NAIAS 08: Ford Verve Concept

[1931Chevy]

Originally Posted by GXP Lover

Finally, a three bar front that I like. Ford did a good job with this styling wise. I bet Ford is kicking itself with the "growing popularity of small cars" for not bringing over the more competitive and much better styled European Focus. It could have gained traction in this growth area instead of providing us with a wrongly updated version of the outdated Focus.

Dont worry the new Focus is less than 2 years away

[igor]

Originally Posted by FenwickHockey65

So I'm guessing this will sell alongside the Focus?

correct - It will sell alongside the current (08) focus for 12 months and then an all new MkIII global Focus goes into production in April 2010.

Igor

[igor]

Originally Posted by GXP Lover

Finally, a three bar front that I like. Ford did a good job with this styling wise. I bet Ford is kicking itself with the "growing popularity of small cars" for not bringing over the more competitive and much better styled European Focus. It could have gained traction in this growth area instead of providing us with a wrongly updated version of the outdated Focus.

have you SEEN IN PERSON the EU Focus? I did (the pre-facelift version) and it looks boring and dull. I know it is a better car all around and more grown up, but to be honest it was a very disappointing experience - it looked like a bloated Corolla - it would have been right at home at Toyota's lineup.

Moreover, if people think that a US version of the EU Focus would be as advanced as the EU version itself with HID headlamps, and whatnot do nto kid yourself. The only way Mazda can offer that in US at the Mazda3 is because it is built in Japan, and the currency exchange allows Mazda to add the features.

Igor

[Uzzy]

Originally Posted by AbsoluteSaab

In europe this wil go up against the Opel Corsa.
unfortunately the Corsa can not be homogulated to meet North America's vehicle standards, But I do remember a interview with Lutz at the time of the new Corsa launch, saying the next gen. platform (which will also have a Chevy variant); could well come to the US.

Why can't the Corsa? And yes, the Corsa coming here has been the buzz for quite some time and now more than ever.

[PhishPhood]

[QUOTE]
Small Car Popularity Skyrockets in North America
Momentum in small-car sales is outpacing overall industry growth worldwide. Globally, small car sales have grown from 23 million units in 2002 to an estimated 38 million in 2012. That’s nearly 45 percent of the total expected 85-million unit industry, a level never before achieved. In the U.S., sales of small cars likely will grow by 800,000, or 25 percent – to a record 3.4 million units by 2012.
In fact, small cars and crossovers are the only vehicles with projected near-term growth in the U.S.
Driving the growth in the U.S. market is a group of young people aged 13 to 28 years – dubbed “Millennials.” Today, this group stands 1.7 billion strong worldwide and will represent 28 percent of the total U.S. population by 2010.
As a group, Millennials embrace eco-friendliness, stay in constant touch using modern technology and demand best-in-class products from around the world. This group will grow from representing 19 percent of the driving public in 2004 to amassing 28 percent in 2010.
Every day, 11,000 Millennials in the U.S. come of driving age. When it’s time to buy their first car, nearly half of this group shops the small-car segment.
“Millennials will be the defining group of customers in the future, driving all types of consumer trends,” said Jim Farley, Ford’s group vice president, Marketing and Communications. “Ford’s European-based cars are a great fit for this generation of drivers, who have grown up with the Internet and mobile phones as necessities, not luxuries – believing that bigger isn’t necessarily better, precision is everything and technology rules.” [/quote]

This paragraph from the release is spot on and it's what Farley might be bringing to Ford right away. This is understanding the market and the forces that will shape in in the next 5-10 yrs.

[DuSpinnst]

Verve looks good.

Like the Astra you can tell it is European influenced, I'd buy one.

[DuSpinnst]

Originally Posted by AbsoluteSaab

The Verve is set to replace the Fiesta not Focus..

Yea, but the size is still a bit larger than the current one.

[ctsmo]

looks like they stole the lower grille from aston, other than that it looks great.

[SUPERBADD75]

nice. now dump the Focus and bring that in!

[Extreme4x4]

"That," is significantly smaller than the Focus. The Focus will be all new for 2010.

[civilzues]

push button start? wow, thats really cool on a car in this class.

[Uzzy]

Originally Posted by Extreme4x4

"That," is significantly smaller than the Focus. The Focus will be all new for 2010.

I saw it in person. It's not that much smaller than the Focus, but the new Focus seems bigger than the last. I don't know if it is, but just seems bigger. And that pinky purply colour is simply putrid in person Even the girl I was with thought it was terrible.