NINETY EIGHT REGENCY

Happy birthday Camino!! May it best the best and you find it happy and rewarding.

Happy Birthday Ted! I hope it is all you want and more.

NHTSA probes BMW Z4, Mazda3 over steering issues By Drew Johnson The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has launched a new investigation involving the BMW Z4 and Mazda3 over steering concerns. The NHTSA’s probe is looking into a possible power-steering defect. The NHTSA has received a total of 107 steering complaints involving the 2003-2005 BMW Z4 and 33 complaints against the 2007-2009 Mazda3. One of the BMW complaints resulted in a crash while three of the Mazda3’s reported cases ended in a collision. According to the NHTSA, the BMW Z4’s “steering wheel sticks, binds or locks up, and requires increased steering effort resulting in difficulty controlling the vehicle.” The Mazda3 suffers from a similar problem, with the complaints alleging “loss of power steering assist while driving, requiring excessive force on the driver’s part to maintain control, or in some cases causing the driver to lose control of the vehicle.” No recalls have been announced for either vehicle, but up to 48,764 Z4s and 293,787 Mazda3s could be affected. link: http://www.leftlanenews.com/nhtsa-probes-bmw-z4-mazda3-over-steering-issues.html

BREAKING: Toyota admits 270,000 cars have faulty engines worldwide by Zach Bowman (RSS feed) on Jul 1st 2010 at 9:25AM 2010 Lexus LS460 Sport – Click above for high-res image gallery In 20 years, odds are few people will remember that 2010 was one of the worst years for Toyota in terms of recalls, but for now, it seems like the company just can't win for losing. The company has announced that it is currently preparing to recall a total of 270,000 Toyota Crown and Lexus LS, GS and IS models worldwide. As it turns out, some of the company's 4.6-liter V8 and 3.5-liter V6 engines were built using faulty valve springs that may cause the car to stall while driving. Around 180,000 of the faulty powerplants were sold outside of Japan. According to The Wall Street Journal, the company says that some Toyota Crown, Lexus LS460, Lexus LS600h, Lexus LS600hL, Lexus GS350, Lexus GS450h, Lexus GS460 and Lexus IS350 models will be affected by the recall, and that it will initiate a procedure to fix the problem as soon as it can figure out a way to do so with the least amount of inconvenience to its customers. The news comes as Toyota continues to try to put this year's bevy of recall issues behind it, including paying a $16.4 million fine to the U.S. government for delaying certain recalls. Thanks for the tip, everyone! link: http://www.autoblog.com/2010/07/01/breaking-toyota-admits-270-000-cars-have-faulty-engines-worldwi/

Toyota says 270,000 vehicles have faulty engines BY Shino Yuasa / Associated Press Tokyo -- Toyota Motor Corp. said today about 270,000 cars sold worldwide -- including luxury Lexus sedans -- have potentially faulty engines, the latest quality lapse to hit the automaker following massive global recalls of top-selling models. Japan's top-selling daily Yomiuri said in its evening edition that Toyota will inform the transport ministry of a recall on Monday. The paper cited no sources. Toyota spokesman Hideaki Homma said the company was evaluating measures to deal with the problem of defective engines that can stall while the vehicle is moving. He would not confirm a recall was being considered. The automaker has been working to patch up its reputation after recalling more than 8 million vehicles worldwide because of unintended acceleration and other defects. Of the 270,000 vehicles with engine problems, some 180,000 were sold overseas and the rest in Japan. They include the popular Crown and seven models of luxury Lexus sedans. Toyota said it has received around 200 complaints in Japan over faulty engines. Some drivers told Toyota that the engines made a strange noise. Homma said there have been no reports of accidents linked to the faulty engines. U.S. authorities recently slapped Toyota with a record $16.4 million fine for acting too slowly to recall vehicles with defects. Toyota dealers have repaired millions of vehicles, but the automaker still faces more than 200 lawsuits tied to accidents, the lower resale value of Toyota vehicles and the drop in the company's stock. In the aftermath of the recalls, Congress is considering an upgrade to auto safety laws to toughen potential penalties against automakers, give the U.S. government more powers to demand a recall and push car companies to meet new safety standards. Toyota said last week it will recall 17,000 Lexus luxury hybrids after testing showed that fuel can spill during a rear-end crash. From The Detroit News: http://detnews.com/article/20100701/AUTO01/7010428/1148/auto01/Toyota-says-270-000-vehicles-have-faulty-engines#ixzz0sRFtUMFP

Happy Birthday!! I hope it is what you desired and what you wanted it to be.

