Ford sales slip 3.2 percent in February

[PontiacJ8]

DETROIT -- Ford Motor Co. said Tuesday that sales were down 3.2 percent in February in what has been a sluggish new year for U.S. automakers.

The country’s second-largest automaker saw its biggest decrease in car sales, which fell 15.2 percent from February 2003. Truck sales for the Ford, Lincoln and Mercury brands were up 3.3 percent, buoyed by the continued success of F-series pickups.

The company said it was cutting second-quarter production at its North American assembly plants by 5 percent from last year, slashing car production by 21 percent and increasing truck production by 2 percent.

First-quarter production will be slightly less -- 1.5 percent -- than previously announced, Ford said.

Full Story HERE

[casket_demon]

As soon as the Mustang goes on-line...that'll change,but 4 how long?

[Smilingoat]

Originally posted by casket_demon@Mar 3 2004, 02:29 AM
As soon as the Mustang go on-line...that'll change,but 4 how long?

it will change, but i dont think for long, i dont know any retro car that has gone strong past about 2 years, then a sharper than average decline

[BigAls87Z28]

Originally posted by casket_demon@Mar 3 2004, 02:29 AM
As soon as the Mustang go on-line...that'll change,but 4 how long?

hehehe I dont think 200k mustangs will make up for sh*tty cars like the sable, taurus, focus, crown vic, grand mark, continental,.....

exactly. More like hope to god that the 500 and Monterey come out SOON. Anyone thinking that the mustang will repeat its million selling deal as did it back in 65 to 67, your asking for a lot.

Its really sad how the fate of a car company rests in a truck. The sedans suck, and if the imports start making really good trucks, and chevy and dodge keep getting better with ford sitting behind.... I forsee many bad years.

Maybe another supercar? Make the GT have 700hp! that will help!

Ford is not impressing me with any new product, but Im a hard man to please when it comes to the blue oval.

[tgagneguam]

I do somewhat admire Ford's longterm view of fewer profit-eroding fleet sales and more of a focus on retail sales. I assume that, along with some generally very weak cars, are responsible for Ford's poor showing in the US and Canada this past month. It does take some "gumption" to do that.

As I've said before, it would be nice to have a strong Ford and GM both taking share from everyone else... Maybe in a fantasy world that'll happen.

[paul8488]

ford doesn't have any definite winners in the pipeline. 500 hundred will sell, but not amazingly, i don't think. too many other good, much more stylish sedans out there. freestyle is a yawn, and really only a step removed from the escape. nothing in mercury or lincolns future lineup looks terribly exciting either (the next aviator is a long ways off, i believe). the 'stang'll move quite quickly at first, but'll level off rapidly and probably not do much better than the current one. so yeah, it's up to the F-150.

[sam4irene]

Originally posted by bigals87z28+Mar 3 2004, 07:16 AM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td>QUOTE (bigals87z28 @ Mar 3 2004, 07:16 AM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'> <!--QuoteBegin-casket_demon@Mar 3 2004, 02:29 AM
As soon as the Mustang go on-line...that'll change,but 4 how long?&nbsp;

hehehe I dont think 200k mustangs will make up for sh*tty cars like the sable, taurus, focus, crown vic, grand mark, continental,.....

exactly. More like hope to god that the 500 and Monterey come out SOON. Anyone thinking that the mustang will repeat its million selling deal as did it back in 65 to 67, your asking for a lot.

Its really sad how the fate of a car company rests in a truck. The sedans suck, and if the imports start making really good trucks, and chevy and dodge keep getting better with ford sitting behind.... I forsee many bad years.

Maybe another supercar? Make the GT have 700hp! that will help!

Ford is not impressing me with any new product, but Im a hard man to please when it comes to the blue oval. [/b][/quote]
I agree with everything, but another supercar, that will not help their sells either, at least not at over $100,000 each car. I don't like the blue oval either. These guys need to get on the ball if they want to stay on top. B)

[BigAls87Z28]

Originally posted by sam4irene+Mar 3 2004, 09:25 PM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td>QUOTE (sam4irene @ Mar 3 2004, 09:25 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'>

hehehe I dont think 200k mustangs will make up for sh*tty cars like the sable, taurus, focus, crown vic, grand mark, continental,.....

exactly. More like hope to god that the 500 and Monterey come out SOON. Anyone thinking that the mustang will repeat its million selling deal as did it back in 65 to 67, your asking for a lot.

Its really sad how the fate of a car company rests in a truck. The sedans suck, and if the imports start making really good trucks, and chevy and dodge keep getting better with ford sitting behind.... I forsee many bad years.

Maybe another supercar? Make the GT have 700hp! that will help!

Ford is not impressing me with any new product, but Im a hard man to please when it comes to the blue oval.

I agree with everything, but another supercar, that will not help their sells either, at least not at over $100,000 each car. I don't like the blue oval either. These guys need to get on the ball if they want to stay on top. B) [/b][/quote]
I was being sarcastic.

[stewacide]

Almost the entire decline is in Taurus sales as Ford is cutting fleet sales to increase resale and increase Focus volume. They also have a refreshed Focus coming out in a few months so that's hurting sales. This decline in mass-market car sales is entirely consistent with their strategy and not worrying since they have a whole new lineup coming out in the next two years (redesigned Focus, new Futura, new 500 and Freestyle, etc.).

Most of the analyists in fact are saying that of the automakers to report Ford is doing the best despite the numbers seeming to indicate otherwise. They've increased in all the areas they want to: at the high end with PAG and Lincoln, and in trucks and SUVs (the most profitable segments of the market BTW). Of those only Jag' didn't see an increase (they were down 2% IIRC), and that's very good news considering they have an all-new S-type and XK coming out very soon.

