Ford considers selling Mazda stake

[LeonOfTheDead]

Thats exactly the point - for nearly 30 years now Ford US have been consistently selling vehicles that underwhelm or merely complete their alloted tasks adequately. There are a few blips of a pulse but for the most part they are simply flatlining product wise.

The biggest problem, as I see it, is because they often try to build to American standards, if that makes sense - what they consider the American consumer is willing to tolerate, in Interior quality, reliability, styling.....

Make vehicles that are of a world quality.

The other major problem, and this has been touched upon a few times, is that Ford means different things in different parts of the world, whereas a company like Mercedes Benz has the same brand strategy worldwide. Because of this muddled business model it is difficult to create vehicles to appeal to every market. However it is not difficult to revise what a brand stands for in the publics mind - get the advertising & product right, and people will buy it.

I'm just fearful, for many of these behemoth companies, that evolution will be too great a task to take on, and they'll simply collapse under their own weight.

don't forget that MB seels the A/B-Klasse somewhere

[IBrake4Rainbows]

It still fits into the brand strategy though.

Albeit In an Egg-Shaped fashion.

[Dino Scuderia]

I don't think having Mazda on the team has helped Ford much lately. Whether they have squandered the relationship or not...you be the judge.

Wrapping the ugly Fusion body around the Mazda 6 chassis was bad enough and on top of that they offered no performance editions..for example.(North America)

[IBrake4Rainbows]

In europe & Australia having mazda on the team has lead to some great successes.

I think Mazda has been mishandled in the US, for sure. the lack of a proper Performance wing (with the exception of the MX-5 & RX-8) has damaged the credibility of the "zoom-zoom" branding they were so keen to push everywhere else.

[Ferrer]

In europe & Australia having mazda on the team has lead to some great successes.

I think Mazda has been mishandled in the US, for sure. the lack of a proper Performance wing (with the exception of the MX-5 & RX-8) has damaged the credibility of the "zoom-zoom" branding they were so keen to push everywhere else.

European Ford engineers aren't too shaby either.

They could use them instead of Mazda.

[Matra et Alpine]

The buy in to Mazda was an odd thing to start with.
Ford USA got carried away dick-waving to show their "superiority" in partnering with Mazda.
If they had only looked properly at the European design and production then they could have ahd all they wanted without the expense
BUT, rather than see the problem was the way Ford oeprate in the US market, they decided what they "Needed" was Japanese "success" -- after all Honda and Toyota were kicking their asses. Ford USA management would do well to just go-away and let the rest of the world Fords run the business properly ;(

[Sledgehammer]

In europe & Australia having mazda on the team has lead to some great successes.

I think Mazda has been mishandled in the US, for sure. the lack of a proper Performance wing (with the exception of the MX-5 & RX-8) has damaged the credibility of the "zoom-zoom" branding they were so keen to push everywhere else.

Mazdaspeed3 and 6 can be considered performance.


I had heard this morning that mazda had purchased a small portion of ford as well.

[culver]

agree, the near term future is going to be safe, maybe, but after that, say hi to boring cars.

Not at all! The Mustang is non-Mazda. The Focus SVT was a Focus ST170. The Contour was a great car because it was a Mondeo. Really, I think it could be great for us US buyers because we could get more Euro-Fords instead of good but not as good Mazords. In my experience Ford of Europe seems to know as much about chassis turning as anyone at Mazda.

[fpv_gtho]

Ford US was already going down the path of recieving Euro Fords through platform ratification before selling stock in Mazda first crossed Mulally's mind.

[LeonOfTheDead]

I don't think having Mazda on the team has helped Ford much lately. Whether they have squandered the relationship or not...you be the judge.

