| Driver8 |
02-07-2007 04:17 PM |
It smacks of desperation to me. Reviving Mustang was a brilliant move, but the product exceeded expectations, hence the success. The product planners have their hands full exceeding expectations with a 500-based Taurus that looks like a 5/4ths scale mid-90s Audi A6 and drives like a Crown Vic with front wheel drive.
Doing the same for Taurus (500), without an over-the-top product (500 is good but not great in its segment) to back it up and remind folks of how groundbreaking and great Taurus/Sable was when it came out in 1986, just sounds like badge-engineering to me, pure and simple.
Ford made a huge strategic blunder in the late 90's/early 2000s when it put all its eggs into the truck/SUV basket, and now they're bearing the burden of taking that route. I hate to see Ford in this predicament, but if it survives intact, it will be a MUCH better company.
I own a Ford product, a 2003 SuperDuty diesel truck, and I feel it's best-in-class. But it's going to take more than just good trucks to un-do all the harm that's been done. (On the other hand, Ford's strategy looked pretty good in 1999 in ExplorerLand, the place where $1.15 gas ruled and there was an SUV in every drive...)
Ford needs the Euro Focus now, needs to dump Mercury and redefine Lincoln. It needs to quit trying to be everyman's truck company and fleet sales company. The Fusion is a step in the right direction, and the Mustang is an unqualified success. F150s and SuperDuties will always sell well, as long as the product stays fresh and cutting-edge. Bring in the small-displacement diesels for both cars and trucks. Quit benchmarking things that are out-of-date by JobOne.
A lot of people are pulling for Ford, myself included, but success ain't gonna happen overnight and it ain't gonna happen without a lot of sweat and hard work. (And while Mark Fields' giving up weekly commuter use of the corporate jet is a good place to start, it has a long way to go from there.)
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