Also IIRC Mazda sales aren't included with Ford and they've increased their US marketshare drastically in the past ~2 years, and that will only continue with the new Mazda3.

Basically, Ford's overall strategy it to trade volume of sales for quality of sales. It seems to be working, but the big test will be the US mainstream sedan market with the Futura and 500. Both those cars will clearly be best in their classes in all respects (especially the Futura which is in the much more competative segment) - the question is whether they Ford brand can take on Honda and Toyota for the high quality, high profit sales they're after

[awalbert88]

With most of the aging car fleet at Ford being replaced in the next two years, I'm not surprised to see sales slowing a bit right now. Ford's strategy is about long-term success, even if things have to suffer a little bit in the short-term.

[casket_demon]

Long-term sucess??...I don't see it. Wait, maybe B I see a litlle something in the Freestyle,but nothing else Ford has coming out I would even think about. The Mustang looks like old a$$,the FreeStar looks like the Windstar (not much reach there),the new Focus (hahahaha), the 500 (Toyota Camry bland), the F-150 (great interior,but could I have a great exterior 2 match?) and should I even begin 2 chew on Mercury???...2 words..The Montego HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!

Speaking of Supercars..isn't the Shelby Cobra supposed 2 stepping up 2 the plate???...that'd make Supercar #2.

[stewacide]

The 500 and Freestyle are meant to be bland. They essentially take over from the current Taurus but are a new pardigrim in the industry, being much larger, taller, and at the same time more effecient than anything we've seen before. Basically it's taking where the midsize segment has been slowly headed in the last few years (bigger, blander, more luxurious) and taking it to its logical end. For the price it's very hard to imagine how a top-trim Camrey or Accord could compete with the larger, more capable, more refined 500 for a similar price - especially considering how manageable the outside dimensions are and how effeceint it will be with a CVT or 6-speed auto.

The Futura will do almost the complete opposit. It's style (from people inside the development loop) is said to be as progressive as the original Taurus was in its day. The mechanicals, similarily, push the envelope in all respects: AWD, industry-leading 4-cylinders, 6-cylinders (3.0 and 3.5), the possibility of diesel power if that's where the market heads, and a new Ford developed hybrid powertrain (that's said to be power rather than economy biased). The fact that it's developed on the Mazda6 platform would also indicate that it will be a very sporting ride, with a 300hp version in the works and manual transmissions offered over the whole range.

One very important aspect of the Futura (and 500 to a lesser extent) that's often overlooked is the fact that it will be AWD, which means that nobody for the forseeable future will be able to touch Ford in terms of the horsepower race (any more horsepower and the FWD Maxima/Altima/Accord/etc. will be undriveable).

...It's incredible how short-sighted the market can be, as if a company is only worth it's latest quarters sales numbers. It's still a gamble at this point but if I had any money I'd consider buying Ford stock now while everyone seems to be negative on it.

[casket_demon]

Stewy UR totally right..I 4got how people like their cars 2 B bland. Never ever understand that.

[banzai79]

I completely agree with Stewacide, I think the new mainstream Ford models look very promising

[paul8488]

Originally posted by stewacide@Mar 4 2004, 04:25 AM
The 500 and Freestyle are meant to be bland. They essentially take over from the current Taurus but are a new pardigrim in the industry, being much larger, taller, and at the same time more effecient than anything we've seen before. Basically it's taking where the midsize segment has been slowly headed in the last few years (bigger, blander, more luxurious) and taking it to its logical end. For the price it's very hard to imagine how a top-trim Camrey or Accord could compete with the larger, more capable, more refined 500 for a similar price - especially considering how manageable the outside dimensions are and how effeceint it will be with a CVT or 6-speed auto.

The Futura will do almost the complete opposit. It's style (from people inside the development loop) is said to be as progressive as the original Taurus was in its day. The mechanicals, similarily, push the envelope in all respects: AWD, industry-leading 4-cylinders, 6-cylinders (3.0 and 3.5), the possibility of diesel power if that's where the market heads, and a new Ford developed hybrid powertrain (that's said to be power rather than economy biased). The fact that it's developed on the Mazda6 platform would also indicate that it will be a very sporting ride, with a 300hp version in the works and manual transmissions offered over the whole range.

One very important aspect of the Futura (and 500 to a lesser extent) that's often overlooked is the fact that it will be AWD, which means that nobody for the forseeable future will be able to touch Ford in terms of the horsepower race (any more horsepower and the FWD Maxima/Altima/Accord/etc. will be undriveable).

...It's incredible how short-sighted the market can be, as if a company is only worth it's latest quarters sales numbers. It's still a gamble at this point but if I had any money I'd consider buying Ford stock now while everyone seems to be negative on it.

i can't help but wondering how hard it'll be for ford to grab back any customers they loose up until these new models are out. for every die-hard, brand-happy customer there's a fickle one, and if they jump from a current ford to something else, i wonder if the new fords will be enough to pull them back. then again if they're fickle, they might very well be impressed with what ford is releasing in the future and jump back.

i find it odd that cavalier and sunfire and grand am sales are up (yes, two months of a year is only am tiny snapshot), even though these models are on their way out. same with the impala... it's far from fresh but still moving. some might question the use of incentives to keep market share, but GM is building better cars these days, and if they can get a taurus owner into an impala and impress them, they might very well keep them in the GM fold.

just guessing at all this... i think it's interesting stuff! i guess the difference with ford is that most of their car lineup is stale right now, whereas most companies try to stagger new introductions. ford's year of the car hasn't started just yet!