German car industry thriving again Weak euro makes sought-after European vehicles affordable Juergen Baetz / Associated Press Berlin -- Germany's car industry, the backbone of Europe's largest economy, is booming again. Fueled by the huge appetite for German luxury cars in China and the fact that the plunging euro has made European products cheaper abroad, manufacturers say they are shaking off the last of the economic downturn, adding extra shifts and hiring more workers to meet increasing demand. Mercedes, Volkswagen, BMW and Audi told the Associated Press this week that order books are full and some plants are operating at full capacity, and that they are bullish on their outlook for the full year. It's a remarkable turnaround for an industry that last year had to take advantage of a government plan to reduce workers' hours to avoid large-scale layoffs. BMW AG says demand started increasing at the beginning of the year and the company has increased its number of temporary workers from 1,500 to 5,000 since January. "We're currently negotiating with employees to add extra shifts because order books are full," said spokesman Marc Hassinger. BMW's traditional rival, Daimler AG's Mercedes-Benz unit, is already operating several plants at capacity production and mandatory summer holidays -- introduced during last year's downturn -- have been scrapped or shortened. The number of temporary workers has doubled from 900 to 1,800, the company says. Mercedes, based in Stuttgart, now expects to post an overall double-digit growth figure for the second quarter, partly fueled by rising demand from China. "China is already our third most important market and number one for the S-Class," spokeswoman Verena Mueller said, referring to Mercedes' flagship model. Sales from January to May in China grew by 107 percent, she added. Mercedes plans to sell more than 100,000 cars there in 2010, up from 70,000 a year earlier. BMW is also counting on China, where it sold 34,179 cars in the first quarter, an increase of 106 percent on last year, and where its sales are forecast to increase from 90,000 last year to 120,000. Much of the industry worldwide has gained this year amid the global auto sales recovery -- General Motors Co. roared back from bankruptcy to a quarterly profit; Toyota Motor Corp. also returned to profit in the latest quarter. But the growth in the Chinese premium car market is expected in particular to help the growth and profitability of German carmakers, accounting, for instance, for 15 percent to 20 percent of BMW pretax earnings and between 10 percent and 15 percent at Mercedes, CreditSuisse analyst Arndt Ellinghorst said in a research note last week. Even as competition in China is getting fiercer, the London-based analyst sees German carmakers as well positioned there. "Premium brands still command luxury status insulating them from potential competition that is becoming ever more apparent in the mass market," he said. For Volkswagen AG, Europe's biggest carmaker, China is already the single most important market and an important growth driver. In the first quarter, sales rose by 48 percent to 777,800 units. That helped offset sales in Germany, where demand for the group's Volkswagen, Seat, Skoda and Audi cars dipped by 12 percent to 436,900 units. The bulk of growth for Volkswagen's luxury brand Audi also lies in China, which is slated to become the brand's most important market. "There will be a neck-and-neck race between Germany and China this year," said Audi spokesman Juergen De Graeve. Currency effects have also been a huge boon for the German auto industry, as the declining euro makes European cars cheaper in the United States and in countries with their currency linked to the dollar such as China. The euro, which traded above $1.50 in December, hit a four-year low below $1.19 on June 7. It's "the biggest stimulus package" for Germany's carmakers, Ellinghorst said. The positive impact from currency movements in 2010 could boost earnings by about $290 million at BMW and $442 million at Daimler for 2010, he estimated. China's central bank's decision to allow greater flexibility in its exchange rate could also be beneficial for German carmakers. If the yuan gains strength against the euro, Chinese consumers could more easily afford German cars. From The Detroit News: http://detnews.com/article/20100624/AUTO01/6240355/1148/auto01/German-car-industry-thriving-again#ixzz0rm8gCa2u

Wow... congrats to you. I read that and was like that is a big step...

