Forget Toyota and GM for a sec and look at Ford and Toyota

I don't have time for an economics lecture, but suffice it to say that while Ford is losing money at current sales levels, its losses will be less at higher levels. As their sales rise, Ford's fixed costs will be spread over the larger sales base, resulting in a smaller fixed cost per vehicle.

More power to Ford if they can keep it up. Same goes for GM and Chrysler.

Japan has over six major auto manufacturing complexes, Germany has six (seven if you count Porsche), France has three, Italy has three, even Sweden and South Korea have two each. Why can't the U.S., the world's largest auto market by far, sustain at least three major companies?

good point. i think the u.s. healthcare system is the culprit. 50% of all U.S. bankruptcy declarations last year were due to healthcare costs. the u.s. automakers have been saying for years that garunteed employee healthcare benefit costs are an obstacle to international competitiveness and profitability.

Well, Audiphile, you can't discount the various brands that are under the umbrellas of Ford, Chrysler and GM. While France and Italy (and the rest) have literally only three companies, the US can boast fourteen separate car brands.

Excuse me, thirteen, don't count SAAB.

Selling well is one thing.

Selling something that I thought was worth buying is another.

And yes, that goes for both companies.

Ford need to take its success from the Mustang, and the Aston Martin and Jaguar brands, and build a sport Lincoln or perhaps bring back the Mercury Capri which at one time was the sister ship to the Mustang.
They can use the performance of the Mustang engine, put a full woodgrain dashboard in like the Jaguars have, put in Large White-faced Gauges with old English Numerals, Put in a solid Wood Shifter and Steering wheel. Put some 20” elegant spoked rims on, and they might have an even bigger hit than the mustang, especially if priced only moderately above the current Mustang. Maybe some exotic colored leathers like the Aston Martin Greens and Camel colors.
With all the Buzz over the upcoming v12 Aston, I’m sure Ford can build more than just the Mustang to capture the younger generation market and offer spirited driving at an affordable cost.
I think Ford’s Marketing department is ruining the company by over analysis of the consumer. The need to bring innovated idea back and forget about constantly trying to pace the competition.
Lately, Ford has been playing the Monkey see, monkey do game.
Car companies scrambled to buy up foreign brand labels. (Ford bought Land Rover, Aston Martin, Volvo and Jaguar, not to mention their long term Mazda partnership)
Then, as US auto companies decide to dump the foreign labels, Ford does the same.
GM and Chrysler decide to retire workers early; Ford decides to do the same. GM decides to reduce production and put profit per vehicle as the priority as opposed to units sold, Ford does the same.
Stop chasing your tails, and start engineering innovative products. Ever since the US decided to export manufacturing jobs to Asia, the company executives seem to not care anymore. Come on guys, get off the Golf Course.

Mercury should cease to exist and those cars should be either badged as a ford or a lincoln. No duplicate cars are needed.

Wait until the 2010 ford comes out! It will put all the rest to shame with there off road package with 480hp! The F-150 will come with 35in tires with 17in rims and a full 12inches of wheel travel! With fox shocks from the factory! Finally a company that is getting it! I may become a Ford fan after this! Ford is now leading the rest of the trucks in technology hands down. Toyota is still bragging about the FJ's 7-8 inches of wheel travel, when you consider the race trucks now have 30-40 inches of wheel travel 12 inches is barely acceptable, but then again it is a lot better than 8inches!

Actually the new Ford will come out in 2009 codenamed the Rapture! This truck will raise the bar! Far better than the rest! And I like Toyota!

To who ever deboosted me at least share your infinate wisdome why you think that Toyota will out do this Ford Rapture! And I have had both Ford and Toyota. The fords were good for going fast over rough roads and the toys were good for the slow tight areas. This Ford Rapture is in a class of its own! No comparison!

pushrod27-I think you hit the nail on the head.I've stated many times that the health care costs have not allied the USA 3 to play with Japan and Korea on the same playing field. Foreign car makers have an unfair advantage on US soil.It has to stop and I believe the goverment needs to intervene.

LET ME GET THIS STRIGHT OK !!!

