Bad News:

http://www.detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll...612020383/1148

We've all seen this coming for a couple of years now, but FMC is now outside of the "Big 3". Ford may bounce back for a few months, or DCX may temporarily falter to move FMC back into 3rd position, but too many things are stacked against FMC to stay there. The GMT900's and the new Tundra will take away far too many F150 sales. The Taurus has kept Ford in 2nd/3rd position for the last year or so with massive fleet sales, and now those are gone. The decisions made in the next few years will be critical to the future of FMC. I just hope that Ford doesn't get in such a bad position that they are taken over by another company.

 

IMHO it will not get to that, however I do not think they are at the bottom yet.

 

Hmm I wonder about this article. Take a look at the numbers.

DaimlerChrysler which consist of Chrysler, 164,556 and Mercedes, 22,094 for total sales of 186,650 units sold in November.

Compare this to ford which consist of Ford, 166,196, Mazda, 20,792, Volvo, 9,258, Jag, 1256 and Land Rover with 4229. Total units sold in November, 201,731.

If we are going to compare groups then lets compare groups. In yearly sales Ford is still number 2 and with only a month to go will probably stay in that posistion. Concerning there loss of marketshare I don't really care. I want to see Ford get into a posistion of making money on every unit sold.

 

Apparently Mazda sales numbers are seperate from FMC's because FMC owns 33% of Mazda's stock, which is a controlling interest but not enough to be considered ownership. Reguardless, it doesn't look good. The Chrysler Group at 164k and Ford at 166k is very telling. I agree with tmeyers that what really matters is Ford getting itself into a position to make a profit on every vehicle sold. This is why the decisions made in the next few years can either make Ford come out a leaner meaner company, or put the final nail in the coffin. I wish Ford would have started a little earlier on their turnaround plan, as GM did. GM has made a remarkable recovery without loosing their number 1 position and the respect that comes along with it. GM is genuinely making some great products right now and are poised to make big gains in the next few years. Ford has also introduced some great products recently (Mustang, F150, Fusion, etc.), but there seems to be a lack of overall direction in the company.

 

GM is not in any better posistion. Kirk Kerkorian sold his GM posistion and that is telling. While it is true GM has been doing good at selling cars they are still doing it at a lose per unit sold. What Ford is doing now GM will have to do sooner or later. Chrysler did it years back and that is the reason you see them on the upswing finally.

PS: The point I was trying to make is that the press makes news of things that are not news. Losing market share is news no doubt about that. Some of that I guess is Fords fault. There is no reason they could not post total sales of all divisions like GM. Regardless they have lost marketshare and when not making a pofit on a per unit bases that hurts.

 

Thats funny... the articles I have read says that DCX is in trouble. Mercedes is even concidering selling the chrysler group. They have to many large cars according to the articles I have seen.

 

"What Ford is doing now GM will have to do sooner or later. Chrysler did it years back and that is the reason you see them on the upswing finally"


I thought Gm was already going through what Ford is going through... cutting head count and closing some plants for leaner meaner company.. That was over a year ago if I remember correctly..