NAME and SHAME: WHICH Automakers Do YOU Think Need To Take DRASTIC Action With Their Product Portfolio? Switch To EVs? Switch To SUVs?

In the past 12 to 18 months, it's been a very exciting time in the automotive industry. Well, I should rephrase that.

Exciting for some and pretty damn scary for others.

That's because consumer tastes have changed in a BIG way. Sedans are on the way out. More vehicles are going electric. And Tesla is selling a boatload of Model 3s.

While some automakers have plenty of volume sales to fall back on, others are not so lucky. Niche players like Volvo and Jaguar are going to have to do some thinking when it comes to their respective futures. Hell, even the volume players have gone back to the drawing board — Ford going all in on sport-utility vehicles.

Volvo has said it is going to go fully electric.

Jaguar is considering going fully electric.

Who else needs to seriously make a change?

Who needs MORE SUVs or should consider changing their entire lineup to SUVs?

Who needs to convert to electric vehicles, fully?

What say you, Spies?

MDarringer - 10/13/2018 6:46:58 PM

-2 Boost

FCA is in deep caca for product.

Kill Chrysler
Kill Fiat
Ram goes back to Dodge and the line is ICE RWD
Alfa Romeo becomes an Italian Subaru
Maserati goes EV and is priced at or advantageously to the Germans
Jeep as is

Foncool - 10/14/2018 8:51:45 AM

+3 Boost

There is more intrigue going on at FCA, it appears that Maserati and Alfa are now separating operations after they spent the last year plus integrating them.

MDarringer - 10/14/2018 9:23:25 AM

-3 Boost

Separating the turd (Alfa Romeo) from the crap (Maserati) still means that both need flushing.

ricks0me - 10/13/2018 8:24:45 PM

+1 Boost

I am a Ford guy but they need help. I do not think killing off most of their cars is the answer. They should up their game with cars. Can you imagine Toyota doing this!!!

MDarringer - 10/13/2018 10:06:19 PM

+1 Boost

Amen! Killing the Fusion and the Focus was DUMB

Focus should have remained an affordable sedan (LWB) and hatchback (SWB)
Fusion should have morphed into an affordable coupesedan EV

The Continental should have replaced the MKZ at the MKZ price point. The Continental is just a SuperFusion after all. Contis stickered at $70K cause people to walk away, but at $45K nicely equipped they sell, but you can't get base Contis that easily.

PUGPROUD - 10/14/2018 8:44:06 AM

+4 Boost

Cadillac should refocus on big, powerful, over the top styling American luxury. Stop chasing the Germans. Rename their cars with real names.

MDarringer - 10/14/2018 8:53:11 AM

+1 Boost

X10,000

Truthy - 10/14/2018 9:24:13 AM

+2 Boost

Agree that Cadillac needs to be bold and rely more on their heritage. Three great concepts in a row (the Ciel the best) and the the conservative CT6 is launched with a 4 cyl?
It should have had bolder styling and the V-8 at launch.

MDarringer - 10/14/2018 8:33:39 PM

0 Boost

That's partially due to dealer revolt. There is a bit of backlash behind the scenes by disgruntled dealers--some of whom bought land and in a few cases broke ground--over Genesis dealers.

cidflekken - 10/14/2018 4:45:08 PM

+3 Boost

I think Infiniti needs to get their ish together. They have just as many SUV's/Crossovers as any of premium brand, but aren't nearly competitive with sales. They seem to have a lot of promising ideas, but when it all comes to fruition, the end-product result is fairly underwhelming. With the SUV/Crossover trend, you would think they would be competitive in total sales with Audi, but they can't even top Acura who only has 2 SUVs in their lineup.

Speaking of Acura, they could better serve themselves with a sub-RDX SUV to take on the GLA/X1/UX and a true, large SUV for the GLS/QX80/Escalade crowd.

vdiv - 10/15/2018 11:01:46 AM

+2 Boost

Car makers should be more responsive to the fickle consumers and less to the bean counters and pencil pushers. Perhaps build more vehicles to order rather than stockpiling trims and configs that noone wants. They should also consider the whole user experience, dealer lot to scrap yard. Vehicles are an important part of people's lives, not some disposable paper cups.

What do I know...