FORD'S PRESIDENT GETS DRUNK EVERYDAY ON FORD'S 80'S GLORY AND THATS THE PROBLEM BECAUSE FORD NEED'S AN UPDATE IN MANAGEMANT, DESIGN AND A NEW MARKETING PLAN.
YOU CANT PUT TOYOTA AND FORD IN THE SAME SCALE !! THATS AN IN DIVIDUAL STUPIDITY OF THE TOPIC STARTER.
EVENTUALLY FORD WILL DIE UNLESS CHANGES THAT I SUGGESTED. TURNING FROM CAR MANUFACTURE TO A PORN PRODUCTION MAY SAVE FORD ROM BROKAGE.

MY KEYBOARD IS FULL OF SPERM AND HT ECAPS BUTTON IS STUCK AGAIN ... WTH !!!

Reality check, have you noticed how toyota quality has been slipping the last 13 years or so! For the new trucks check out the crappy toyota frame flex on you- tube under tundra truck bed bounce, you will notice that the Ford handled this abuse with the most control, Just check this out and then deboost me if you still disagree! I am not a toyota hater, I just stick to the facts! Totota is slipping badly and the Ford Rapture F-150 will make a mark!

yes, thats why the camry has been the topselling car in the usa for how many years in a row? because toyota was slipping? i think not.

@mercuryguy
WHAT SUCCESS ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT MAN >????????????
THATS MY POINT ... MUStang was a good car back in the 80's. as of the 90's the quality has slided to #%$&% the current model dioesnt worth mentioning.

Anyone that says that the new mustangs aren't quality simply doesnt know what theyre talking about.

I hear people joke about Ford. My Grand Marquis has never been in for service since I purchased it in 2003. The motor is very quiet and purrs like a kitten, it fires up fast and has great horsepower on the highway. I think the only people who complain about Ford are the one that drive rentals for a day or two, and we all know rentals get pounded into the ground. I have zero complaints about Ford Quality.

Nicehomer, just a question for you: what is the only major automaker to not have a single flawed launch (recall, all stop on sales) of new product over the last 5 years?

Should I wait for the answer or just say that it is Ford?

Ford's new products have launched perfectly since about 2003. Toyota has bouched many new product launches over the last few years. To name a few: Tundra's transmission woes/camshaft snapping/tailgait bending (now also apparent rust issues), Camry transmission woes, Lexus ES350 airbag problems.

Also take a look at what Ford is recalling: it is mostly stuff from the mid 90s and having relatively minor problems like cruise control failure.

Sure Ford had some fire problems on the F150s and E series vans but all automakers have had recalls that are major safety issues. Toyota hasn't been flawless itself the Tacoma frame was so poorly designed that it was corroding so badly it was falling apart. If we include Honda in the mix the new Civics were recalled just a few months ago due to front hub separation which may cause a wheel to come off while driving.

So perhaps Ford has some problems but hey so does everybody.

it's said sometimes TWO guys can be even more stupid than either one alone.

evilm obviously is MORE RETARDED than the THREE MONKEYS who can respectively, neither see, hear, nor speak EVIL. he's dumber than 3 apes, and can ONLY see, hear, and speak evil.

(he could also learn to spell euthanized, which a person of his mental level WOULD'VE been under any eugenics program.)

One thing about Toyota, the Japanese Steel tends to corrode more rapidly in northern climates where road salt is used to de-ice the highways. I know of foreign car owners who have to Vaseline the metal body before winter comes. Why is this? How does Japanese Steel differ from US Steel?

japanese cars made here use american steel too.

maybe you're thinking just of imports from 20 or 30 years ago?

Kirk Kerkorian just bought a huge stake in Ford due to his renewed confidence in the product line. It caused Ford Stock to rise 9%.
Excerpt:
Billionaire investor Kirk Kerkorian, making another attempt to shape the U.S. automotive industry, disclosed Monday that he had acquired a 4.7 percent stake in Ford Motor Co.
Kerkorian's announcement touched off a wave of speculation on how he might try to influence the Dearborn, Mich., automaker in the coming months. The 90-year-old mogul made an unsuccessful bid for Chrysler last year and pushed for General Motors Corp. to form an alliance with Nissan Motor Co. and Renault SA in 2006 after acquiring nearly 10 percent of the company.