The Bullz-Eye.com car staff recently reviewed the 2011 Ford Edge and this is what they had to say:
The crossover market continues to grow rapidly, and Ford will be poised to capitalize on that trend with the 2011 Ford Edge. The original Edge was a hit for Ford partly due to its aggressive and distinctive styling, and the new 2011 model features a larger and bolder front grille that suits the vehicle nicely. Plus, a new Sport edition will give the guys something to get excited about with the Tuxedo Black grille and the 22-inch wheels that you won’t find anywhere else in this class. The new Edge is also the first Ford model to feature Ford’s new MyFord Touch system, which highlights Ford’s aggressive strategy to leverage technology and the Internet to make the driving experience safer and more integrated with the gadgets you use in everyday life.
We were invited to drive the new Edge in and around Nashville, and the route selected by Ford offered a nice opportunity to test the handling and performance of the vehicle with winding roads through the beautiful hills and woods of Tennessee. We were impressed with both the Limited version and the new Edge Sport . Both offered impressive handling and acceptable acceleration. Each version offers a very comfortable ride that will appeal to buyers in this category, and the ride on the Sport was tighter with a noticeable improvement in performance. The Edge Sport in particular handled curves and turns very well, so this model should appeal to guys looking for more performance that complements the more aggressive styling.
Ford finally unveiled the 2011 Ford Explorer and this one could be a game changer “Again”! From the sleek and well placed all new interior to the ecoboost engine that could produce upwards of 25mpg highway this vehicle has appeal. The 2011 Explorer is such a departure from the current offering that it is the same in name only. Since it’s based off the same platform as the Taurus and Flex, similarities are easy to see.
The 2011 Explorer is a departure from the old days in so many ways including styling, a car based platform and a new 4 cylinder with ecoboost that we predict will win over more and more buyers as time as sales move forward.
From the Wall Street Journal:
Before Ford unveiled its 2011 Explorer, I doubted the new SUV would be anything special. After all, Ford has been tweaking the truck for 20 years, so what new things could be left to try?
Turns out this could be one of those rare redesigns that is more like a rebirth, mainly because of what Ford has done with the interior. The Explorer’s cabin, from the smooth feel of the door handles to the attractive colors and sharp graphics on its central display screen, shows attention to detail found in some luxury cars, but never in a Ford truck.
Ford Motor Co. earned $2.6 billion on higher car and truck sales in the second quarter, its biggest quarterly profit in 12 years, and repaid some of the debt that it took on to ride out the industry downturn.
“We’re ahead of where we thought we’d be after this excellent first half, and we expect even better results in 2011,” Ford President and Chief Executive Alan Mulally said.
“It appears to us we’re going to be able to improve the balance sheet and reduce the debt,” he told analysts and reporters Friday.
The truck sales battle continues between Ford, Chrysler and GM as the Detroit 3 comprise of over 90% of this market. So many factors go into the decision when purchasing or leasing a vehicle and somewhere between products and bailouts Ford has been pushing the right buttons with customers. Ford has gained 5.2 percentage points of market share in the full sized truck segment this year and as the market slowly recovers that could mean big profits for the Blue Oval.
From the Detroit Free Press:
After owning three Ram pickups, Jason Reed of Texas — the nation’s largest pickup market — decided to switch brands in April: He bought a Ford F-150.
“I’ve never been a Ford guy — ever,” said Reed, 42.
He wasn’t just won over by the features on the Ford truck, though. Another factor also helped seal the deal: the taxpayer-backed bankruptcies of Chrysler and General Motors.
“I just don’t like the idea of our federal government doing that,” Reed said.
Every business person is familiar with the Lincoln Town Car, as practically every car service uses it as its base auto. The plush leather seats, roomy trunk and interior and super-smooth ride makes it a familiar oasis for trips through traffic.
This familiarity is about to be disrupted as Ford has decided to discontinue the Lincoln Town Car and the Ford Grand Marquis, another staple in fleet sales.
The Ford Crown Victoria served as the mainstay of taxi and police fleets. Its close cousin, the Lincoln Town Car, could reliably be found idling outside Lincoln Center or waiting to whisk a Wall Street type home for the evening.
But in a little more than a year, both models will go the way of the Checker cab. Ford Motor Company plans to shutter the Canadian plant that manufactures the cars and discontinue the recognizably bulky frame that gives them their shape.
That means the end for vehicles that have come to symbolize the full spectrum of New York life, from private black sedans purring on Park Avenue to the ubiquitous sight of the yellow cab, great equalizer of the varied urban tribe.
“These cars are a facet of people’s everyday experience,” said David Yassky, the city’s taxi commissioner. “Whatever takes their place will have a real and tangible influence on the city’s aesthetic.”
Passengers should prepare for a bumpier, more cramped ride. Forget roomy trunks that fit a French-door refrigerator; the older models are yielding to smaller gas-and-electric hybrid vehicles with knee-bumping back seats and flimsier frames.
