Roadrunner Posted July 19, 2006 Share Posted July 19, 2006 Here's a thought -- why doesn't Ford import the Ka from Mexico? With the favorable peso (right?) and the possible need for a subcompact, dependent on its mileage, it seems an opportune stopgap measure. Yes, the Ka doesn't seem like it would fit with the American image of big cars, but there were people who bought Metros, right? Does anyone have mileage figures for the Ka, or thoughts on whether it is a viable car to bring? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
silvrsvt Posted July 19, 2006 Share Posted July 19, 2006 This car is even considered a POS over in Europe, its much smaller then a Metro and I think it its current form, wouldnt be able to pass crash regulations. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Biker16 Posted July 19, 2006 Share Posted July 19, 2006 This car is even considered a POS over in Europe, its much smaller then a Metro and I think it its current form, wouldnt be able to pass crash regulations. POs, says who? please stop talking out of your ass. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
turbo_diesel_focus Posted July 19, 2006 Share Posted July 19, 2006 FORDS REPLACING THE KA WITH A NEW CO-DEVELOPED ONE WITH FIAT FOR WORLD MARKETS, SO YOU NEVER KNOW, THEY MITE BRING IT TO US!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OAC_Sparky Posted July 19, 2006 Share Posted July 19, 2006 http://uk.cars.yahoo.com/car-reviews/car-a...ford-ka-86.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DRyanC Posted July 19, 2006 Share Posted July 19, 2006 If the mexican Ka is the same as the Euro one than POS is completely the wrong term. Tiff Needles loves the car, at least thats the impression I get from watching 5th gear or even top gear. I would buy a Ka in a heart beat. A loaded Ka with a converted price it just under ten grand CND. Thats awesome. Slap 500-800 for freight and PDI and I want one. But we all know that Ford USA/Canada don't like to sell cheaper priced cars when they can sell you a more expensive car for the same amount of work. DRyanC Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Reynolds Posted July 19, 2006 Share Posted July 19, 2006 The Ka would never do well in the states, simply due to its ultra compact size. A variant sized similarly to the Fiesta would probably due the trick. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Misteredog Posted July 19, 2006 Share Posted July 19, 2006 First of all, the Ka isn't being built in Mexico. It is also due for a replacement very soon so importing a vehicle in the last year or so of its life cycle makes very little sense. When the Ka was first introduced several years ago it was shown at the NAIAS in Detroit where it got considerable interest, and in the fllowing months you could see quite a few tooling around Dearborn, I understand that Ford was considering importing them to the States but that it was decided that it would cost too much as a whole new powertrain, one that had an automatic transmission, would be required if it was to sell in reasonable numbers. Perhaps the next generation Ka will be available with an automatic or CVT, perhaps the the expanded Cuautitlan plant will be able to build it, then importing it would make sense, but more likely a strictly North American variant on the same platform woul be built. Something perhaps along the lines of theReflex concept. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ZanatWork Posted July 19, 2006 Share Posted July 19, 2006 This car is even considered a POS over in Europe, its much smaller then a Metro and I think it its current form, wouldnt be able to pass crash regulations. Ummm...I've yet to read a review or hear an opinion anything like yours on the car. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
silvrsvt Posted July 19, 2006 Share Posted July 19, 2006 (edited) POs, says who? please stop talking out of your ass. Says the people who rented them back in 1997 when I was stationed in Germany... Not to mention its far too small for the American market... Edited July 19, 2006 by silvrsvt Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
one2gamble Posted July 19, 2006 Share Posted July 19, 2006 Says the people who rented them back in 1997 when I was stationed in Germany... in other words....americans who dont actually drive small cars Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ANTAUS Posted July 19, 2006 Share Posted July 19, 2006 By the way, anyone who has seen any pics of a Ka, or one of these Smart Cars, or that new Fit being hit and crushed by something like an Expedition, let me know...Would be an interesting pic. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bolita Posted July 19, 2006 Share Posted July 19, 2006 The Ka that Mexico has is made in Brazil and will be replaced in Brazil by a Family Ka next year (same platform but 4 door - rumor has it). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Biker16 Posted July 20, 2006 Share Posted July 20, 2006 Says the people who rented them back in 1997 when I was stationed in Germany... Not to mention its far too small for the American market... so you never even driven it? Talking out of your a$$ I Have never heard a bad review of the KA. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
