Here’s a bold move – start importing the “new” (now not-so-new) C3 Focus from South Africa to get around the high Euro. And while you’re at it, bring in the EcoSport from Brazil with a bigger engine to take on the Scion kids. Then while you’re selling those, use the time to make sure the next Fiesta is engineered for US uses, and find some capacity somewhere in Sotuh America to build the damn thing.

SHOCK. Ford backtracking, delaying, and reversing recently announced product decisions?! Here’s a bold move: make a plan and stick too it. I know, too much to ask, but at least i tried.

#1 I agree….it hurt Ford to not have planned to redesign our Focus based on this architecture. Ford guessed that it could face lift an already old (yet it does drive well) vehicle and somehow expected it could go head to head with a new Civic, its own Mazda 3 and whatever other Japanese offerings would come out. Ford blundered bad….. Sales of the FOcus have fallen off considerably. I thought Ford was gonna build a sub-B car in the shape of that weird Bank Vaullt looking car (weird yet somehow cool) but I guess they opted for a boring FIesta (prolly a last generation design LOL). I really can’t wait to see if this way forward works….so far it sounds like they are still just as confused as they were before the “way became clear” lol.I for one will not buy another Ford, my Focus was the biggest piece of junk…..It drove wonderfully when it worked…. but I was tired of making payments on top of shelling out an additional $300-$400 a month (no joke) cause everything broke once the warranty ran out. for that money ($600-$700 a month I was spending on payment an problems) I could have been driving a much nicer car, which now I do…..

Why is it that people who post here have it figured out, while the jackasses running these companies have no clue?

It’s a joke to find out that this is how the world works.

None of this is rocket science, yet somehow, these idiots cannot figure out what works and what doesn’t.

fords bold move to CRAP!!!!!!HAHAHAHAHAHAHA WHAT A BUNCH OF JACKASSES

Dean, the management of car companies see as their top priority to deliver big dividends to the shareholders. The product strategy is therefore to deliver as little as possible to the buying public. Manufacturers in other countries realized a long time ago that the buyer was getting more sophisticated and that route would only lead to lost sales and no repeat business. GM, CHRYSLER AND FORD, I WANT TO BUY A COMPETITIVE AMERICAN BADGED PRODUCT. WHEN ARE YOU GOING TO DELIVER SO I DON’T HAVE TO BUY GERMAN OR JAPANESE.
PS I dont want something bigger or cheaper with more content, I want engineering sophistication and the feeling that I haven’t been played for a sucker by a manufacturer who builds what it thinks it can get away with rather than building the best possible product.

Do you ever shut the hell up, chi dell? Get in your import, turn on the engine, suck the exhaust, and go to hell where you belong. Whatever car you have, my Mustang will blow its doors off.

As for Ford, they of all companies should realize that the Koreans are COMPLETELY clueless in the industry. It disgusts me how Ford tried to stoop down to their level. Hyundais have been disastrous and ugly dung piles since they started selling the Italian-designed Pony in 1974.

Niels, as a Ford fan, you of all people should be upset by the product offerings of Ford in the domestic market.

#1 Right on.

Tariq, well said.

wow ford is finally getting it. you cant beat the koreans at making crappy cars…glad they are cancelling cars that would embarass them..

Tariq, I understand how it works here. And because of that mentality, Ford is where it is. And the jackasses deserve it.

Niels, get your facts straight .. the Pony was 1984, not 1974. And their Sonata is a rung above Ford’s equivalent.

Sounds like Bill Ford is working to get his act together by consolidating resources rather than putting bandaids on things hoping the public doesn’t notice.

This kind of stuff hurts now, but they will be better off in the long term.

Europe got the Pony in 1974

“Instead, Ford now plans to introduce a boldly styled vehicle with superior features”

UH OH!!!

Read “We are gonna style this thing like a Caliber, ad lots of gimmicky toys and hope you won’t notice the sophisticated engineering is missing”

wow. just…wow. you’re argueing over when the pony went on the market. this is a good move on fords part, even if the product of this tactic isnt realised for a few years. in the long run this will be better for this corporation, and they’ll be WAY better off than GM.

Couldn’t Ford open a sweatshop factory staffed by wetbacks in Los ANgeles to build the european focus?

Haha, I Ford cant do anything right these days. Hopefully they will die out soon. GM power!

Yeah….Ford’s gonna be burried right next to GM

Good job Ford. Beautification of our streets is very important. thank you.

If any of you haven’t noticed, Mark Fields is running the company now. And if any of you didn’t notice before, Mark Fields is doing the same thing to fix Ford as he did to fix Mazda. In fact, he shut down Mazda’s development operations for 18 months so that they could “focus” the brand. Fields is slowing down Ford’s operations so that they will release competitive “focused” products instead of the half-engineered crap of yesterday. In other words, buy Ford stock now when it’s junk because it will be worth something by the end of the decade. Hell, if you want proof, look at the cars Mazda is making now.

Sounds like good news. Well engineered cars with drivetrains people respect and interiors and bodies people love are what make special cars special. Good move, Mr. Fields.

Actually, Mike, I’m not disappointed in the Fusion or the 500. The Focus isn’t my kind of car, but as a sedan lover I’m not objective of Ford’s current models. The Fusion is exciting and durable, and while the 500 may be somewhat bland, it’s very promising.

Ford has discovered REAR WHEEL DRIVE?????????????
This is too good to be true!!!!!!!!!!!