It doesn’t really make sense but that would be the reason they would give…

The KA is too niche a car for FORD. Honestly if not for the MINI COOPER’s Boutique status, something the FIAT 500 will likely enjoy as well, The KA might be a good idea. But this is AMERICA and not EUROPE or JAPAN, there is a limit as to how small you can go. If FORD, Mulally that is, feels that the KA is not right for the US market and considering he has been batting 1000 or close to it, it’s hard to seriously doubt his judgment. Also I think the KA would price not far enough away from the Fiesta to be good for sales of either.

Who remembers the last American made or branded mini-car (Sub-sub-compact)? If you said the GEO Metro… you get the silver star. The Gold star goes to the Ford Fiesta. Both were total pieces of Kay-rap built at a time the only people buying were kids whose parents couldn’t convince them to buy a used anything else or numb-nuts who think everything smaller enough to fit in the bed of the Pick-up is awesome. Also in the land of SUVS and Pick ups, a mini car is just a coffin with a motor anyway. I’m still waiting for that new report about the guy who creams a Smart Car in his SUV and says, “I thought it was further away and I had time to stop”.

What I want though, still, is the Australian FORD FALCON brought over to the US ASAP. The Crown Vic is done this year or next, and the MUSTANG is due for another Chassis shift in 2012 or 2013. It would behoove FORD to get the Chassis over here now as a sedan and get the kinks worked out. Make it the new MERCURY MARAUDER, get some wildness out of the ECOboost V6, Crank it 400+hp, and It would also give MERCURY a reason to exist. Being a MERCURY, it would not out and out cannibalize Sales of cars like the TAURUS or the FUSION. Nor would it get in the MUSTANG’s way.

Plus MERCURY’s styling of dressing up a FORD so neatly would give this car a slick and polished look. The MILAN is just a beauty next to the Fusion. Now lets get some best in there. Heck FORD could sell this to people who missed out on buying a G8 and are feeling burned by the IMPALA Cops-only car…

Yeah we can skip the KA and the RANGER better be coming soon.

I still think the U.S. Focus looks like crap, compared to the Euro Focus.

I think if both those cars become as big of a hit as many people think they will be, then they might change their minds on the Ka.

I am actually more disappointed with their decision on the world-market Ranger. That pickup is beyond ancient and the world-market version seemed to be a nice update. I think with gas prices going back up again, many people still would like a pickup with a bed in back, but don’t want something as huge or thirsty as the F150 which has been getting bigger and heavier with each new generation.

on the ranger, no effing clue…i’ve tried hard to ignore that segment of vehicle since the ’80s, although i did like the old toyota pickups of that era…with the obligate light bar and other cheesy addons…

2010 Camaro SS in Australia sale for $100K or more
2010 Camaro SS in US sale for $45K or lower (top)

There is alot things need to be change before they get to US, and it takes time and money and I’m sure they already work on it. there also rumor that Ford Falcon is coming back US, however it is, but is still been test to make sure it is suitable for US market.

All in all though, that was my only real complaint about the vehicle. It was rugged and dependable, the 4WD handled snow, ice, and mud just fine. I sold it in 2005, right before Katrina hit and gas prices went through the roof… and I’m glad I did.

And DenverGuy you’re actually right. Thanks to the screaming deal Ford gave us during that employee pricing offer I probably could get more for the truck than I paid for it.

RaineMan, mine has the 4.0l with the 5spd auto and the 3.73 limited slip and the mileage hasn’t been that bad. And by not bad I mean I certainly have not been alarmed with its consumption… I mean it’s a truck so I wasn’t expecting Fusion hybrid numbers. Again it’s funny when you look at the numbers and go gee, only 207 horse from a 4.0l V6… but when you hit the skinny pedal and from a seat of your pants perspective she also goes pretty good. Lots of torque… like a truck should have.

As for the Ka, well Ford might be waiting to see if the Fiesta fails compared to the Aveo or the Spark.

GM. An American Revolution

The Ranger decision puzzles me. You can get around the chicken tax by sending kits. Wouldn’t be that big of a seller, but its better than the current 90s dinosaur and not everyone wants a full size.

Ford at least recognize that you need to work on getting your (european market) small clean turbodiesels over here, and helping ESTABLISH that market, instead of waiting until everyone else does….

Ka is just too small to sell in any kind of volume.

Gas prices have been steadily climbing over the past few months, and I’m sure they will continue to do so… despite the fact that retail sales are still down and unemployment is over 10% in many states.

Ranger is the only real entry left in the “small pickup” market. Colorado/Canyon, Dakota, Tacoma, and Frontier are all approaching full-size. As fuel prices continue to climb Ford could sell it like mad if they made a competent offering instead of using a platform that is possibly the most dated thing on the market. The saddest thing is that the new F-150 gets better mileage than Ranger, which weighs probably half as much.

Why is it that Ford’s best cars continue to only be available outside of the US?