Ford Motors in difficulty?

[GMcL]

Originally Posted by m0bzy

...the thought of a Ford Cincequento is beyond belief!!!

It's almost here...

http://cars.uk.msn.com/News/car_news...mentid=4384092

Five or six-speed manual gearboxes are standard, and it shares its platform with the next generation Ford Ka.

[m0bzy]

With Fiats record of shared platforms,they made the Croma and Saab used the same platform for the 9000,Croma has largely disappeared thank heaven but there are many 9000's still going strong,I think there is still every chance of both offerings from Ford and Fiat best forgotten,now if they fitted a Fiat engine in the Ka,things could be brighter.

[GMcL]

Unfortunately, I don't think we'd get the best Fiat engine in the Ka, the 1.3 multijet diesel, due to Fiat building these engines for GM and Ford being tied in with PSA group for 1.4TDi engine.

[worzel]

like paul clark I am no lover of ford cars (had one once swore I'd never buy another)
had a rover 400 reliable motor and not a bad interior thanks mainly to its honda influence but when that k series engine cylinder head goe's no one can see for miles.
a friend of mine recently bought a volvo v 50 and asked how much of the car is ford and he was assured only the chasis which is out of a ford mondeo
if the volvos start getting chaper looking interiors or become less reliable people will buy something else and blame the ford input and will not return for about 20 years (just ask vauxhall)>
you only have to look at mecedes when thay tried to sell more cars by making them cheaper the reliability fell as did their rating in the jd power survey.
I heard on the radio that b.m.w were looking at buying volvo but ford were unlikely to sell its prize asset. anyone else heard

[Conehead]

I watched a prog a few months back that explained the problem with fords losses is more to do with the benefits that the unions have managed to acheive for their workers with us companys.

It explained that they were effectively paying people to sit at home because of these deals and this actually meant to compete with the japs meant selling their cars for a 2 grand loss whilst the other brands made 1K at the same level.

It was something to do with agreeing to lots of things when times were good and they were desperate for workers , and now times aren't so good they unions have them by the curly's still.

Totally agree with the handling of ford's cars as they are quite chuckable, but the suspension is a compromise with a poor ride quality especially in the back. Certainly don't see it as a bad thing that we share chassis, as most other compenents are used on different cars regardless of brand.

A lot of the modern diesel components are made by delphi , who have contracts with ford and peugeot citreon.