retro-man Posted July 20, 2006 Share Posted July 20, 2006 (edited) By the way, anyone who has seen any pics of a Ka, or one of these Smart Cars, or that new Fit being hit and crushed by something like an Expedition, let me know...Would be an interesting pic. By the way, anyone who has seen any pics of an Expedition, or one of these Escalades, or that new Commander being hit and crushed by something like a Kenworth Cement truck, let me know...Would put an end to the "let's all drive big guzzling tanks" nonsense that accompanies any discussion of small cars. Edited July 20, 2006 by niteflight Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ANTAUS Posted July 20, 2006 Share Posted July 20, 2006 That wasn't my angle, I just wanted to see how they would look in retrospect. If you were thinking I was going to defend the "fat bitches driving tank" crowd, I wasn't. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
retro-man Posted July 20, 2006 Share Posted July 20, 2006 That wasn't my angle, I just wanted to see how they would look in retrospect. If you were thinking I was going to defend the "fat bitches driving tank" crowd, I wasn't. Sorry. That was uncharacteristically mean of me, even if that had been your angle. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
silvrsvt Posted July 20, 2006 Share Posted July 20, 2006 in other words....americans who dont actually drive small cars And the same Americans who won't buy them either... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roadrunner Posted July 21, 2006 Author Share Posted July 21, 2006 Oops. I didn't know - I just see Kas from Mexico sometimes where I live. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Biker16 Posted July 21, 2006 Share Posted July 21, 2006 And the same Americans who won't buy them either... LOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! You small Car Market share UP UP UP, big trucks Down down down. 3.00 gas has an affect on reasonable people. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
silvrsvt Posted July 26, 2006 Share Posted July 26, 2006 LOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!You small Car Market share UP UP UP, big trucks Down down down. 3.00 gas has an affect on reasonable people. If people can afford it, they will still drive what they want. My GF has 70 mile trip one way to work (where she makes decent money) and has a 4Runner. I told her you should look at getting something better on gas and I was totally cut off by her, since she also needs something to move around her horse trailer. She also told me the smallest thing she would drive would be a Civic, if that. Same with my parents..they have an Explorer and they love how high up it sits and don't want a car to replace it. People will buy what they want Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
igor Posted July 26, 2006 Share Posted July 26, 2006 If people can afford it, they will still drive what they want. My GF has 70 mile trip one way to work (where she makes decent money) and has a 4Runner. I told her you should look at getting something better on gas and I was totally cut off by her, since she also needs something to move around her horse trailer. She also told me the smallest thing she would drive would be a Civic, if that. Same with my parents..they have an Explorer and they love how high up it sits and don't want a car to replace it. People will buy what they want I will agree with Silvr where ... even as b-segment is "bursting" it is because it used to sell 0 cars a year .. the Scion, Fit anf Yaris all sell miniscule numbers compared to C, D and larger vehices ... Biker16 I know you love small cars .. so do I, but not everyone does ... Ka is an A segment .. .B is just barely finally making inroads into peoples minds.. but aslong as you have hummers and Suburbans and superduties dominating the highways,. people will use the "bigger is safer and better" mantra for buying cars and there is nothing the few of us holdouts can do about it .... I go by what Focaljet-1 said at FJ - We would not like drving a Ka around every day - Fiesta yes, Ka no... I never drove either, but rode in cars of each class back in europe - and I Would agree. Igor Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bluecon Posted July 26, 2006 Share Posted July 26, 2006 During the gas crunch in the 70s' there was a huge shift to small cars. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
silvrsvt Posted July 26, 2006 Share Posted July 26, 2006 During the gas crunch in the 70s' there was a huge shift to small cars. But how many "small" cars could you buy at the time from the domestics in the 1970's ?? Thats why the VW Bug and Rabbit and the Honda CVCC where so popular. The smallest car from Ford up till the Pinto was a Maverick? And even at that the Pinto was still a fairly large car...Ford didn't have a really small car til the Feista from Europe was sold here. Not to mention that Mid-sized cars get pretty decent gas mileage these days...its a far cry from what we had in the 1970's and 1980's. Plus I think a gas shortage (like what happened in the 1970's) would do alot more harm to people's buying habits then just paying $3 bucks a gallon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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