I agree with you on the fact there is a place for midrange brands. They are needed. They have to market them and make them viable. No has done it properly.. They could have gone on hours with the topic.

They were saying the same exact thing online last night on Autoline After Hours. They said Acura and Infiniti have not lived up to their potential. They are stuck in the middle of nowhere. They said Honda instead of making Acura upscale and coming up with true rear drive luxury cars, and a true flagship sedan basically was trying to hold on to the Honda buyers after they were ready to move up out of their Honda phase. They simply have dressed up Hondas instead of changing the Acura totally. They said the same of Infiniti too. They called them dressed up Nissans. They said what happened was Acura started with good intentions, and did not follow through. They said Honda has lost its mojo it once had. They have become complacent and afraid. They have not taken any chances. They said that Acura and Infinti have to step up or step out. They said what happened in this country is the distinction between mass market brands and luxury brands has been lost due to luxury car makers building small cars, and mass market brands doing what Hyundai is doing with the Genesis. They said there is a middle market in this country, but no car maker has figured out to say this is what we are and grow the segment. They said Buick and GMC are in an interesting position. Buick has two issues. It no matter what it has done still has a stigma attached to it as the old persons car. They said while LaCrosse and Regal are nice, they have done nothing to move the needle. They said Buick Regal was not a true Buick, but an Opel made into a Buick. This tells you nothing about the Buick brand or where it is headed. They said LaCrosse while nice is still not a full on premium luxury sedan. They said Buick needs a true flagship car. A Riviera or a Park Avenue. They said that on the other side Buick now is starting to turn Chevrolet Premium. They said Buick in China is different from Buick North America. They feel that Buick is seen as a status car brand in China, but it has no association with that here. They said GM is in a dilemma. They could cut into two brands Chevrolet and Cadillac, but they would lose volume and sales. They said there many people out there who will not buy a Cadillac or Chevrolet. There are people with money who do not want to display their wealth. Buying Cadillac is not an option. They said GMC makes money, but they need cars to offset the trucks. Because Buick is in China, that is the only reason they still exist and they sell cars. They said really there is no reason for Buick to exist in the United States other than the Chinese connection. They said even GM does not know what Buick stands for. Buick does not have a clear mission or focus. There is no cohesiveness with the new models. In GM's case they said in reality, it makes sense to cut GM to Chevrolet and Cadillac. On paper financially when you see the real facts and figures it does not add up or make sense. In GM's position, it would hurt them to cut any more brands. It would not be a good thing for anyone to cut anymore brands. They said with GMC, they serve a purpose. When they looked a buyers of trucks, the GMC buyers did not list Chevrolet Silverado as the next choice. It was a fully loaded Ford F-150 or fully loaded Dodge Ram after that. Silverado was not even on their list. They talked about Mercury. What happened with Mercury is they were starved without products and updates. They said the issue there at Ford is can you get people to step up from Ford to Lincoln? Lincoln is not a tier one luxury brand like it once was. While it is trying to do the Acura thing, that is not where they should be. They need to find a luxury niche and go head on with BMW and Cadillac etc. They said the current Lincolns look like gussied up Fords. This is what they are. While the MKS is nice, it breaks no new ground, and Lincoln needs rear drive cars. They need a new flagship contemporary Lincoln Town Car type car. They said the new look is not working. They said Lincoln has so much history they could work with. Lincoln has to get some direction. They said Lincoln dealers are going to have a hard time because there is no feeder brand. The real issue is how to you market a middle brand? They said the carmakers are caught up with trying to be everything to everyone. They said brands should focus on niches and grow the brands globally serving a niche than trying to cover every brand with every segment. They said another issue is the definition of what premium is and what it should be is not clear. That is what they said. Those are NOT my comments. My opinion is there is room from middle brands and GM and Ford should have kept Mercury, Pontiac, and Oldsmobile and focused them.

I am so sorry. You can win for losing. I mean really. I do not know what to say. This went from bad to worse. I am so sorry Corey. I can understand your frustration. That car really took a impact this time. I just wish the bad stuff would stop happening to people on this website. I am just glad you and your friends and family were not hurt.

