  Pam Member Username: Pam Post Number: 3742 Registered: 11-2005 |
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/200 80326/ap_on_bi_ge/ford_jaguar | ||
Thnk2mch Member Username: Thnk2mch Post Number: 1126 Registered: 02-2006 |
Thank you please for calling Jaguar customer service, how can I help you? | ||
Lowell Board Administrator Username: Lowell Post Number: 4673 Registered: 10-2003 |
The Jag / Land Rover sale was supposedly done so Ford could 'focus' on their core products, but I heard that they bought some obscure Romanian [yep Romanian] automaker into which they are dumping a billion dollars worth of investment. Does that seem contradictory to anyone other than me? "Craiova/Cologne, March 21, 2008 – Ford Motor Company today became the majority owner of the former Automobile Craiova vehicle manufacturing complex in Romania. At a ceremony in the plant, the documents completing the sale were signed by the chief negotiators for each side – Mr. Sebastian Vladescu, President of the privatisation committee for Automobile Craiova and Mr. Lyle Watters, Director of Business Strategy, Ford of Europe. Traian Basescu, President of Romania, Calin Popescu-Tariceanu, Prime Minister of Romania and John Fleming, President and CEO, Ford of Europe were in Craiova today to witness the ceremony. "I am extremely proud to be able to welcome Ford Craiova into the global Ford family," John Fleming told a gathering of the company's newest workers. "This facility joins seven other Ford vehicle assembly plants and thirteen engine, transmission, casting, forging, stamping, tool and die plants (including joint ventures) across Europe. All are characterised by world-class standards of manufacturing quality and efficiency. We are committed to transforming Craiova into a state-of-the-art manufacturing plant through an investment of 675 million Euros." http://media.ford.com/newsroom /release_display.cfm?release=2 7935 | ||
Sknutson Member Username: Sknutson Post Number: 1096 Registered: 03-2004 |
Lowell: I'm not sure its contradictory, in the sense that Ford will be producing "core" type Ford vehicles at the Romanian plant. On another note, my partner had a 2000 Jaguar S-Type. What a piece of crap that turned out to be! | ||
Jgavrile Member Username: Jgavrile Post Number: 58 Registered: 09-2005 |
Yea, well in Romania they will be producing the super import for the U.S. They call call it the "Bella Lugosi" fancy European sport car. | ||
Zephyrprocess Member Username: Zephyrprocess Post Number: 607 Registered: 08-2006 |
I believe the model produced in Craiova will be called the "Spiltmilk" | ||
Lowell Board Administrator Username: Lowell Post Number: 4674 Registered: 10-2003 |
Just thought of a headline that has been overlooked... "Ford says Ta Ta to Jaguar and Land Rover" bah-dump | ||
Irish_mafia Member Username: Irish_mafia Post Number: 1234 Registered: 10-2003 |
you may have a future in copywriting if that photography thing falls through! | ||
D_mcc Member Username: D_mcc Post Number: 541 Registered: 12-2007 |
I think ford unloaded the two because they weren;t making any money... | ||
Jams Member Username: Jams Post Number: 8050 Registered: 10-2003 |
Cool if TaTa can come up with a deal collecting Tetley Tea UPCs (also owned by TaTa) for discounts on Jaguars. | ||
Viziondetroit Member Username: Viziondetroit Post Number: 1549 Registered: 11-2003 |
I think it was wise for them to dump those companies. Ford has not been very successful in the luxury category, so I feel it made sense for them to leave the European companies alone and focus on more down to earth categories. The luxo end needs a parent company that can devote time and resources into marketing and selling to the target demographic and not trying to please shareholders. Some companies need not be publicly traded... it affects service and quality at times. | ||
Mayor_sekou Member Username: Mayor_sekou Post Number: 2088 Registered: 09-2006 |
Why didn't they just dump Lincoln and Mercury and keep Jaguar and Range Rover as the marquee brands. I would much rather buy a Jag than a re badged Ford as a luxury car any day. With Ford, Jaguar, Range Rover, Volvo, and part of Mazda they would have had a strong lineup which no brand cannibalization occurs. But what do I know. | ||
Viziondetroit Member Username: Viziondetroit Post Number: 1551 Registered: 11-2003 |
They could have had a strong brand but in America Range and Jag don't sell like Ford cars do. I am all for quality over quantity, BUT shareholders want numbers in volumes. Ford has not proven themselves as capable of effectively marketing and selling these brands and putting a dent into the luxo market share. Both lines have stepped up their product offerings, but in this economic crunch- the unit sales are declining and Ford is keeping one nostril above the water and Jag and RR can be seen as concrete blocks pulling them under. I think Ford could have kept the line had they done something sooner and pulled in someone who knows how to market and sell these luxo brands in North America and globally. I think Ford assumed the luxo brand would add a little more prestige to their overall product offerings, but Ford is too American and too blue collar to be taken serious in the luxo market. | ||
Angry_dad Member Username: Angry_dad Post Number: 187 Registered: 02-2006 |
Considering the success that GM has had with Cadillac, it sucks that Nasser went on a spending spree with the cash that Ford made. Lincoln could have rivaled Cadillac instead of being treated like a second class organization. Truth is, Jaguars are nice to look at, owning any of them sucks. | ||
Viziondetroit Member Username: Viziondetroit Post Number: 1553 Registered: 11-2003 |
In comparison to GM/Cadillac.... Ford's mistake was offering a mid-level(Mercury) line with a few less options that the luxo line (Lincoln). If I am a true luxury car owner/enthusiast, I don't want a car that has a knock off version that looks like mine with few less features. Cadillac for the most part is a unique line and share pretty much just the frame assembly or chassis with it's sister brands... Ford did too much rebadging to be taken serious with Lincoln. Marketing 101... separate your brands and make them 180 degrees unlike anything else you offer. You can't cater to every consumer, you are diluted! Cadillac stayed true and now they are rivaling some of the higher end brands from across the pond, and yet they look nothing like anything else GM offers (excluding the Escalade line) | ||
Detroithabitater Member Username: Detroithabitater Post Number: 132 Registered: 10-2006 |
i work for the FoMoCo and am shedding no tears over this sale. Land rovers are overengineered and overpriced and Jags don't have a strong customer base. | ||
Viziondetroit Member Username: Viziondetroit Post Number: 1559 Registered: 11-2003 |
^ My point exactly | ||
56packman Member Username: 56packman Post Number: 2118 Registered: 12-2005 |
It must be KILLING the British that one of their premier makes (Jaguar) is now owned by "that bloody WOG colony", especially in view of the fact that the Royals all drive Daimlers (a brand that Jaguar bought in 1960), with the exception of a few R-R limousines that drive the Queen around. Jag and Land Rover were impulse buys by Nasser, drunk with Ford SUV (personal tank) profits. Ford modernized Jaguar, fixed many endemic quality problems, got rid of the constant-joke Lucas electrical systems and got some new product in the pipeline, the XKR amongst them. The biggest problem came when Ford stopped making money on the Ford, Lincoln and Mercury brands when the sales numbers dropped off. No manufacturer makes tons 'o profits in the luxury market every year, some years the low-cost, high-volume brands carry them and it all comes out in the wash. Cadillac has lost money for many a year. Now Lincoln is primarily in the truck business, a sad, sad state of affairs. |
