Ford Taurus: The Car that Doesn't Get No Respect
Let's say you're Bill Ford, Chairman of Ford Motor Company. Times are not the best. Is this a good time to close the plant that makes your most popular passenger car? Well, that's what Ford is on the verge of doing. It's on the verge of killing the Taurus. The fact is, the Taurus still sells almost 200,000 units per year even though it hasn't seen a significant upgrade in years. It outsells the Focus, the Mustang, the 500, the Fusion and Milan -- all of them. Maybe not forever, but for now.
Most of those sales are to fleets, but hey, the fleets have to buy something. If they don't buy the Taurus, what are they going to buy? Some might buy the Five Hundred or the Fusion, but the majority of those sales are going to go somewhere else. Some of them probably can't buy the Fusion because it's assembled in Mexico. There isn't enough capacity on-line now to fill those orders anyway.
The fact of the matter is that the Taurus doesn't get any respect. In a market with quite a few excellent cars, a good car is ridiculed. I'm going to post a comparison of the Taurus and the Fusion very soon. On paper these cars look more the same than different. There's no question the Fusion is a better car, but I can go to my local Ford dealer and buy a 2005 used Taurus with the 24 valve engine, 12,000 miles and lots of warranty left for $11,700. That's half the price of the Fusion. So, the question is, would I rather have a new Fusion or TWO almost-new Tauruses? I think that's the question that Ford doesn't want answered, and that's why they're killing the Taurus.
Update: November sales, first quarter forecasts - Autoblog - www.autoblog.com _
Friday, December 02, 2005
Reuters Business Channel | Reuters.com
November Sales Results
GM Down 11%
Ford Down 18%
DC Down 7%
Even though sales were down in November, GM is forecasting higher sales and is increasing production for 1st quarter 2006.
Reuters Business Channel | Reuters.com
GM Down 11%
Ford Down 18%
DC Down 7%
Even though sales were down in November, GM is forecasting higher sales and is increasing production for 1st quarter 2006.
Reuters Business Channel | Reuters.com
Thursday, December 01, 2005
Forbes.com: The Fastest Cars Sold in America
The Fastest Cars Sold in America
Forbes.com has posted a list of the fastest cars sold in America. Imagine that you're cruising down the highway in your Ford GT at its official top speed of 205 mph, and some bozo comes up behind you in a SSC Ultimate Aero at 273 mph and blows your doors off. Life just isn't fair sometimes.
http://www.forbes.com/lifestyle/vehicle/2005/11/23/fastest-american-cars-cx_dl_1128feat_ls.html?partner=rss
Forbes.com has posted a list of the fastest cars sold in America. Imagine that you're cruising down the highway in your Ford GT at its official top speed of 205 mph, and some bozo comes up behind you in a SSC Ultimate Aero at 273 mph and blows your doors off. Life just isn't fair sometimes.
http://www.forbes.com/lifestyle/vehicle/2005/11/23/fastest-american-cars-cx_dl_1128feat_ls.html?partner=rss
Wednesday, November 30, 2005
Welcome to MichaelMoore.com!
Rumsfeld: Don't call them Insurgents
If you read anything today, read the Associated Press article linked below describing Don Rumsfeld's "Don't call them 'insurgents'" press conference.
What does he want to call the people we're fighting in Iraq? He doesn't say. Here's an idea, let's call them 'chocolate chip cookies'. After all, how can you have too many chocolate chip cookies?
For example: "US military intelligence analysts estimate that the number of chocolate chip cookies in Iraq has increased by 25% since last month."
Welcome to MichaelMoore.com!
If you read anything today, read the Associated Press article linked below describing Don Rumsfeld's "Don't call them 'insurgents'" press conference.
What does he want to call the people we're fighting in Iraq? He doesn't say. Here's an idea, let's call them 'chocolate chip cookies'. After all, how can you have too many chocolate chip cookies?
