"Ford assures shareholders of turnaround"

[sleekism]

Hmmmm........................

Henry Ford must be spinning in his grave!

The problem is that Ford is too dependant on it's SUV's and F series trucks to make a profit while its obvious that this market has peaked.

I think Ford needs to move closer into bed with Mazda.

Mazdas cars are based on frukin Ford platforms anyway but while Ford struggles to move stock Mazda has reached peak capacity and is looking at building new factories.

I think Ford NA should swallow its pride and look at its subsidiaries for help.

The Falcon/Territory platform could be extremely valuable so Ford should use it to build a new Ford 500 (give it a decent name) and a lighter more fuel efficient SUV with a Diesel option.

Ford NA should also look at doing something with the MX5 or RX8 platform to build a RWD hatch and bring back the Ford Escort nameplate.

Product differentation is the name of the game: everybody is doing front wheel drive sedans and hatches so there are 3 options:

1)You can use your impeccable reputation to move cars (Toyota)
2) You can give your ordinary cars funky and futuristic styling (Mazda)
3) Or you can make your cars different (BMW sticking with RWD throughout its whole range and sticking to inline six engines)

Ford NA has a shocking reputation and is trying to move cars on a vague link between its FWD Camrystyle ****boxes and its V8 NASCAR racears.

Americans arent idiots, it works in Australia because people go watch V8 Fords and Holdens race at bathurst and can actually go down to the local dealer and buy a V8 Ford and Holden.

Oh and Ford dont do a Chevrolet and put a V8 in a FWD car its not the friggin same and is dynamically stupid.