Cadillac trumpets success of SRX crossover 02:38 PM General Motors is trumpeting the sales success of its 2010 Cadillac SRX, a luxury midsize crossover. GM says the SRX has posted the largest gains in its segment for both sales and projected resale value. That may be because the new one is so great, or the old one was so unpopular. Or both. See our SRX Test Drive review here. There is no disputing the sales increase. SRX's sales rose 654% in May compared with the same month a year, Autodata figures show. In the first five months of the year, Cadillac says SRX outsold Mercedes-Benz M-Class, Audi Q7, BMW X5 and Acura MDX. The average transaction price for the new SRX is more than $2,300 higher than the previous model. Then there is resale value: Cadillac says SRX's projected resale value has risen 17 percentage points in the past year, the largest gain in its segment. SRX's projected resale value after 36 months is 48% of the initial purchase price, compared with 31% for the previous model, according to the May/June forecast by industry tracker ALG. "Cadillac has done all the right things to support higher residual values for the SRX," said Matt Traylen, ALG's chief economist. link: http://content.usatoday.com/communities/driveon/post/2010/06/cadillac-trumpets-success-of-srx-crossover/1

I am so sorry about these negative events Blackviper. I really am. You have to move forward despite it still happening. It can be frustrating... I hope you can get the other car fixed.

New Toyota Europe boss tasked with halting sales dip Frenchman Leroy to head carmaker in Europe Luca Ciferri Automotive News Europe -- June 14, 2010 08:44 CET Production expert and recently appointed quality overseer Didier Leroy will become the first European to head Toyota Motor Corp.'s operations in Europe. Leroy's main priority will be to reverse Toyota's declining European sales and repair the automaker's image after more than 1.7 million cars were recalled in Europe as part of the company's global campaign to address safety issues. Leroy, a 52-year-old French native, will become president of Toyota Motor Europe effective June 24. He will succeed current president Tadashi Arashima, who Toyota said is retiring from his current positions at the automaker. Industry sources expect Arashima to return to his native Japan to take on a new job outside Toyota. In his new job, Leroy will oversee all of Toyota's European operations, including manufacturing, engineering, sales and marketing. He will also retain his current role as Toyota Europe's chief quality officer, a post created by the company in March following the recall campaign. “I look forward to working closely with all of Toyota's European family to support the sustained development of Toyota's operations in Europe, based on our key priorities of superior quality and customer satisfaction,” Leroy said in a statement. He added that the company will work hard to further strengthen the Toyota and Lexus lineups in Europe, combining environmental performance and driving pleasure, with vehicles tailored to meet the expectations of European customers. After Toyota's European recalls started in January, the company saw its year-on-year new-car sales in the region fall 20 percent in February, 13.6 percent in March and 21.3 percent in April. The three sharp drops followed a 12 percent sales rise in January. From January to April, Toyota's European volume was down 10.7 percent to 205,995 units, according to data from the industry association ACEA. Leroy joined Toyota in 1998 as a vice president in charge of manufacturing to set up a new factory in Valenciennes, France, to build the Yaris subcompact. He managed Toyota Motor Manufacturing France's rapid growth and became president of the plant in 2005. In 2007, he was appointed an executive vice president of Toyota Europe and he focused on improving the operational efficiency of Toyota's European manufacturing plants in that role. Leroy move to head Toyota's sales functions in Europe in 2009 after the retirement of another Frenchman, Thierry Dombreval. Leroy started Toyota's production in France. Toyota Europe has launched a 20 million euro ($26.3 million) pan-European TV, print and online media campaign featuring employees talking about their commitment to quality and safety in a bid to regain consumer trust following its huge recall. With the help of the campaign, Toyota hopes to contain the dip in its European sales to 9.9 percent for the full year, or about 765,000 units, 84,000 below the company's earlier target of 849,000. In 2009, Toyota's European sales were 877,543. Read more: http://www.autonews.com/article/20100614/ANE/100619949/1193#ixzz0qq614QA1

I am so sorry. At least you are okay. It could have been worse. I have had those periods like that when things just go wrong and it is never ending.... Hang in there.