For example: "US military intelligence analysts estimate that the number of chocolate chip cookies in Iraq has increased by 25% since last month."
Welcome to MichaelMoore.com!
Many cash in on Delphi-Supplier puts squeeze on workers while richly paying lawyers and clerks to help with bankruptcy.
Who's making money off the Delphi Bankruptcy?
How about these #s from the Detroit News?
$835/hour for senior bankruptcy attorneys
$55/hour for data entry clerks
Many cash in on Delphi-Supplier puts squeeze on workers while richly paying lawyers and clerks to help with bankruptcy.
How about these #s from the Detroit News?
$835/hour for senior bankruptcy attorneys
$55/hour for data entry clerks
Many cash in on Delphi-Supplier puts squeeze on workers while richly paying lawyers and clerks to help with bankruptcy.
2006 Toyota RAV4 - The Car Connection
2006 Toyota Rav4: 3 Rows of Seats? 269 Horsepower? Yep.
Throughout its existence, the Toyota Rav4 has built up a reputation of bing a cute little SUV. With a new redesign, the Rav4 isn't little anymore. It's within an inch here and there of its big-brother (sister?), the Highlander. The new model grows 14 inches in length and now sports an optional 2-place third row seat. It also features a version of the hot V-6 from the Toyota Avalon.
2006 Toyota RAV4 - The Car Connection
Throughout its existence, the Toyota Rav4 has built up a reputation of bing a cute little SUV. With a new redesign, the Rav4 isn't little anymore. It's within an inch here and there of its big-brother (sister?), the Highlander. The new model grows 14 inches in length and now sports an optional 2-place third row seat. It also features a version of the hot V-6 from the Toyota Avalon.
2006 Toyota RAV4 - The Car Connection
Tuesday, November 29, 2005
Green Machines : Advanced Technologies : GM's Six-Speed Automatic
Production begins on GM's 6-speed Automatic Transmission
In October General Motors began producing its new 6-speed automatic transmission at its plant in Willow Run Michigan. According to the web article linked below, the initial model will be a rear-wheel-drive transmission, and it will show up in 2006 in Cadillacs and the Corvette. A front-wheel-drive model will follow. Fuel economy gains are projected at 4% compared to a 4-speed automatic.
GmGreen Machines : Advanced Technologies : GM's Six-Speed Automatic
In October General Motors began producing its new 6-speed automatic transmission at its plant in Willow Run Michigan. According to the web article linked below, the initial model will be a rear-wheel-drive transmission, and it will show up in 2006 in Cadillacs and the Corvette. A front-wheel-drive model will follow. Fuel economy gains are projected at 4% compared to a 4-speed automatic.
GmGreen Machines : Advanced Technologies : GM's Six-Speed Automatic
DCX to upgrade St. Louis factories
DaimlerChrysler: "We're Not GM"
DaimlerChrysler seems to be doing whatever it can to waive its metaphorical hands in the air and shout "We're not like General Motors!"
DC has announced a billion dollar upgrade of its Saint Louis plants that produce minivans and pick-up trucks. Also, it announced that it will build minivans for Volkswagen.
Separately DC announced that it would upgrade its Toledo, Ohio Jeep plant to build the new Nitro and other models. Finally, DC announced that it would prepare a new facility in South Carolina to build Sprinter vans from imported kits.
Even though Ford and GM have lost money recently, DaimlerChrysler has remained profitable.
DCX to upgrade St. Louis factories
DaimlerChrysler seems to be doing whatever it can to waive its metaphorical hands in the air and shout "We're not like General Motors!"
DC has announced a billion dollar upgrade of its Saint Louis plants that produce minivans and pick-up trucks. Also, it announced that it will build minivans for Volkswagen.
Separately DC announced that it would upgrade its Toledo, Ohio Jeep plant to build the new Nitro and other models. Finally, DC announced that it would prepare a new facility in South Carolina to build Sprinter vans from imported kits.
