Ford expects Toyota to overtake it in U.S.

[Psionic Wibbly]

Ford expects Toyota to overtake it in U.S.

Reuters / December 21, 2006 - 4:56 am

NEW YORK -- Ford Motor Co. expects Japan's Toyota Motor Corp. to unseat it next year as the second biggest seller of vehicles in the American market behind General Motors. It is a position Ford has held since the 1920s, the New York Times said on its Web site today.

Citing internal Ford projections, the paper says the projections show that company officers believe Ford will permanently fall to third place as soon as January.

Edmunds.com, a Web site offering car-buying advice, plans to issue its own forecast Thursday that will echo the internal Ford projections, predicting second place for Toyota by mid-2007, the paper said.

http://www.autonews.com/apps/pbcs.dl...9/1078&refsect=

[5 watt]

If you are going to post a news story please pick a relevant title. If needed, we can explain the meaning and history of the term “throwing in the towel”.

[jon21]

Wow...very sad indeed. Ford can't do jack about it.

[t-rex]

Looks like Ford shouldn't have placed all their eggs in the F-150 / Explorer / Expedition basket.

[chevydlrmn]

this is sad. I've read about how many feel GM sales have hit their low. I hope this is true.

[Ming]

Somehow "I'd prefer they be profitable than be second in sales," doesn't quite sound so reassuring when you read this:

"It is a position Ford has held since the 1920s."

[Xeper]

Originally Posted by t-rex

Looks like Ford shouldn't have placed all their eggs in the F-150 / Explorer / Expedition basket.

Dont forget that GM was still doing this and expected the GMT-900's to make a big return for them. It worked though.

[VCDJ]

What did ford expect, just selling suvs and pick ups of course you will lose sales. Not everybody wants 15 mpg vehicles. Look at focus, when was the last time they changed that car, haha never. GM should start moving away from suv's and pick up trucks, if they price of fuel go up again. gm will lose too. But if gm makes fuel efficient cars like honda civic and corola ( yes they are ugly but they are cheap to drive) then if price of fuel will go up, gm market share will go up too.

[GM-Joe]

Originally Posted by 5 watt

If you are going to post a news story please pick a relevant title. If needed, we can explain the meaning and history of the term “throwing in the towel”.

No kidding, if I was the Ford CEO, my pride alone would not let my American company lose anything to a foreign company. I would fight til the end and never throw in the towel; no wonder they are doing so poorly!

[yukonho]

So Toyota is almost as big as Chevrolet in the USA. Why I thought they were the biggest best company on earth. Whoops!

[GM-Joe]

Originally Posted by t-rex

Looks like Ford shouldn't have placed all their eggs in the F-150 / Explorer / Expedition basket.

The thing is that they have not been the best at anything, except the GT40, forever. The F150 has been underpowered for awhile, yet they do nothing about it.

They have a new focus in Europe, yet don't bring it here, except in the Mazda 3.

They have a bunch of retards running that company.

[Dgrocho]

Yeah, its sad, with the history and all, but everybody had to see this coming. Its amazing they've retained their position at all with how long their product cycle is. I am afraid that they might revive nameplates in an effort to revive the company only to allow them to wither away like they have with so many other vehicles.

Either they need a complete reshuffling of the upper management, or they desperately need somebody to remove the Ford family's controlling stake in the company. For Example, the time has come and passed I'm sure, but I think Kerkorian's plan for GM would have worked well for Ford. I think its time for Ford to completely start from scratch, even going so far as to rename the company. Then again, with their financing plan, if they don't change their ways quickly, that is the only possible outcome.

[commodorecoops]

Ford needs good passenger cars and they need them now. Fiesta, Focus, Mondeo, Falcon. Problem solved.

[lio45]

Originally Posted by Ming

Somehow "I'd prefer they be profitable than be second in sales," doesn't quite sound so reassuring when you read this:

"It is a position Ford has held since the 1920s."

What difference does it make?

[desmo9]

I already see it this way, and I expect more and more people will eventually view people driving Toyotas as second-rate citizens. Losing the sales crown in the global market is life. And imports in the US market present a nice & diverse set of product choices for the consumer ... and keeps the domestics on their toes. But when an import brand overtakes two of the formerly Big 3 in the home market, it's unacceptable. It's not about the product anymore, so it's also inexcusable.

I know a woman who had a couple niggling little problems with her last Chevy, so she bought a Camry. After just 75K miles, the Camry needed a new tranny to the tune of $3K. She drove it a few thou more miles, and traded it in on another Camry. I don't have much respect for the hypocrites among us.