Video: Dodge catches World Cup fever with historic new ad by Zach Bowman (RSS feed) on Jun 11th 2010 at 12:28PM Dodge "Freedom" ad – Click above to watch video after the jump Dodge has just dropped a special commercial for today's World Cup match between the good old US of A and our former masters, England. The odds don't look particularly good for the American team, but we've been known to pull out a surprise win or two when it comes to standing against the old empire – the "Miracle on the Grass" 1950 World Cup match between the two countries comes to mind, as does that little Revolutionary War thing. How we do today remains to be seen. The teams go head to head at 2:30PM Eastern. If you're looking to get yourself stoked for the match, feel free to hop the jump to see the Dodge spot for yourself and check out the full press blast. The ad is called "Freedom," and it may just have you wanting one particular Mopar product by the time the screen goes black. Enjoy. link: http://www.autoblog.com/2010/06/11/video-dodge-catches-world-cup-fever-with-historic-new-ad/

Next Evo goes diesel hybrid Friday, June 11, 2010 Mitsubishi is planning a radical overhaul of its Lancer Evolution by changing the next incarnation into a diesel hybrid. The switch of drivetrain is designed to save the Evo from tightening economy and emissions regs while preserving its trademark mid-range shove. Mitsubishi is said to have given serious consideration to axing the Evo model altogether. As recently as a month ago, sources in Japan said an earlier project — to switch the car to a petrol hybrid powertrain and base it on the PX-MiEV SUV concept’s platform — was dead. But now the firm’s R&D department has been given approval to push the car in a different direction: a diesel hybrid. Engineers hope that the mix of clean-diesel torque and electric motor assistance will allow the Evo XI to deliver a 0-62mph time of under five seconds, yet cut CO2 emissions to well under 200g/km. Handling will be entrusted to a revised version of the Evo’s highly rated four-wheel drive system, S-AWC, which integrates steering, braking and traction control. The switch marks a big gamble for Mitsubishi. Diesel hybrid will, in effect, rule the Evo out of competition use and could limit its appeal in key markets such as the US and Japan, where diesels have yet to gain widespread acceptance. link: http://www.motorauthority.com/blog/1046035_diesel-hybrid-on-the-cards-for-mitsubishi-evo-xi

Welcome and I hope you will enjoy posting here.

Video: First 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee commercial released by Steven J. Ewing (RSS feed) on Jun 10th 2010 at 4:55PM 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee commercial – Click above to watch the video after the jump The 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee is a really big deal for Chrysler. Not only is it the first product to launch since the Fiat takeover, but it needs to show the world that Chrysler is capable of making attractive, high-quality products, and that the brand is working to rebuild its image here in America. Thus, this first ad spot for the Grand Cherokee focuses on just that – telling the world that American manufacturing is getting back on track, and that Chrysler is working hard to build the best new products for the market. We'll be driving the 2011 Grand Cherokee in the coming weeks, so stay tuned for a full report. In the meantime, hit the jump to not only watch the video of the new Jeep ad, but to read Chrysler's full press release explaining the new advertising campaign. High-res images of the new Grand Cherokee are available in the galleries below. link: http://www.autoblog.com/2010/06/10/video-first-2011-jeep-grand-cherokee-commercial-released/

