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Jim Hackett's big moment: CEO's vision for Ford will become clearer this week


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Ford's profits fell because they sat on their hands on everything but trucks while the market moved forward. Yes, moving forward costs money, but you can make more with fresher product.

 

I really do hope that Hackett's plan doesn't focus too far on the future, ignoring the current product. I'll definitely be waiting to see......hopefully details will come out when he has that meeting (I was under the impression that the Oct. 3 meeting is private?)....

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I think this guy has a bit more of a head on his shoulders. While he can't ignore some of the supposed "future of automobiles" like autonomous, etc... he can't empty the coffers on it either. I hate to say it, but getting rid of the Fiesta stateside is probably a good idea for at least this generation while Ford gets its act straightened out. They sell in small numbers and should the need arise where gas skyrockets, they always have it in their back pocket across the pond to bring back over in a short amount of time.

 

Concentrate on optimizing the balance between cars / trucks / CUVs / SUVs and correctly organizing the plants needed for them.

 

Like I said in another thread: FCA shuffled their plants to lean heavily on CUVs out of desperation (and the failure of the 200 & Dart) and ended up being ahead of the curve because of it. Everyone else that is car-heavy now needs to do the same. The difference between Ford and FCA right now is that Ford doesn't have its head on the block and can reorganize their plants in a planned manner and not just kill off practically every car they make because they have to.

Edited by Anthony
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As I've said before, read "Once Upon a Car" by Bill Vlasic. This details the collapse of the auto industry in the early 2000's. What was the cause? Skyrocketing oil prices and a product mix that was too heavily geared to trucks and SUV's.

 

Well here we are again and apparently everyone thinks we have no fear that oil will spike once again? Like the world is NOT still a tinder box?

 

No doubt we are in far better shape today thanks to fracking, shale etc. But take take the middle east, Venezuela, and a lot of our own production out of the picture because of the environmental "left",and all of a sudden we are back in crisis mode. Two hurricanes and I'm paying 3 bucks for premium for my SHO!

 

It is a fragile balance IMO.

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As I've said before, read "Once Upon a Car" by Bill Vlasic. This details the collapse of the auto industry in the early 2000's. What was the cause? Skyrocketing oil prices and a product mix that was too heavily geared to trucks and SUV's.

 

Well here we are again and apparently everyone thinks we have no fear that oil will spike once again? Like the world is NOT still a tinder box?

 

No doubt we are in far better shape today thanks to fracking, shale etc. But take take the middle east, Venezuela, and a lot of our own production out of the picture because of the environmental "left",and all of a sudden we are back in crisis mode. Two hurricanes and I'm paying 3 bucks for premium for my SHO!

 

It is a fragile balance IMO.

 

 

The difference is Ford has the product balance now - they just need some refreshes and updates.

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As I've said before, read "Once Upon a Car" by Bill Vlasic. This details the collapse of the auto industry in the early 2000's. What was the cause? Skyrocketing oil prices and a product mix that was too heavily geared to trucks and SUV's.

 

Well here we are again and apparently everyone thinks we have no fear that oil will spike once again? Like the world is NOT still a tinder box?

 

No doubt we are in far better shape today thanks to fracking, shale etc. But take take the middle east, Venezuela, and a lot of our own production out of the picture because of the environmental "left",and all of a sudden we are back in crisis mode. Two hurricanes and I'm paying 3 bucks for premium for my SHO!

 

It is a fragile balance IMO.

Very different then and now. Small/Midsize SUV get the same mileage as cars of that time, and are only getting higher. Once Oil gets to $60-$80 a barrel a huge amount of production can come online keeping up withe demand. Also at that time you had a very weak USD, and oil is traded in the USD. That is a big reason why oil has gotten more expensive over the past few months. The Strength of the US dollar on the global economy is tanking. In March you got 96 cents for every USD vs the Euro, today it is 85 cents; you would get $ 1.40CND for a USD now it is $1.23. The currency market play a major part of the local price of oil world wide.

Edited by jasonj80
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The Fusion and the Focus are good vehicles. They just need an overhaul (and the Focus needs to ditch the lousy automatic). There is nothing wrong with those cars that a solid revamp can't correct.

 

Non-premium full-size cars are DOA. The Chevrolet Impala is a nice vehicle, and it's more up-to-date than the Taurus, but it's going nowhere in today's market. A new Taurus is unlikely to fare any better. Makes more sense to invest money in updating the Continental.

 

I have mixed feelings about abandoning the Fiesta for this market. The new one looks very nice, and it doesn't hurt to have a presence in this segment. Ford is basically giving it to Honda and Nissan, with the Nissan Versa selling on price, and the Honda Fit being sold to people who want something a step above a bargain-bin price leader. The Fiesta had won universal praise for its chassis tuning and being fun to drive. Fix the automatic in that one, too, and I think it could be a viable product here. Obviously, Ford feels differently.

