Talk is cheap, Toyota.
Posted on 06/30/2009 1:16:57 PM PDT by pissant
As Ford looks to reinvent itself with smaller, energy efficient vehicles they are faced with the stark reality that as of late May their Ford F-150 series continues to outsell the Toyota Camry.
Let that sink in for a moment. The best-selling truck in the U.S. still outsells the best-selling car, according to a report by the American Institute for Economic Research.
New car sales have generally declined through the 1990's to the present, while truck sales rose precipitously from the 70s until just a few years ago. Annual car and truck sales are now virtually even.
President Obama last month announced new fuel efficiency standards that will require all trucks to get 30 mpg and all cars 39 mpg by 2016.
Ford and other automakers, per the report, must now forecast whether energy prices will continue to rise and how that will effect the sales of new vehicles.
(Excerpt) Read more at mlive.com ...
This is what Obama wanted to do.
Markets be damned, we will tell you what to make.
I have been in the market for making a Ford purchase. I believe I now may be more inclined.
Agreed.
Diesel and hybrid tech.
Mine is an '06 F-150 shortbed STX with the 4.2 V6 rated at 20 mpg highway and I don't doubt it one bit with the 5 speed automatic/OD though I have never checked it myself. I have been amazed at this engine from the very first day. Runs on regular has more power than you think a small V6 should have hauling a truck this size.
Are those the EPA Highway numbers or the combined numbers?
Camries aren’t sold at a loss, and they rarely even have incentives - so Toyota makes lots of profit from them.
I don’t think that UAW has any real foresight beyond their next paycheck; which may just be saying the same thing you are in a different way. OTOH, maybe they don’t have to. They have 0bama’s undivided attention with their $60 MM of contribution, and that’s nothing to sneeze at in a bribocracy.
I still don’t understand how Ford was able to not take bailout money when GM and Chrysler nearly died without it. Don’t get me wrong, I am glad that Ford didn’t and is still an independant company and not run by washington. A bit of news that was never explained.
How about updating the Ranger. Toyota sells a LOT more Tacoma’s than Ford sells Rangers (I bet). The Ranger has been a weak sister for years. Why can’t they build a great smaller truck?
They’re vehicles for rather different purposes (and both excellent vehicles). But I see the point, yes: What’s “magically” to become of all that demand for the WORK that a full-sized pickup does, once the new CAFE standards come slamming down in a few years? Magically, people just won’t need pickups, right? Unicorns and skittles.
How in the hell can someone write the above statement with a straight face? The absurdity is getting too much to take...
I imagine this is where they're hoping their "card check" bill will get passed. They'll then move, at great speed, to try and unionize all the Japanese and German non-union plants in the south.
It will be interesting how, if "card check" passes, the foreign owned, US plants will react - will they just shutter production at those facilities?
Talk is cheap, Toyota.
How true.
We will need them....
Maybe they kicked the arm twisters from government out of their offices.
Only the left would see making a product that people actually want to buy as a dilemma.
Which is, I suppose, your point!
If Obama et. al. aren't afraid to dictate what light bulbs you can buy, I bet that they'll have no problem limiting what kind of replacement parts can be purchased for "environmentally unfriendly" vehicles like SUV's and Pick-up trucks.
I'm going to hold on to my '98 F150 as long as possible, but I hope I don't need a new engine or transmission in a few years.
I have ten months left on my Government Motors HHR. I cannot wait to buy a Ford. My Dad had an F150 and I learned to drive in it. Loved it.
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