|
|
|
|
| Author |
|
|
Registered
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: New York, NY USA
Posts: 4,269
|
It is like 1973 all over again. In Europe - Ford had this very nice mid-sized car called the Grenada.
Buy the time the car of the same name was launched over here (about 1975?) it was redesigned to look like a mini-Lincoln and had the trappings of a bordello.. |
||
10-09-2008, 08:52 AM
|
|
|
Carbon Emitter
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: Socialist Republic of California
Posts: 2,129
|
Yep...so crazy how Ford and GM work. They have amazing cars in Europe that win awards and are best sellers, yet they've never tried making the exact same cars in the USA. And I mean the same cars...not "americanized" versions. Most Americans don't want "American" type vehicles anymore...why do you think VWs and BMWs are so popular? Do you ever see these in rental fleets?
Glad to hear that GM is bringing in the Euro-cars as Saturns, but they are still built in Europe so they'll have a hard time making money on them with the exchange rate. Let's look at Ford's previous attempts to bring their Euro-cars here: 1978-80 Ford Fiesta-actually sold well, but they lost money on each one because they were imported from Germany. 1981 Ford Escort - supposed to be a world car, but shared almost nothing with the Euro model of the same name. Sold well, but was soft riding with a cheap-o interior. Ford Sierra as the '86 Merkur XR4ti : made in Germany so it was too expensive, had an unpronouncable name. Ditto the Scorpio. Ford Mondeo as the Contour/Mystique: Again they "Americanized" the car with styling to mimic the hideous '96 Taurus and was a sales flop. Memo to Ford...thanks for the Fiesta (three years late), but please build us an unmolested test-winning Ford Mondeo made in the USA (so it can be priced competitively) and drop that overweight chrome-grilled rental car Fusion off a cliff. Last edited by jkarolyi; 10-09-2008 at 10:01 AM.. |
||
|
10-09-2008, 09:52 AM
|
|
|
Carbon Emitter
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: Socialist Republic of California
Posts: 2,129
|
BTW...that hideous American Grenada sold like hotcakes back then. Detroit still thinks it's 1975.
 Thanks Ford! 
Last edited by jkarolyi; 10-09-2008 at 11:48 AM.. |
||
|
10-09-2008, 10:03 AM
|
|
|
Registered
Join Date: Jul 2006
Posts: 668
|
Quote:
 Super thanks Ford. 
|
||
|
10-09-2008, 10:24 AM
|
|
|
Did you get the memo?
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: Wichita, KS
Posts: 33,321
|
A Cosworth massaged Escort is one of the few Fords that is lust-worthy.
__________________
‘07 Mazda RX8 Past: 911T, 911SC, Carrera, 951s, 955, 996s, 987s, 986s, 997s, BMW 5x, C36, C63, XJR, S8, Maserati Coupe, GT500, etc |
||
|
10-09-2008, 10:27 AM
|
|
|
Registered
Join Date: Aug 2001
Location: Brighton UK since 11/2012
Posts: 3,170
|
The Escort Cosworth( 3 door) as well as the Sierra (3 door) and Sapphire (4 door) Cossies were more than a lot of fun...... Sierra Cosworth RS500 rules!!!
Regarding the Saturn dealerships, the nearest one to me is basically out of town.... There are no GM dealerships in Seattle downtown area as, like most towns, the council doesn't want them. At present, there are only the Toyota, Honda, Volvo, BMW (moving) and MB (moving) dealers here. The total lack of investment by GM, Ford and Chrysler in products and dealerships is going to hurt them......... more than it already has.
__________________
From November 2012; Precision Porsche Specialist Sussex UK, +44 (0)1825-721-205 2001-2012 Gerber Motorsport Inc. 206-352-6911 07.15.06 1996 Ducati 900SP. Suprisingly enough, it's red 08.16.09 1999 Kawasaki ZRX1100. Green. |
||
|
10-09-2008, 05:44 PM
|
|
|
|
Registered
Join Date: Oct 1999
Posts: 8,673
|
Quote:
GM is trying to get someone to buy their headquarters building and let them stay there and pay rent. Hope they recover... |
||
|
10-09-2008, 06:35 PM
|
|