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The Fusion and the Focus are good vehicles. They just need an overhaul (and the Focus needs to ditch the lousy automatic). There is nothing wrong with those cars that a solid revamp can't correct.

 

Non-premium full-size cars are DOA. The Chevrolet Impala is a nice vehicle, and it's more up-to-date than the Taurus, but it's going nowhere in today's market. A new Taurus is unlikely to fare any better. Makes more sense to invest money in updating the Continental.

 

I have mixed feelings about abandoning the Fiesta for this market. The new one looks very nice, and it doesn't hurt to have a presence in this segment. Ford is basically giving it to Honda and Nissan, with the Nissan Versa selling on price, and the Honda Fit being sold to people who want something a step above a bargain-bin price leader. The Fiesta had won universal praise for its chassis tuning and being fun to drive. Fix the automatic in that one, too, and I think it could be a viable product here. Obviously, Ford feels differently.

 

I think if they wanted to do anything in relation to Taurus, the answer would be to import the Chinese model and sell whatever few they can, or drop it. Nothing else between those two makes much sense to me.

 

I agree about Fiesta. I think the new one looks great and would do relatively well, but I guess they want to push those buyers to EcoSport.

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I think the Focus can be updated and built in China and it'll sell reasonably well. For the time being, that should be OK. Unless small car sales tank even further.

 

As for the current Taurus, I don't see the point in keeping it around. I'd rather Ford stick some money into updating the Fusion. Then make an EL stretched version of it. Call it a Taurus. But don't stick Impala like money into a car that sales are diving. Not worth the effort. For those that don't want a stretched Fusion, point them towards a base Continental.

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As for the current Taurus, I don't see the point in keeping it around. I'd rather Ford stick some money into updating the Fusion. Then make an EL stretched version of it. Call it a Taurus. But don't stick Impala like money into a car that sales are diving. Not worth the effort. For those that don't want a stretched Fusion, point them towards a base Continental.

 

Why would you give an extended length model that is otherwise exactly the same a different name?

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Very different than and now. Small/Midsize SUV get the same mileage as cars of that time, and are only getting higher. Once Oil gets to $60-$80 a barrel a huge amount of production can come online keeping up withe demand. Also at that time you had a very weak USD, and oil is traded in the USD. That is a big reason why oil has gotten more expensive over the past few months. The Strength of the US dollar on the global economy is tanking. In March you got 96 cents for every USD vs the Euro, today it is 85 cents; you would get $ 1.40CND for a USD now it is $1.23. The currency market play a major part of the local price of oil world wide.

 

Thx appreciate that perspective. I guess I'm old school having lived through the shortages going back to the first embargo.

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Why would you give an extended length model that is otherwise exactly the same a different name?

 

Alan M wanted to keep the Taurus name around. Not sure if that still is worth while in the declining car market. I personally could care less if they called it Fusion L, ala Audi naming. Or go with Taurus name.

 

But the point is to not put as much work as they did into creating the Continental as they would an L version. Not unless it'll be cheaper to tweak the Conti nose and tail, and keep all the panels to make a new Taurus. What ever is cheaper.

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Alan M wanted to keep the Taurus name around. Not sure if that still is worth while in the declining car market. I personally could care less if they called it Fusion L, ala Audi naming. Or go with Taurus name.

 

But the point is to not put as much work as they did into creating the Continental as they would an L version. Not unless it'll be cheaper to tweak the Conti nose and tail, and keep all the panels to make a new Taurus. What ever is cheaper.

 

They already have a new Taurus in China....just bring it over and you're done.

 

To me, it wouldn't be worth keeping the Taurus name just to tack it on an LWB Fusion.

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They already have a new Taurus in China....just bring it over and you're done.

 

To me, it wouldn't be worth keeping the Taurus name just to tack it on an LWB Fusion.

To say nothing of the fact it is a good looking vehicle. Not crazy about driving a Chinese car-but either way-want that size car and its not made here as far as Ford is concerned. And a Continental doesn't fit my mindset.

 

Hmnn-how about a de-contented Continental-call it Ford Taurus

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Just to give an idea where the industry is heading:

 

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2017-09-26/california-mulls-following-china-with-combustion-engine-car-ban

 

Now we all know despite whoever is in the White House, California will pull this off and the EPA will be no more than 5 years behind, regardless if it happens in 2030, 2035, or 2040.

 

I personally think the technology will be good enough in 20 years that we will all forget about gasoline and diesel engines.

 

Still not sold on self-driving cars, however.

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