Mitsubishi Motors seeks 56% sales growth by 2013 Automotive News Europe -- June 8, 2010 13:16 CET TOKYO (Reuters) -- Mitsubishi Motors Corp aims to announce by the end of 2010 how it plans to get billions of dollars in preferred shares off its balance sheet, and will unveil a growth plan for a 56 percent jump in vehicle sales at the same time, its president said on Tuesday. Japan's sixth-biggest automaker has suffered a sharp slide in sales in recent years and many analysts have dropped its stock from their coverage due to the unresolved issue of more than 400 billion yen ($4.4 billion) of unredeemed preferred shares issued mostly to the Mitsubishi group. President Osamu Masuko, who has been tight-lipped about how Mitsubishi Motors would deal with the shares, said converting them to common stock, selling them through a third-party allocation, buying them back, or a combination of these steps were the only options available to the company. "I want to be able to talk about it by the end of the year," said Masuko, who took his post in 2005 after a successful career at sister trading firm Mitsubishi Corp. He added, however, that the shaky global economy and financial markets could get in the way. "If these conditions continue, it might be difficult to wrap up a decision by year-end," he told Reuters in an interview. Converting all the preferred shares to common stock would result in a massive dilution of Mitsubishi Motors shares, adding more than 3.5 billion shares to the current 5.5 billion. In part to prepare for the possibility of releasing at least some of the preferred shares, Masuko said he also aimed to communicate the company's roadmap for growth by the end of 2010 to entice potential buyers. Electric cars and emerging markets The growth strategy would rely on two pillars, he said: Mitsubishi's strength in environmental technology through its electric car business, and expansion in emerging markets through the "Global Small Car", to go on sale by the end of 2011. Mitsubishi Motors became the world's first mass-volume carmaker to begin selling battery-run electric cars with the egg-shaped i-MiEV, with a sales target of 40,000 units by 2012. Masuko said Mitsubishi Motors planned to beef up its zero-emission line-up, adding a commercial-use electric microvan in Japan in 2012, followed by a battery-powered version of the Global Small Car in developed markets by the end of 2012. A gasoline-engine version of the Global Small Car is due to hit showrooms in 2011, and Masuko said the maker of the Pajero SUV will likely build the low-cost model in Thailand, by constructing a new factory with capacity of around 200,000 units a year. He said Mitsubishi Motors also wants to build the model, which it wants to price under 1 million yen ($10,930), in either China, Brazil or India. Through such steps, Masuko said, Mitsubishi Motors would target global sales of 1.5 million vehicles by 2013/14, representing a 56 percent jump from the year ended this March. Mitsubishi Motors has also been filling unused factory capacity through supply deals with France's PSA Peugeot Citroen. The partners had explored a capital tie-up but dropped those talks in March. Mitsubishi Motors is owned 15 percent by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd and 14 percent by Mitsubishi Corp. Read more: http://www.autonews.com/article/20100608/ANE/306089973/1429#ixzz0qGw5Odbq

New Renault Latitude Sedan Takes Flagship Spot in Range Monday, June 07, 2010 Renault has lifted the covers off a new flagship sedan named Latitude that will in effect replace the discontinued (and rather controversial) Vel Satis. Described by the French carmaker as "its latest international status-enhancing family saloon" [sic..], the Latitude will get its first public outing at the Moscow Motor Show at the end of August, while Europeans will get their first view of the car at this Fall's 2010 Paris Motor Show. For those of you that keep a close eye on global automotive news, the new Latitude won't come as a surprise as it's based on the Renault Group's 2010 Samsung SM5 sedan that recently went on sale in South Korea. And by "based", we mean re-badged and VW- re-grilled... [see pictures of the SM5 below] Built on a modified version of the Laguna's platform, Renault's new flagship model features a conventional four-door sedan body instead of a five-door fastback form like it's 25, Safrane (not the Samsung-based Safrane) and Vel-Satis predecessors The Latitude measures 4.890mm in length, 1.830mm in width and 1.490mm in height, meaning it's 195mm longer, 19mm wider and 45mm taller than the Laguna hatch. Renault has not yet released details on the engine range, but motorists should expect the usual mix of petrol and diesel engines. The French automaker said that the Latitude will be offered with a variety of features that place the emphasis "on innovation and travelling comfort", including a dual-mode air ionizer with double fragrance diffuser, triple-zone climate control, a massaging driver's seat, Bose Premium audio, the Renault hands-free card and more. According to the company, the Latitude is due to go on sale this autumn in Asia, Africa, Russia, Turkey, Gulf, Australia and Mexico, with Europe to follow shortly after. link: http://carscoop.blogspot.com/2010/06/new-renault-latitude-sedan-takes.html

If I had to choose: Ford Mercury Lincoln: 1961-1966 Thunderbird 1978-1981, 1989-1992 Mercury Cougar 1977-1979 ,1987-1989, 2003-present Lincoln Town Car 1976-1979 Lincoln Mark IV and V, 1993-1997 Lincoln Mark VIII 1976-1977,1985-1988, 1995-1997 Mercury Grand Marquis GM: Too many to list Chrysler: 1960's Imperial 1974-1975 Imperial 1980-1981 Imperial 1990-1993 Imperial 1979-1981 New Yorker

Happy Birthday PCS!