The article might be overstating things a bit. Of course, the taxi business is changing rapidly in New York, and some of the new options are certainly more cramped. That said, the process of finding a new vehicle that’s roomy and offers better fuel efficiency should yield a solid replacement for the Crown Vic.
As for the luxury fleet car market, there should be plenty of options. The Lincoln Navigator has plenty of room as a large SUV, and there are plenty of larger luxury sedans that can be substituted for the Town Car. The new Lincoln MKS is a beast of an automobile, for example.
That said, we’re definitely seeing an end of an era. Ford wants to change the image of Lincoln, and they’ll never be able to do that by selling old Town Cars.
It’s Fiesta time for Ford and they hope it turns into a real “Fiesta” of sales and profits for the company. The roll out is now officially underway and if this small car sells anything like it has around the world Ford will have one big party on it’s hands. This is a very tough segment with established and new entries to compete with (Chevy Cruze) but Ford might have a chance to break back into the hearts of small car buyers this time around.
So far everything I’ve read checks out with the Fiesta and the only drawback might be the price point here. Will Ford hold the line on pricing or put money in the glove box to move the metal? Either way this is a great car and should add to market share gains for The Blue Oval!
Dearborn –Ford Motor Co.’s conventional media blitz for its new Ford Fiesta subcompact will begin today, with the first spot due to air tonight during “American Idol.”
But the company’s advertising campaign has been in full swing for a year online and already has paid big dividends. Ford marketing executives say 60 percent of the car-buying public already knows about the new Ford.
“It’s more than five times more efficient than anything we’ve done before,” said Matt Vandyke, director of U.S. marketing communications for the Dearborn automaker. “It’s something you’ll see us doing with other vehicles going forward.”
Ford Fiesta goes head to head with the Lamborghini Gallardo? This is a real ad and it’s actually pretty funny. I still can’t believe the Fiesta smoked the Gallardo in a quarter mile…(just kidding) But according to Ford the Fiesta did win on the track in another test!
From Motorcrave.com:
In one of the oddest, most mismatched head-to-heads since Mike Tyson’s “hard” road back, the Ford Fiesta recently went mano a mano with the Lamborghini Gallardo. I know exactly what you’re thinking: “Why??” Well, while testing the new Fiesta, Ford welcomed public input as to what tests it performs. And some wisenheimer threw out the idea of a test against the Lamborghini Gallardo. He may have meant it as a joke, but Ford took it seriously and went to work.
Buick has a long way to go before they will bring in the 30 something crowd. Buick is happy that their average buyer has dropped to 61 yrs of age and that is questionable math. They will never get the Pontiac buyers in the door! They rushed to kill Pontiac which was well positioned to capture the 20 and 30 something generation but instead invested heavily in a brand most car buyers won’t even shop in the U.S.??? Another gift to Ford, Nissan, Mazda and Dodge from the General.
From theTruthAboutCars.com:
Now, 48 is still technically in the fat part of the US population pyramid, and far be it from me to question the youthfulness of folks who reach this age… but the two major premises in the LAT’s headline simply aren’t that true. For one thing, JD Power weighs in on the Buick-buyer-age controversy, telling the LAT that the average three years ago was 64, and that it has since fallen to 61. That contrasts with IIHS’ recent average Buick-buyer age of 65, up from a claimed average of 63 a year ago. Moreover, as the graph after the jump proves, Buick’s sales “surge” is barely perceptible in any context wider than the first quarter of this year.
April 2010 turned out to be a “decent” month for auto sales in the U.S. Most automakers posted double digit increases from a dismal April 2009 but numbers came in below March 2010. Nissan posted an impressive 35% increase, Ford up 25% and Chrysler sporting a solid 25% gain for a year ago. It will be interesting to see what the next few months have in store with the economy slowly getting stronger.
From CNN.Money.com:
NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) — Major automakers posted double-digit gains in U.S. sales in April compared to the battered sales of a year ago, but the overall pace of sales fell short of March results.
Industrywide U.S. sales came in just short of 1 million vehicles, up 20% from a year ago, according to sales tracker Autodata, but a bit shy of forecasts of between a 21% to 23% gain. And sales were down 8% from March.
The 2011 DUB Edition Mustang looks like one cool ride. Ford has teamed up with DUB magazine and Roush Industries to come up with a Mustang that will attract the hip hop generation. From what I can see with the Roush Industries , Pirelli tires and the Roush quarter window louvers and windshield banner they’re off to a good start.
From Detroit News.com:
Ford Motor Co. has created a new version of the Mustang designed to appeal to the hip-hop generation: the 2011 DUB Edition.
Developed in cooperation with lifestyle magazine DUB and Roush Industries, the customized V-6 version will be offered as a coupe, convertible or with a glass roof.
“The Ford Mustang is the most customized vehicle in the world, and this collaboration pushes the boundaries even further,” said Fritz Wilke, Mustang brand manager. “We’re proud of our relationship with DUB and Roush and how they worked together to bring a new look to Mustang, helping the 2011 DUB Edition Mustang V-6 appeal to a whole new audience.”
