Not cool, Ford. Not cool.

[The AD]

On the other hand, if gas prices spike to $5/gallon, and buyers seek out small fuel miser cars, Ford won't have anything those buyers want. A Mustang isn't going to work for a buyer who wants four doors to load kid seats.

OTOH, the stories say Ford is phasing out small cars for the North American market. I have a feeling if other factors change they would be able to bring them back relatively quickly. Perhaps they'd initially need to import these vehicles from other countries.

[MultiVerse]

It feels strange to say that anyone at Ford has any regrets about the current generation F150. They sell a fuckton of them at pretty high margins.

Definitely strange from an outsiders perspective but pretty easy to see from an internal Game of Thrones perspective how an exec could diminish a rival exec by pointing out the $$ Billions $$ more Ford could be making if not for the costly aluminum construction.

[4matic]

Tesla disruption. Mustang.... lol.

[MontuckyFried]

I predict a repeat of the early 2000s. I remember clearly when I was shopping for a cheap economy car and my coworkers were giving me a bit of hard time, many of whom were driving big SUVs. I remember saying "gas isn't going to be this cheap forever." Then around 2003, fuel prices starting skyrocketing. Then all those same guys at work were complaining about how much it cost to fuel up their Suburbans and Tahoes that morning. My schadenfreude was strong those days as I got to brag in return that my little hatch only cost x amount to fill up. Hahaha.

What people forget is that while, yes SUVs and trucks do get remarkable gas mileage these days considering their size, a gallon of gas has gotten pretty darn expensive too, but we've just acclimated to the fuel costs. When gas prices double yet again, consumers will feel that early 2000s pain all over again and will be tripping all over themselves (AGAIN) to purchase smaller cars in general, but this time more hybrids and electrics. Yes, I know that's coming down Ford's pipeline, but they're still not there yet. And let's say we go to more of an electric vehicle society and more efficient in general, then the demand on the grid will spike, and electric costs will increase, so a vehicle's range efficiency will STILL be a valid factor where a smaller, lighter car will still reign supreme.

[SKIP IN7RO]

If gas goes to $5 a G, buckle down for the next recession

The summer of '08 was fucking painful...$4.67 - 4.75. Total speculation and speaking out my ass on this, but if there is a Blue-nami this fall, I think we'll see over $5.00 by summer of 2020.

[Dantheman]

which for all intensive purposes

Heh. Does your job have some nice french benefits?

[AdironRider]

Heh. Does your job have some nice french benefits?

I blame autocorrect

[dunfree]

Kind of undermines the emotional argument that spawned the thread. There are still a few continents left to sell cars, experiment with electrical, etc.

not sure it does. GM makes the bulk of its profit in the US, but sells more cars in China. Ford makes pretty much all of it's profit in the US with losses in every other market but Europe. This is maximizing profits in the legacy markets to boost stuff in growth markets and that's the emotion spawning the thread. Or some of it. People still like cars, they don't think of them like cigarettes.

as for the upthread - I'd be surprised if early Autonomous cars will handle all weather and road conditions well. I suspect them to work better in urban conditions/environments before lots more miles are racked up in them.

[Elkhound Odin]

I wonder if Ford is clearing their decks to help Tesla reach the 6,000 unit/month goal.

[MontuckyFried]

Kind of undermines the emotional argument that spawned the thread. There are still a few continents left to sell cars, experiment with electrical, etc.

Doesn't undermine the emotional argument at all, because I want those cars in America! The good Focus didn't do us much good when it was exclusively in Europe, now did it? Not cool when American car companies have vehicles that WE want exclusive to other continents. Again, I blame the average American consumer first and foremost, but it's still frustrating from my perspective.

[MultiVerse]

FWIW, the 2020 Ford Focus RS is supposed to be bonkers. As in +400hp +400lb ft and a mild hybrid à la F1.

[plugboots]

Gas is expensive yada yada yada, those shitty crossover POS drive like shit. People in the US don't give a fuck about actually driving.

[MontuckyFried]

Just saw that Honda released this video just a few days back. Timing seems suspect. A shot over Ford's bow? Although a small (and shrinking) market segment, I think Ford's going to lose at least a few customers over their decision to axe basically every vehicle in their lineup with a stick, with the sole exception of the Mustang. The fact that I can get a manual in much of Honda and Mazda's lineups is definitely steering me back toward their directions, and I'm sure I'm not alone.


Say what you will about Honda, but at least SOMEONE seems to care about driving. Major kudos to them for releasing a video like this aimed squarely at the American market.

[jacob_dbu]

Gas is expensive yada yada yada, those shitty crossover POS drive like shit. People in the US don't give a fuck about actually driving.

So when Ford loses the autonomous / electric car race, what are these people going to buy? Oh yeah that's right...not an Escape.

[iceman]

The roads are so shitty everywhere i go there's very little pleasure in driving a good sporty car on them, I'm kinda sorta thinking like a grand cherokee or something else with some suspension travel even though I'd rather not. Getting your brains beat out and wincing at every fucking bump gets old.

[PNWbrit]

I just got off the phone with Ford.

They called to say they're going to buy back my Wife's '14 Focus as part of the settlement over dual clutch auto-trans fault.

Purely by coincidence It's currently at the dealership for what will likely be it's third clutch pack replacement in less than 44k miles.

So I guess she's in the market for another commuter car.

[plugboots]

Ice, get the cool sports sedan you like but don't option in the sport suspension bits, and 19" tires. No M-sport for me for example.

[plugboots]

So when Ford loses the autonomous / electric car race, what are these people going to buy? Oh yeah that's right...not an Escape.

Maybe an electric RAV4 or CRV? The ICE versions are everywhere. Driven by morons, I may add.

[Timberridge]

So I guess she's in the market for another commuter car.

Ring Bobby. Nashville is pretty this time of year with all the trees in flower.

[El Chupacabra]

OTOH, the stories say Ford is phasing out small cars for the North American market. I have a feeling if other factors change they would be able to bring them back relatively quickly. Perhaps they'd initially need to import these vehicles from other countries.

That could be part of the plan. Anyone know how long it takes to federalize a car for US sale? (crash testing, emissions, whatever)

[Mazderati]

I could only guess at specifics but the time partly depends on how different overseas safety and emissions criteria are relative to the same US criteria. If they're similar, maybe not that long.

[tuco]

The summer of '08 was fucking painful...$4.67 - 4.75. Total speculation and speaking out my ass on this, but if there is a Blue-nami this fall, I think we'll see over $5.00 by summer of 2020.

Well, I can tell you real estate here has now eclipsed '08.

[MontuckyFried]

I just got off the phone with Ford.

They called to say they're going to buy back my Wife's '14 Focus as part of the settlement over dual clutch auto-trans fault.

Purely by coincidence It's currently at the dealership for what will likely be it's third clutch pack replacement in less than 44k miles.

So I guess she's in the market for another commuter car.

That's crazy. Hopefully lesson learned though...go with the MT.

[hutash]

Do we need $10/gallon gas to get things back in check or what? Common, people! Common, Ford!

Yes






On another note, fuck Ford anyway, they haven't built a decent car since the '66 Mustang.

There are plenty of fun, small cars out there, just not from US manufactures.

As long as Americans continue to act like Americans this behavior from Ford and Chevy will continue. I've driven Euro cars most of my life with the occasional Japanese car.

[PNWbrit]

That's crazy. Hopefully lesson learned though...go with the MT.

For her commuter car in Seattle traffic and Seattle's hills... yeah right.

Ring Bobby. Nashville is pretty this time of year with all the trees in flower.

I was thinking about a Hyundai?

...Shit, actually that could possibly happen.