Comments on: Ford Motor Co. posts $100M profit

By: Graeme Simpson

Graeme Simpson — Tue, 26 Aug 2008 14:26:33 +0000

While things have been slim one must wonder about the logic applied to why Ford stopped making a RHD version of the Explorer which was getting a growing audience in Australia, UK & Japan, biting into sales of Toyota as well as Nissan.
It was esentially a knee jerk reaction & not to mention a bad one. The longer a model remains out of a certain market the harder it is to ever re-establish itself within that market again.
This is something that definitely should be rectified post haste, it is bad management to say the least to have a situation where you have potential substancial market for your product but do not make it available.
Open your eyes people & listen to your potential customers or they will go elsewhere & Ford will be left with their pants around their ankles.
Cheers
Grae

By: Naughtyius Maximus

Naughtyius Maximus — Fri, 02 May 2008 09:40:35 +0000

The market is changing and small economical cars are taking over with petrol prices squeezing the bigger cars. This is clear from my research.

By: No Name

No Name — Fri, 02 May 2008 09:25:43 +0000

Hey TP i’m a Euro bod. The Corolla is no-where near the top of the here. So is it really that good otr is it more the case as I stated average people don;t care what they look like in a car.

By: Tp

Tp — Fri, 02 May 2008 09:07:42 +0000

Wheelnut who exactly are you kidding? As you would expect, the new Corolla has experienced an upturn in sales… its not going to get toppled in the distant future, because there isnt any decent competition which can match Toyota. Same can be said about many categories which Toyota now top or at close to topping

By: No Name

No Name — Fri, 02 May 2008 09:07:10 +0000

Ah but how many Corollas do you see compared to Barinas, Vivas. Probably more. I’m sure one of the blinkered Toyota nurds will no doubt provide the skewed sales figures.

By: Wheelnut

Wheelnut — Fri, 02 May 2008 08:29:41 +0000

The fact that the Euro Sourced small cars like the Fiesta Focus and Golf are easily outselling the Barina and Viva shows that Ozzies are willing to pay a prepmium if they can see that the build quality is better the features are greater etc because in the end they want value for money…

Which could explain why the once all mighty corolla isn;t as popular as it was or Toyota [fans[ would like to believe
Its lead/dominance is gradually becoming less and less every month

By: No Name

No Name — Thu, 01 May 2008 08:35:39 +0000

Very well getting the Euor superior product but it comes at a higher cost than the Korean equivilent. Is the average Auatralian going to pay a small premium for the Euor car..mmmm doubt it somehow, but time will tell.

By: Bret

Bret — Thu, 01 May 2008 08:29:48 +0000

I wouldn’t bet anything on GMH going back to Europe for their small cars. GM HQ will make the decision, and guess what region GM had its biggest profit growth? Yep out of Korea.

By: Wheelnut

Wheelnut — Thu, 01 May 2008 07:55:50 +0000

The decision hasn’t been confirmed as yet but its expected to be within the next couple of months,.. particularly considering HSV want to import the new Vectra and Corsa [Opel GT?] to add a 6s and 4s to their range

By: Andrew M

Andrew M — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 10:36:42 +0000

Wheelnut,
just to make it clear, i wasnt trying to fry holden about the daewoos, i used them in a comparitive point.

i think the corporate and economical idea of trying to utilise daewoo was a good one, but unfortunatly those that make these decisions make it from the office and not the factory foor to be able to truely evaluate the situation.
if daewoo were at the same stage as what their korean cousin hyundai is at, then it would have been good for holden.
unfortunately holden tapped into daewoo whilst they are only at the stage hyundai was 10 years ago.

has the switch back to opels been confirmed?
i know the new CEO has said he wants to switch back to the better gear, but i half feel that descision is over his head considering the investment that has been put into daewoo.
daewoo will come good, but i dont see it happening for 2 more generations.

By: Wheelnut

Wheelnut — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 09:51:31 +0000

Andrew M – Holens new CEO Mr mark Reuss [who I believe camefrom Opel] has made re-introducing a range of Opels including the Vectra and the Corsa back into Australia and getting rid of the Dawooos – except for the Captiva.

Because he has noticed that the huge discounts dealers are having to offer inorder to move excess slow selling stock is eating into the savings that Denny “The Moron” Mooney thought they could make by initiating such a plan

The idea was doomed from the start because when Mooney was the CEO at Pontiac he believed the Sigma was perfect platform for the Commodore yet now the VE is replacing the Sigma as the G8.. which gives you an indication as to how good his judgement is

By: No Name

No Name — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 11:31:13 +0000

Bear in mind your Avensis down under is not the same as ours. You ‘Avensis’ here is called the ‘Corolla Versio’. Confused,… you will be.
I think we even get a Corolla (Auris) Wagon here!!

By: Andrew M

Andrew M — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 11:14:21 +0000

Thanks no name,
i also forgot the wagon range that toyota dont offer here, yet is offered else where in the world

By: Andrew M

Andrew M — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 11:12:34 +0000

NM,
but from what ive read, its only the top of the range captiva that seems to disprove that theory. apparently from what ive learnt it isnt made along side the lower spec models.
there is also the complaints list on this website that raises concearns over incorrectly diplayed fuel figures right through to worrying noises.

yes i also agree that the daewoo rebadging concept will get better but that too will not happen over night.
i can see fords u beaut line up coming before someone with guts in GM puts a better plan forward to get rid of the poor status of the epica, barina etc.

By: Naughtyius Maximus

Naughtyius Maximus — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 11:04:47 +0000

Andrew M…
Shock horror….The Captiva disproves that theory as glowing reviews and sells in droves. Short term, models you refer to are negative yes….long term they will nail car manufacture there and Captiva is evidence of this!

By: No Name

No Name — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 10:56:26 +0000

Another area Toyota missing out on is Wagon and sport cars (not sporty saloons). Wagons are completely off the list in australia (We do have the Avenis here) unless you want a thirsty 4WD. Same goes for Holden new VE sportwagon excepted.

By: Andrew M

Andrew M — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 10:36:24 +0000

ooopps sorry, i forgot to put this thing at the end :)

By: Andrew M

Andrew M — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 10:26:41 +0000

until yesterday i thought the 20 20 summit was the indian 20 20 league. ha ha ha ha ha ha
silly me i got scammed actually paying for 2020 summit tickets thinking i was gonna see Gilly smack some balls around ha ha ha ha ha

dare i say it but the one part i dont agree with you on is that toyota and Holden are getting better models here quicker than ford.
i mean where is toyotas diesel passenger vehicle? there are plenty around elsewhere in the world. and what about toyotas AWD corolla?

and then there is Holden……..
you cant sit there and tell me that holden getting daewoos here quick smart is a great move for the future

By: Naughtyius Maximus

Naughtyius Maximus — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 10:16:38 +0000

Refer Andrew M’s comment. So gave him a chuckle!

By: No Name

No Name — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 10:15:15 +0000

You two talking pants as usual.. Ha Ha. sorry couoldn;t help it.