Until the Ford article headlines as
“FORD TO BUILD AND SELL EUROPEAN MODELS STATESIDE WITHOUT CHANGING A DAMN THING”
there will be little reason to read a Ford article.

Amen Ricardo

I think Ford has this backwards. People want something a little different. Reducing the number of options is the wrong way to go. But I guess this one depends on the execution…

Keep pissing and moaning, you know it isn’t going to happen.

Second that, Ricardo!

Seems like they’re taking the same approach as what Honda used to do. The Accord was simply available as DX, LX, and EX. No option groups were available at all. It’s more confusing now with the EX-L, EX-V6, EX-V6 Navi, etc.

It was simple 10 years ago. Once you decided if you wanted a sunroof or not (usually the big difference between the LX and EX,) color was the last decision.

I smell the rotting corps already….

I bet this move has alot more to do with cutting manufacturing costs vs. giving the customer what they want.

corpse autonut, corpse

I think what they mean is to include some options as standard equipment. for example, including cruise control on SE focuses and stx f150s instead of the way it is now where it has to be added. kind of like what they did on the fusion. the first year that car came out the SE sport group, a $395 add, was the 16″ aluminum wheels, 6 disc cd and fog lights. The next year it was standard equipment on SE fusions with the 395 added to the price.

I get autonuts pun! He did “corps” on purpose as a play on “corporation” and “corpse”!!! Give me my college degree right now…nevermind, been there, done that.

I mean, honestly how hard is it to say, “I want that option and that one, please.” Gimme a break Ford…

All trends in consumer goods are toward customization and personalization. Even McDonald’s doesn’t cook your cheeseburger in advance any more. Ford is running in exactly the wrong direction here, as usual.

As much as you guys think you know about the auto industry, you really don’t know a thing. Ford is just finally going to do what Toyota and GM are currently doing and have been for a while. Ford takes more retail orders than any manufacturer in the world. They are just trying to get those customers to buy off of lots instead of ordering. Instead of having 25,000 buildable configurations on an F-150, they may be able to cut it down to 2,500 or so. It really is a BOLD MOVE for Ford. Mullaly is making them step out of their little box. As for European cars coming here, it will never happen. Quit losing sleep over it. It’s too costly. What you are going to see in the next 5-10 years is a wave of worldwide cars produced that are the same everywhere. Lets just hope they use the European designers to make them instead of the North American.

What I flipping hate is when the ‘link’ packages together. You can’t get ABS without the ‘convenience package’ which requires the power ashtray which isn’t available without the 18″ ChromeSpinner wheels. Total cost for the one thing you want and all the other crap you don’t: $3500+

how about make all cars standard with everything, that way when people get in the base model with everything they can think to themselves “**** this ford has everything”.
at least until they gain a customer base for a couple years.

6ix,
That was right the EX accord had disc brake in the back and dual exhaust and the option of leather
The packages on the Hondas and Acura are confusing now just like Nissans and the worst BMW

TomF & global_lightning, customers aren’t buying power windows, a six-disc CD player, or a green paint job. They’re buying a new car. That’s it. Ford is taking advice from dealerships on this. It’s more than likely that you don’t even know some of the options that you are or aren’t getting. It’s simplicity because customers have similar tastes. We’re not each explicitly unique. For example, Silverado Classics are available in 1WT, 1LS, 1LT, 2LT, and 3LT trims. It’s confusing as hell. If you’re truly a ‘I want what I want’ customer and were going to buy a Silverado Classic, then you’d know EVERYTHING that is standard and optional on each of those trims. Hell, great salesmen don’t even know that. And, in my experience, most customers only think that they know what they want. They don’t actually know.

**** in a different package is still ****.

Make a decent car, and then Ford can go the Cadillac CTS route of offering only various packages.

Global – about linking options – I’m with you. On the new Altima if you just want leather seats it’ll cost you almost 5k at sticker (instead of maybe a grand) because it tied to a 3k tech package and I think a sunroof and a few other things I don’t care about. Eff that.

Sure we need fewer options so that stupid people will flock to the Ford dealerships…

I’d like an F-150 with manual windows and power locks, auto climate control and floor shift tranfercase, 5.4L and a 6spd tremec. But until then I’ll keep buying better makes.

Baffled and frustrated by the complexity of configuring a car? Who’s buying these cars, people with Down Syndrome?

To all the smart people on hear which I know their isn’t that many, you would be suprised how many people their are out their who get confused by options. It’s more than half of the people out shopping.

@Ricardohead:
When I wrote that Nissan was at the top of my list of offenders. They pull the same crap on a $13K Versa which pushes the price up to almost $20K for an ‘entry’ car with basic options.

ok dumb ****s read the fine print. The options are just going to be become standard features. Not less gadgets on the car. you guys are such anti ford morons you didn’t even read the damn article. now instead of having 15 diffrent configurations of say a Taurus, their will be like 3. It amazes me how a buncha douche bags on the internet think they know more about whats going on than the people that are actually running the company and studying the market. **** i hate this website sometimes. Your all retards.

Wow…yet another online **** talker. 95% of you are non-objetive thinkers. Ford comes out with a good idea and everyone automatically shoots it down because its a Ford idea. Why don’t some of you try stating facts, or saying something constructive and add to the conversation instead of **** that doesn’t evecn make sense. Thanx for the input deanster, ill remember to take you seriously since this is the internet and everything and you actually matter.

Mulally is right. At the end of the year when we blow out the models with large rebates and APR’s, they are on mis-built, retail orders that never got delivered and vehicles that were built when certain hot options were not availiable when the vehicle was built. By packaging the options and letting the dealer install the running boards, chrome packages, and tow equiptment is just a great way for dealers to have more of the availiable colors on the lot for delivery now! Add the options next week if you want them.

What ever happen to a-la-carte? They just love to confuse buyers.

Its a better route than they are doing over at Volvo, where you have to pay a $300 fee so you can then pay even more extra for the options you want. On a $24k car no less.

RicardoHead: damn right! That would be the best bold move Ford ever did!

Mustanglover, I think you need to re-read those comments. There are very few bashing because it is a Ford. The problem they are trying to address is in the packaging of their options into odd sets of option groups – that is what causes the confusion. By packaging all those options in as standard, they do simplify the process, but increase the cost to the consumer are they have to take options they don’t want.

Do you see the post about the Altima w/ leather seats? That is the same problem and has nothing to do with Ford…

mp0wrd: O’d like to be able to pick “a la carte” options. But with many, if ypou want leather, you gotta take the Navigation system and sunroof too. Myleat-favorite tack-on: the Spoiler.

CTS: good idea.