Wrapping the ugly Fusion body around the Mazda 6 chassis was bad enough and on top of that they offered no performance editions..for example.(North America)

The new Fiesta is just a Mazda2, and it's supposed to be the best seller in Ford's lineup here in EU

Not at all! The Mustang is non-Mazda. The Focus SVT was a Focus ST170. The Contour was a great car because it was a Mondeo. Really, I think it could be great for us US buyers because we could get more Euro-Fords instead of good but not as good Mazords. In my experience Ford of Europe seems to know as much about chassis turning as anyone at Mazda.

I wasn't considering just sporty models, but I found Mazda's approach to new cars more interesting. right now Ford just makes cars. perhaps the new Mondeo is a good car, but I can't say it's intriguing. the new Ka is developed by Fiat basically, the Fiesta as mentioned is a Mazda2, and the new Focus, besides being very good, it's somehow a downturn thinking of the first Focus (speaking of that, the ST170 was not that great here). the C-Max is nothing special, the S-max is considered a great achievement being a sporty-van, but I can't really say it's a good car, or I should admit that also of an X5, you know...
I don't know directly NA Ford's product obviously, but I feel the situation is not so different, besides the quality of some cars.

IMO Mazda is one of the more interesting car makers, especially considered it's not selling exotics, luxurious limousine or niche vehicles. it creates cars for the average Joe, but more appealing. something quite lacking among nowadays market. I would have keep Mazda if I was a Ford's big-head, but I understand they did it just to raise money now, nothing else.

[IBrake4Rainbows]

Mazda is, for the most part, run with both the head and heart in unison. They have the beancounters, sure, making sure components aren't running over cost, but there are also the engineers & designers in there, having a say and creating what could be the most exciting mix for Run-of-the-mill vehicles on the market today.

In Australia Mazdas have quite a sporty image - thats despite them not competing in anything particularly racy for a very long time. And it's not entirely undeserved either.

Fords problem is similar to that of Mazdas a while back - albeit on a much larger scale. They have too much product that no one wants, and owe a bucketload of money.

Solution? It might be time to start culling brands like dead wood. Mercury? female oriented, but it doesn't offer a whole lot other than nicer looking Fords.

That'd be the first thing I'd axe, personally.

[LeonOfTheDead]

Solution? It might be time to start culling brands like dead wood. Mercury? female oriented, but it doesn't offer a whole lot other than nicer looking Fords.

That'd be the first thing I'd axe, personally.

perhaps stop just re-badging a car and pretend it's another one, with a different image just because of the new grille (Mercury), or with an up-class image just because of leather seats and again a new grille (Lincoln).
but that's a problem of GM, Ford and Chrysler too.

[Ferrer]

I wasn't considering just sporty models, but I found Mazda's approach to new cars more interesting. right now Ford just makes cars. perhaps the new Mondeo is a good car, but I can't say it's intriguing. the new Ka is developed by Fiat basically, the Fiesta as mentioned is a Mazda2, and the new Focus, besides being very good, it's somehow a downturn thinking of the first Focus (speaking of that, the ST170 was not that great here). the C-Max is nothing special, the S-max is considered a great achievement being a sporty-van, but I can't really say it's a good car, or I should admit that also of an X5, you know...
I don't know directly NA Ford's product obviously, but I feel the situation is not so different, besides the quality of some cars.

IMO Mazda is one of the more interesting car makers, especially considered it's not selling exotics, luxurious limousine or niche vehicles. it creates cars for the average Joe, but more appealing. something quite lacking among nowadays market. I would have keep Mazda if I was a Ford's big-head, but I understand they did it just to raise money now, nothing else.

Well Ford's are bread and butter cars, you can't expect the sort of interestingness you'd find in a Honda for instace. And yet many recent Fords have been interesting. Cars like the original Focus or the original Ka, they were great to drive and really stood out.

Ford has currently decided to play it safe, but their chasis are still acknowledged to be amongst the best in the bussiness. We'd probably struggle to find a more driver orientated generalist manufacturer.

[kennyknoxville]

obama drives a mazda

[cmcpokey]

obama drives a mazda

he actually drives a Chrysler 300.