Ford to kill off Mercury after 72 years Going gone: Ford's Mercury brand is set to fold, taking cars such as the Mercury Milan Hybrid with it. Mercury to be axed by Ford as it gets set to expand Lincoln with first small car 4 June 2010 By TERRY MARTIN THE Ford Motor Co has confirmed it will discontinue its Mercury brand after more than seven decades as a premium offering for the Blue Oval, consigning it to automotive history to join other defunct Detroit brands such as Pontiac, Oldsmobile and Saturn. The American auto giant said its decision to end production in the final quarter of 2010 was based on a sustained sales downturn for Mercury, which now accounts for just 0.8 per cent of Ford’s 16 per cent share in the US. It also said Mercury’s customer profile, pricing and margins were now almost identical to Ford. In contrast, the Ford brand’s share has improved 2.2 percentage points in 2010 as a result of new products and “improved quality, fuel efficiency, safety, smart design and value”. As a result, the company will throw more resources into the Ford brand and expand its luxury brand Lincoln with seven all-new or upgraded models over the next four years, including its first-ever small car. Ford’s group vice-president of global product development Derrick Kuzak said the C-segment car would be based on the same architecture as the new-generation Ford Focus due in 2011, although it would have design and engineering attributes specific to Lincoln. The confirmation that Lincoln would produce a small car comes almost two-and-a-half years after it presented the Lincoln C (for C-segment) concept car at the Detroit motor show in January 2009. The aim is for Lincoln to be on an equal footing with Cadillac and Lexus in North America, with its share of the US luxury vehicle market continuing to grow. At the end of the first quarter of 2010, Lincoln held a 6.3 per cent share, up from 4.5 per cent in 2005. To do this, Ford plans for Lincoln to offer advanced design and showcase its latest hi-tech and engineering achievements, including adaptive computer-controlled suspension, electronic push-button gear selectors, active noise control, fully retractable glass roofs and ‘MyLincoln Touch’ driver connect technology. The latter will debut later this year with the updated 2011 MKX crossover, which will join recent showroom arrivals including the redesigned MKS large sedan and MKT seven-seat SUV, and a facelifted MKZ medium-sized sedan. A hybrid version of the MKZ is also due in the final quarter, and Ford is already proclaiming it as “the most fuel-efficient luxury sedan in America”. Lincoln will also receive new powertrains, including an all-new V6 engine and “advanced fuel-efficient transmissions”. EcoBoost engines will be available across its model range, and Ford is determined that Lincoln will emerge as “the most fuel-efficient luxury line-up on the market”. More than 1700 dealerships will now begin to wind down their Mercury operations, although none of these are standalone retail outlets. Most are combined with both Ford and Lincoln franchises, although those that are combined only with Lincoln might be forced to consolidate with a Ford dealership. Ford president and chief executive Alan Mulally said the company’s strengthening financial position – including the return to profitability and positive cash flow – allowed it to absorb short-term costs associated with the discontinuation of Mercury and to consolidate future product investments into Lincoln. “Profitably growing Lincoln in North America is an important part of our One Ford plan,” said Mr Mulally. “Our Ford brand is gaining momentum and winning customers around the world. “Now, we are going to use the same laser focus to further strengthen Lincoln and deliver even more products luxury customers really want and value.” Ford claims that the continued strength of its own brand, particularly during the past three years, had accelerated the migration from Mercury to Ford “for many customers”. It said most Mercury sales were to fleet buyers and customers purchasing through employee, retiree and friends and family discounts, which it anticipates “can be satisfied by Ford brand vehicles”. Warranties and extended service plans for Mercury owners will be honoured, and run-out deals have already begun to shift cars from showrooms. Ford’s president of The Americas Mark Fields said the company was “100 per cent committed to supporting Mercury owners through Ford and Lincoln dealerships and working hard to keep them as valued customers in the future”. “At the same time, we will work closely with our dealers to phase out Mercury franchises and continue to build a healthy, growing Lincoln with strong new products and a profitable dealer network that delivers a world-class customer experience,” he said. “We are taking decisive action and moving into the future with the right plan to deliver profitable growth for all stakeholders. These moves position us to continue building momentum through strong brands, great products and an unwavering focus on the customer.” Mr Fields added that the time had come for the company to profitability grow the Lincoln brand as it had done with Ford. “The new Lincoln vehicles will transform luxury for North American premium customers through an unexpected blend of responsive driving enjoyment and warm, inviting comfort,” he said. “We will also offer our customers a world-class retail experience through a vibrant retail network.” Mercury was established in 1938 and its first model, the Mercury 8 – complete with a 95hp V8 engine – went into production that same year. It retailed for $US916 and Ford sold more than 65,000 of them in its first year. The height of Mercury’s success came in 1953 – three years after Ford had produced its millionth car under the brand – when it held a five per cent share of the US market. link: http://www.goauto.com.au/mellor/mellor.nsf/story2/3F5D6D5728A73B74CA25773800191A27