Even though Ford and GM have lost money recently, DaimlerChrysler has remained profitable.
DCX to upgrade St. Louis factories
UAW strike fund nearly $1 billion
Delphi Update -About Lunch Time 11/29/2005
I'm not sure I'm getting this all right folks; then again, I'm not sure anybody really has a handle on this. I'm not going to post links to all the news items, you can look them up and read them. First off. Delphi locals are engaged in informational picketing in plants across the country today. They are highlighting inequities in Steve "pompatus of bankruptcy" Miller's demand for $12/hour wages with contemporaneous requests for millions in executive retention bonuses.
In other news, Delphi has rolled back the deadline for asking the bankruptcy court to approve its proposal to reduce the hourly wages citing unspecified "progress" with General Motors. Part of that progress is GM's announcement that it will reverse the parts discounts that it demanded from Delphi earlier in the year. The roll-back of the contract demand (and the resultant strike) deadline appears to have been an acknowledgement that a pre-Christmas strike would not only be bad news but it would kabosh end-of-year sales, and would destroy any good press that GM could get from the Detroit Auto Show in early January. This might have something to do with the fact that the UAW announced that it has a $1 Billion strike fund. The new deadline is January 20th.
Delphi wants GM to finance early retirement for Delphi workers and also give laid-off Delphi workers "flow back" rights to GM. Needless to say, GM needs these costs like it needs another Pontiac Aztek.
UAW strike fund nearly $1 billion
I'm not sure I'm getting this all right folks; then again, I'm not sure anybody really has a handle on this. I'm not going to post links to all the news items, you can look them up and read them. First off. Delphi locals are engaged in informational picketing in plants across the country today. They are highlighting inequities in Steve "pompatus of bankruptcy" Miller's demand for $12/hour wages with contemporaneous requests for millions in executive retention bonuses.
In other news, Delphi has rolled back the deadline for asking the bankruptcy court to approve its proposal to reduce the hourly wages citing unspecified "progress" with General Motors. Part of that progress is GM's announcement that it will reverse the parts discounts that it demanded from Delphi earlier in the year. The roll-back of the contract demand (and the resultant strike) deadline appears to have been an acknowledgement that a pre-Christmas strike would not only be bad news but it would kabosh end-of-year sales, and would destroy any good press that GM could get from the Detroit Auto Show in early January. This might have something to do with the fact that the UAW announced that it has a $1 Billion strike fund. The new deadline is January 20th.
Delphi wants GM to finance early retirement for Delphi workers and also give laid-off Delphi workers "flow back" rights to GM. Needless to say, GM needs these costs like it needs another Pontiac Aztek.
UAW strike fund nearly $1 billion
Buick and Martha Stewart Join Forces to Introduce 2006 Buick Lucerne to Upscale, Sophisticated Audience
Martha Martha Martha
Why does it always have to be about Martha?
Martha's Win is Buick's Loss
Hot on the heels of an announcement that the Martha Stewart version of The Apprentice will be cancelled for low ratings, General Motors have announced marketing tie-in between the show and the new Buick Lucerne.
The Lucerne has generally received good reviews, but so far has received very little promotion. If Martha Stewart's show is the centerpiece of the promotional effort, GM will likely be disappointed in the car's sales.
Buick and Martha Stewart Join Forces to Introduce 2006 Buick Lucerne to Upscale, Sophisticated Audience
Why does it always have to be about Martha?
Martha's Win is Buick's Loss
Hot on the heels of an announcement that the Martha Stewart version of The Apprentice will be cancelled for low ratings, General Motors have announced marketing tie-in between the show and the new Buick Lucerne.
The Lucerne has generally received good reviews, but so far has received very little promotion. If Martha Stewart's show is the centerpiece of the promotional effort, GM will likely be disappointed in the car's sales.
Buick and Martha Stewart Join Forces to Introduce 2006 Buick Lucerne to Upscale, Sophisticated Audience
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