Welcome to the North American Subaru Impreza Owners Club Thursday March 28, 2024
Home Forums Images WikiNASIOC Products Store Modifications Upgrade Garage
NASIOC
Go Back   NASIOC > NASIOC General > News & Rumors > Non-Subaru News & Rumors

Welcome to NASIOC - The world's largest online community for Subaru enthusiasts!
Welcome to the NASIOC.com Subaru forum.

You are currently viewing our forum as a guest, which gives you limited access to view most discussions and access our other features. By joining our community, free of charge, you will have access to post topics, communicate privately with other members (PM), respond to polls, upload content and access many other special features. Registration is free, fast and simple, so please join our community today!

If you have any problems with the registration process or your account login, please contact us.







* As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. 
* Registered users of the site do not see these ads. 
Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
Old 11-13-2008, 04:11 PM   #1
AVANTI R5
Scooby Guru
 
Member#: 73805
Join Date: Nov 2004
Vehicle:
24 TypeS ZO6
White

Default Ford plans new model onslaught to fight sales slump





Quote:
General Motors announced last week that it would be delaying development work on several new models to help cut costs in the near term, but Ford has a different idea for future success. Rather than cutting back, Ford is betting its future on its ability to design a new generation of must-buy vehicles.

Meetings on the subject of what to do to prevent the current slide from progressing into bankruptcy have been underway for the last six weeks, reports The Detroit News. The outcome is the plan to create new cars rather than cutback and rely on existing models.

"We're only going to be in business if we create products that people really do want and value," said Mulally.

Part of the package for the future includes finding ways to make more money off small cars in the U.S., as the company already does in Europe. Recently renegotiated contracts with the UAW will help toward that goal, but there are still the issues of materials prices, American demand for features and power and the low price floor of small cars in the U.S. conspiring to erase profit margins.

Still, Ford is confident in its plan to move forward on the strength of new products. Cutting costs without offering something new doesn't make sense to product development leader Dennis Kuzak.

"Outstanding products are the heart of any turnaround of our business and its future success," said Kuzak. "The whole intent from the beginning was to protect the product plan and the capital spending and engineering that goes with it and look for every other element of cash that isn't directly tied to the products."

To generate that cash Ford will be cutting $8-$9 billion in expenses via restructuring, a 10% salaried payroll cut, and reduction in executive bonuses. ]Advertising ]budgets will also be reduced. The sum of all these cuts, together with asset sales and drawing on the company's Ford Credit financial agency, will help put the Blue Oval's balance sheets back in order - if all goes according to plan.
http://www.motorauthority.com/ford-p...les-slump.html
* Registered users of the site do not see these ads.
AVANTI R5 is offline   Reply With Quote
Sponsored Links
* Registered users of the site do not see these ads.
Old 11-13-2008, 04:12 PM   #2
AVANTI R5
Scooby Guru
 
Member#: 73805
Join Date: Nov 2004
Vehicle:
24 TypeS ZO6
White

Default

Job one is........GET rid of that razor blade front end.

They could do it though.Bring some of that stuff from Europe over to start.
AVANTI R5 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-13-2008, 04:35 PM   #3
Chuck Jones
Scooby Specialist
 
Member#: 153449
Join Date: Jul 2007
Chapter/Region: NESIC
Location: Peterborough, NH/Woo, MA
Vehicle:
2008 WRB w/ moreRPF1
Replaced East Coaster

Default

It is just horrible that it took them this long to try.

That front end works on some cars and is just strained on others. I never really understood the whole "Corporate face" thing. When it is done well, like BMW, I still feel it makes everything look too much the same. When it is done poorly the company just makes some awful looking cars.
Chuck Jones is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-13-2008, 05:29 PM   #4
Longinus
Scooby Specialist
 
Member#: 187727
Join Date: Aug 2008
Chapter/Region: SCIC
Location: Los Angeles
Vehicle:
2001 GC6 Impreza
BRP w/ dust magnet paint

Default

I'm really pullin for ford. If they manage to fix the hideous looks and make their incoming entry level cars cheaper, they'll get what they want.
Longinus is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-13-2008, 05:47 PM   #5
Hazdaz
Scooby Guru
 
Member#: 14611
Join Date: Jan 2002
Default

This is 2 days in a row now that makes me think that Ford is actually in better shape than GM.

Cutting back on new, better, more competitive models is NOT the answer. If there is going to be a slow down in sales, you want to make sure that your cars are the most impressive.
Hazdaz is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-13-2008, 06:17 PM   #6
Chromer
Scooby Specialist
 
Member#: 20325
Join Date: Jun 2002
Chapter/Region: NESIC
Vehicle:
08 Yamaha WR250R
07 Suzuki DL650

Default

"Internet time" is so, so much faster than "automaker time."

So frustrating, it feels like we've been watching these models creep towards us for years. Well, I guess we really have...
Chromer is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-14-2008, 04:16 AM   #7
Chuck Jones
Scooby Specialist
 
Member#: 153449
Join Date: Jul 2007
Chapter/Region: NESIC
Location: Peterborough, NH/Woo, MA
Vehicle:
2008 WRB w/ moreRPF1
Replaced East Coaster

Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Longinus View Post
I'm really pullin for ford. If they manage to fix the hideous looks and make their incoming entry level cars cheaper, they'll get what they want.
I don't even think it is a matter of making them cheaper, it is just making them a better value (more mileage and safety) and adding creature comforts (bluetooth and a nice sunroof) that people used to driving five ton SUVs now can't go without when they decide to downsize.

The Mini brand has proved this point and is the only brand that is really thriving in this market. Simple things you don't think about much and take as a given option at least, such as heated seats or bluetooth, need to be available in the next round of small cars from American manufacturers.

Just because people want to go smaller and more fuel efficient doesn't mean that people are shopping in the bargain bin. That has been GM, Ford, and Chrysler's problem the whole time, thinking they can get away with selling ****e in this segment.

/rant
Chuck Jones is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-14-2008, 05:03 AM   #8
hondahata
Scooby Specialist
 
Member#: 64905
Join Date: Jun 2004
Chapter/Region: South East
Location: Sliding Fast Towards Old Age
Vehicle:
2004 WRX/STi
Rally Blue

Default

If its an onslaught they want, I got the easiest fix ever....bring over everything from the foreign markets, completely rape Volvo and Mazda--rebadge it all, and sell it at a lower price point. Problem solved.
hondahata is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Forum Jump

Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Hyundai Is Planning New Model Blitz AVANTI R5 Non-Subaru News & Rumors 7 11-13-2009 08:36 PM
Suzuki, Mitsubishi Urged to ‘Forget America’ as Sales Slump AVANTI R5 Non-Subaru News & Rumors 27 07-14-2009 05:44 PM
Report: Ford planning employee pricing discount on most '08 and '09 models AVANTI R5 Non-Subaru News & Rumors 3 11-16-2008 01:18 PM
VW planning new model between CC and Phaeton AVANTI R5 Non-Subaru News & Rumors 18 01-18-2008 10:20 PM
Ford plans to move production to Mexico (again) cyberpirate Non-Subaru News & Rumors 28 06-20-2006 02:35 PM

All times are GMT -4. The time now is 04:19 PM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.7.0
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
Powered by Searchlight © 2024 Axivo Inc.
Copyright ©1999 - 2019, North American Subaru Impreza Owners Club, Inc.

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission
Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.