Should Ford Motor dump Mercury and Volvo? Jerry York, the longtime adviser to billionaire investor Kirk Kerkorian's Tracinda, which recently acquired 5.6% of Ford, seems to think so. According to Automotive News, on May 1 he said out loud what a lot of people have been quietly thinking, namely that Ford should sell its two struggling brands, Mercury and Volvo.
York isn't alone. Robert Lutz, General Motors' vice-chairman for global development, touched off a storm with Buick and Pontiac dealers in 2005, when he stated the obvious: GM has too many brands, and the company would have to consider phasing out the weaker ones if they didn't perform.
For years Detroit kept drivers and dealers happy by offering a range of marques, many of which were differentiated by little more than a grille and a badge. But those days are gone. The growing feeling is that to fix themselves, one of the first things automakers need to do is concentrate their resources on the brands that still resonate and jettison those that are underperforming.
This weekend, the Spies put together the hottest Bimmerfest photo gallery for your viewing pleasure...
2008 Bimmerfest Photo Gallery
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2008 Bimmerfest Photo Gallery
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