Ford cutting North American production
Automaker also scaling back goal of returning to profitability

DETROIT - Ford Motor Co. says it is cutting North American production for the rest of the year as high gas prices and the weak economy depress its sales.

The Dearborn-based company said Thursday it also expects to break even in 2009, scaling back its goal of returning to profitability by that time.

Ford says it will cut production by 15 percent in the second quarter, 15 to 20 percent in the third quarter and 2 to 8 percent in the fourth quarter

The cuts primarily will affect pickups and sport utility vehicles, which have seen sales plummet in recent months. Ford plans to increase its production of cars and crossovers.

Honda hybrids may be nightmare for Detroit
New entries into market coming at a time when U.S. favoring smaller cars

GM and Ford, Robinet said, can rely on their European and Asian operations for small car expertise to quickly catch up. Chrysler has few small vehicles of its own but has signed a deal for Nissan Motor Co. to make small Chrysler cars in 2010.

Ford is banking on its Ecoboost direct-injection turbocharged engines and has midsize hybrids due out next year, while Chrysler is developing efficient smaller diesels and has hybrids in some large SUVs.

 

Ford Planning Smaller Pickup? - Chicago Tribune Article

I went on record years ago saying how foolish it would be for Ford to simply walk away from the small-medium pickup truck market. Funny how 4 bucks a gallon is suddenly opening people's eyes over there.

 

Ford has realized, too late, that the F-150 is bloated way too much and really is more of a light duty F-250, which it actually replaced in the model lineup. I hope they dont repeat the Dodge Dakota mistake.

Look at a 1970's F-100. It still could hold three guys in the cab and four foot wide plywood or drywall between the wheelhousings, but had a GVWR of 5600 and an unladen weight of about 3700. That is still over 3/4 ton in payload. With a modern 200hp V-6 and six-speed transmission, decent mileage could be had, if they dont screw it up with by worrying too much about tow capacity, 4000-5000 should be more than enough for this class of truck.

Jim

 

"I went on record years ago saying how foolish it would be for Ford to simply walk away from the small-medium pickup truck market. Funny how 4 bucks a gallon is suddenly opening people's eyes over there. "

Yep. If Ford had a TDI Ranger in production they'd be dancing on piles of cash.

 

All Ford needs to do is lower the price and the pickups will sell like hot cakes.
Its so funny how auto manufactures way over price something and then say "Oh it wasn't a very popular car it didn't sell well" like for example a viper or GT-40 and on and on. Can't they figure out we all don't have a $50,000 dollar bill in our hip pocket to blow on a new truck. Thats why most that write on this site are fixing their old junkers. Wake up Ford and all the rest. Just lower the stinking price.
If they weeded out the massive offices they have they could cut all kinds of costs, pensions paychecks etc. And pass the savings on to us the end user. Why do dealers need multimillion dollar buildings? Come on. And why even have a dealer cut out the middle man and pass on the savings!!!! Come on Ford be a first in the industry. Which ever company breaks the over priced vehicle syndrome and gets prices down to match the "average" wage earner (which is like $10 per hour nowadays even if you make 25 an hour, since the value of the dollar is so low and energy and taxation and inflation, food is so high ), will beat the ... off everyone else.

 

Ford is bringing out the F-100 in 2010 for those who don't need an F-150, but need a truck larger than a ranger. Also the ranger will return in 2012, 4 cylinder based and could even be a bit smaller than it is now.

 

Sorry, I don't agree with that statement, and it seems...the vehicle buying public doesn't agree with it, either.

All Ford has to do is make the F150's 25% more fuel efficent...an almost impossible task considering its weight.

Around here (SoCal) Ford is currently offering $5,000.00 rebates on F150's and the dealers are taking another 2 to 6 grand off MSRP depending on the models.

The local newspapers are full of dealer ads just like the following, and check out the Ram prices.

Friday's San Gabriel Valley Tribune ads:

2008 F150 XL Regular Cabs: $12,899.00 (all in stock).

2008 F150 XLT Crew Cabs with 5.4's and with a tow package: $21,999.00 (all in stock).

2008 Ram Hemi Quad Cabs: $17,999.00 (MSRP is $30,000.00 +)

2008 Ram Regular Cabs: $10,999.00 (MSRP is $19,0000 +)

Pickup sales across the board are down 35% since 2005.

It all has to do with the price of fuel, which yesterday was for example at the local Shell station:

$4.01 for 87 octane, $4.11 for 89 octane and $4.19 for 91 octane....$5.09 for diesel.

FoMoCo is predicting that 87 octane will hit $4.25 by August (Source: AutoNews.com)

Despite all the give-aways, F150 sales are down 13.1% in 2008 from the 2007 sales figures.

April 2008 F150 sales were down 21.1% from April 2007 sales.

Meanwhile crossover SUV sales are up over 50% from last year on some models.

Info source on sales figures: AutoNews.com

 

Fuel prices are reminding people that most of them don't NEED trucks, let alone insanely overpriced feature-bloated pigmobiles.
The price drop will be good for those who are ready to exploit it.

"Which ever company breaks the over priced vehicle syndrome and gets prices down to match the "average" wage earner (which is like $10 per hour nowadays even if you make 25 an hour, since the value of the dollar is so low and energy and taxation and inflation, food is so high ), will beat the ... off everyone else."

Yes they will.

 

I'm gonna buy me a CHEAP Expedition.
I'm gonna buy me a CHEAP Expedition.
I'm gonna buy me a CHEAP Expedition.

I'll find one real soon, real cheap, possibly a trade on a Focus, from someone who did not REALLY need a "gotta have it" SUV.

Gas prices are crazy, I still want to look at a Transit Connect to use as my DD/commuter/Work "truck".

I REALLY REALLY REALLY want an Expedition though.

 

Exactly. People just are not buying the bargains. I think they could price new F150's at $10,000 and they are still not going to fly off the lot. I am a prime example. I needed a second truck and decided late in April that I was going to pass on the F150 and get a basic Ranger. For no other reason than just fuel mileage. Car companies have kind of painted themselves into a corner. Their least expensive vehicles tend to be the ones that get the best mileage. They are bringing prices on higher-end vehicles down to meet that and people are still buying vehicle that gets better mileage.

 

Join the club...I'm about to buy one myself = used.

A local (non Ford) dealer is selling 2007's (XLT's) for $16,999.00...no scheiss!

This outfit, in the same family for over 92 years is a GM dealer located in Covina CA. They also have Escape's, Edge's, you name it.

These are rental returns, and can have the remaining warranties transfered by any FoMoCo dealer. The cost for this service used to be $100.00 back in the late 1990's.

 

16,999.00 That is great, do you think they will throw in a gas voucher too!

 

Why would I buy an Expy when gas prices are higher than hell?

Several reasons...

1) I drive less than 300 miles a month.

2) I need more interior space for all the mutts we seem to be collecting recently.

3) The used price is right. I wanted to buy a new one several months ago, but the three local dealers weren't ready to give me any sort of deal, except on the loaded models with NAV and DVD.

I can read a map, so I don't need NAV, and Basset Hounds don't watch TV.

 

Wait until summer and watch the prices drop even further.

 

F150's are cars with boxes on back.
I'm talking about the "trucks" that can haul and pull something. F350's - F550's.
Disagree with haveing a lower price????????????
So if your that wealthy send some my way, I wish I had enough $ to toss into some dealers lap like you. I just can't warrant spending my lifes savings on some spot welded sheet steel, that will be worth a fraction of what I paid for it in 12 years. I guess that is why I have to get old junkers and fix them up.