keep their eye on continuously improving them---getting new features and powertrains, etc.

 

I actually am on board with having to do SOMETHING for the small-misize truck market. I get that they can't do that with the current Ranger platform, but I don't understand why it would terribly hard/expensive to bring the World Ranger (or whatever it's called) to the NA market.

 

I DO NOT like the idea of a C-Max. First, I think it's a stupid fucking name. It just turns me off right off the get-go. Second, a baby minivan is NOT a people mover, IMO. Minivans move 7 people or haul lots of stuff. Something the size of a C-Max just to have sliding door is pointless (again, IMO) because that is NOT the direction the market is moving. There IS a market for minivans--but actual, real minivans. Not compact cars with a tall roof and sliding doors.

 

As for RWD, I HIGHLY doubt that there is some, as yet unknown, hidden HUGE demand for RWD sedans. To me, I find it very doubtful that 300 and Charger sales are occurring because people just HAVE to have RWD. They are either Chrysler/Dodge buyers to begin with or they're simply attracted to the car. As for other "high" volume RWD cars (mostly the Germans, I guess), well again, those buyers are going to buy the car regardless. You REALLY, REALLY think 1/2 BMW's sales would just go away if they became FWD? Ridiculous. Of course, there are definitely buyers who WANT RWD and buy those vehicles because of that. But you seriously think there's a huge number of THOSE drivers? Developing a RWD platform for the sake of having a RWD car in the lineup is just dumb.

[ausrutherford]

 

 

 

Why chase a shrinking market at all?

 

 

 

 

 

There will always be a market for small trucks, if Ford was smart they would increase the profit for the $700m T6 platform program by giving it to the US.

[NickF1011]

There will always be a market for small trucks, if Ford was smart they would increase the profit for the $700m T6 platform program by giving it to the US.

 

I was referring to the minivan market in that instance. I agree Ford should remain in the small truck market with something competitive. But they really shouldn't be re-entering smaller markets that they've already abandoned.

[akirby]

I was referring to the minivan market in that instance. I agree Ford should remain in the small truck market with something competitive. But they really shouldn't be re-entering smaller markets that they've already abandoned.

 

I think it's simply a matter of figuring out what needs to be done to the T6 platform and where it will be built. There is enough volume in that market segment to support it but probably not on a dedicated platform in a dedicated plant, even with a 4 door sport trac replacement.

[blksn8k2]

From what I see in NE Ohio there are a huge number of Rangers on the road and even in the parking lot where I work. The problem is hardly any of them are new. Most of them are several years old with high mileage. The owners would love to replace them but they would probably like to be able to get things like decent gas mileage, SYNC, etc., etc. and they are also knowledgeable enough to know that what Ford is selling right now just doesn't cut it. It also doesn't help that a new Ranger looks just like their seventeen year old Ranger.