Very well written. I can tell you you hit the mark on all points. Import Brands: Toyota Subaru Lexus Scion Hynudai Kia Equus Honda Acura Mercedes Benz Smart Maybach BMW Rolls Royce Mini Nissan Infiniti Suzuki Jaguar Land Rover Volvo SAAB Mitsubishi ( how in the hell they are still here is beyond me and Mercury out sells them) Volkswagen Audi Bentley Porsche Maserati ( see them on Entourage all the time in in magazines) Fiat Alpha Romeo Aston Martin Lotus Morgan Lamborghini Ferarri Mazda Domestic Brands: Chrysler: Dodge or Chrysler or Jeep or Ram( truck brand) Ford: Ford or Lincoln GM: Chevrolet or Buick or Cadillac and GMC truck Then if you just list the car brands and remove the truck and suv brands: Dodge, Chrysler Ford, Lincoln Chevrolet, Buick, Cadillac If I listed each model for the import companies, they still would have more models. What is wrong with this picture? Where have we lost our way? Here is the thing.. GM and Ford are trying to convince people they can cover more market with fewer brands. Those brands themselves do not have many models for the most part. I mean really.. 1. Not everyone wants a Chevrolet or a Ford 2. Not everyone can afford Cadillac or Lincoln 3. Some do not like to display their wealth. 4. The Chevrolet and Ford showrooms are packed. How many more models are you going to put in these brands? 5. Lincoln and Cadillac do not yet have that luxury status they once had or even the right models yet. 6. Buick lives because of China. 7. Chrysler is not even a luxury brand. Where is Imperial when you need it? 8. Lincoln has more cars than it once had and sells fewer cars. Lincoln stores will struggle because they need volume. They see the short term fix and not the long term strategy. I will speak only for my self when I say this. When I was younger, I wanted a Chevrolet Caprice Classic. That was 1974-1976. I then grew into my Pontiac and Oldsmobile period. That segment offered me what I wanted and I needed: comfort, room, space, style, and luxury and a price that was right. A full loaded Chevrolet Impala LT still does not have half of the features I have on my Ninety Eight or Toronado. Why on earth would I want to go down market and look at Chevrolet again? I could buy Cadillac, but I do not because it is too flashy, and I do not want to draw attention to my income. Buick is now the near luxury import intender car. The biggest thing they have is La Crosse. Nothing offers a bench seat anymore. They are thinking about the bottom line. It is almost like they have conceded the market to the import companies. They created this problem because of marketing. Ford and Chevrolet and the high end luxury brands are creating the problem. The squeeze was put on the middle. It is reflection of the times we live in. We have become a nation of the working poor and the rich. They could easily put the mid market brands in a niche brands to reflect the current times. Oldsmobile would be at the Chevrolet dealerships selling luxury and Pontiac would be the performance brand at Buick GMC. Both would be all American brands without the import twist. Cadillac would be top of the line. They do not have to be in stand alone dealers. Ford could have done the same thing with Mercury They could have had Grand Marquis, Cougar, and Sable and a smaller car and called it a day. Imperial would be revived at Chrysler and then you would have 300 at Chrysler. Just my thoughts...