No doubt!

Just think about these for a moment.

1. General Motors will soon offer cars from all over the world to just about all over the world. You'll be able to buy both european Opels as part of the GM lineup as well as Australian Holdens. Meanwhile, various places in the world will be able to buy not just US made 4 cylinder sports cars and V8 4 passenger coupes, but other US made cars as well.

2. Chrysler already is selling just about their entire line (save trucks & the former Sebring) in europe and Australia..... and is doing pretty well.

Ford prided itself as a global company as late as 6 years ago (with the help of the Focus). Looking at Ford and the attitude that got them to where they are today, and their seeming refusal to even consider expanding their foreign engineered cars here or to other markets you'd hardly know it.

 

Bump: Ford U.S. mulls importing European models.

Models currently being considered include the Euro Focus, the all-new Mondeo, and the S-Max and Galaxy people movers

http://www.leftlanenews.com/2006/12/...ropean-models/

 

I can tell you now that Mondeo CANNOT come to the US as another offering beside the Fusion and FiveHundred. One of the three would have to go because they are competing for the same demi.

If I had to choose today, I'd probably take the Mondeo over the FiveHundred, and keep the Fusion. If Ford will simply bring the interior from the Mondeo and spruce-up the FiveHundred, I might go the other way.
The Mondeo has a stellar reputation here in the UK, and is though of highly... it is definitely NOT a de-contented, stripper, el-cheapo sedan. They sell well too... it's probably the best-selling 4-door sedan around. It was actually the Ford Contour we knew in the states a few years back, but cheapened a bit to suit the American market (duh.).




Focus ROCKS over here. 2nd to none. Truely an incredible car. The one I just had actually made me wonder why Ford doesn't try to create some kind of specialty "super-luxo-econo" car with it. If they'd put some fine leather, genuine wood in a few places, and choose some better synthetics for door panels and dash surfaces, they could really have an incredible package that would fetch premiums. Over here, people are starting to sort of "hate" cars, not really going after the BMW's and Mercedes luxury cars like they were 10 years ago, and they are not such status symbols anymore either. It's now "pasche" (or "in" or "cool") for you to take mass-transit or be as eco-friendly as possible - even wealthier folks. So you see lots more people getting eco-friendly, small, economical cars - nice ones too. That's what makes me think there is actually a future for an "econo-luxury" car, and Focus would nail it over here.




I'd also like to see Ford consider the Fiesta for the US. It would be a dead-competitor for the Aveo and the likes. It's a ringer for a smaller Focus, and I think it would sell like crazy in urban areas and around all the big cities as commuters.



Galaxy is a minivan - plain and simple, but it does have the benefit of the latest European interior, and the design is good IMO.


And here's the new SMax, which I think will displace the Galaxy in the next few years. It simply looks more modern.



Not hard to see that Europe has LOTS more to gloat about than the US offerings, is it? We won't even BEGIN to talk about Australia's offerings...

 

How about Give it to Mercury and have Mercury dump there 500 clone.

Ford = Fusion and FiveHundred
Merc = Mondeo

That solves two problems. #1 where the Mondeo fit into the US line up and #2 how do you give Mercury product of its own for little cost.

 

Actually not a bad thought! It's already "upscale" of what people in the US think Ford is about, which makes it a good fit for a Mercury (dressed-up Ford).

I'll give you an "attaboy" for that one!

 

Awesome idea! Makes alot of sense!

Probally a good reason why Ford North America will resist it.

 

Doh!!!

 

Thoughts:

1. Euro Focus: I don't see this unless Ford brings over the hot model. Ford already has the restyled 2008 Focus done.

2. Mondeo: a MUST HAVE here in the US. I agree 100% that it shouldn't come at the expense of the Fusion (fat chance) and that the Five Hundred, as bland as it is, has also finished it's redesign, and it's going nowhere. But while I've seen plenty of Fusions & Zephyrs, I've seen nest to no Mercury Milans. Since it's a decorated Fusion to begin with, the all new Mondeo would be a godsend for Mercury. Short of crash testing, there's nothing Ford would have to do to get it here besides up production.

3. Galaxy: Another must have vehicle. Ford North America seems not able to design their way out of a paper bag on mini vans, but the Euro-Galaxy looks modern, and seems to be a far superior choice. The only question is if it can get a 5 star crash rating. Seemingly a must-have on kid-carrying minivans here.

4. With Ford losing 50% of it's factory workforce, there should be no issue or concern about the UAW or CAW thinking jobs were exported by bringing these cars over. This should also clear the way for a Falcon.... though I'm not holding my breath,

Overall, I'd say if Ford's new CEO Alan Mulally and Ford's North American product czar, Mark Fields are the forces behind this, and that they have the power to steamroll over opposition, Ford's strongpoing used to be a rapid approval process so it's possible we'd see these cars here if it was decided. Ford also demonstrated in the 1980s an ability to think outside of the box and use horsepower and new risky designs to bring itself out of trouble.

However, Ford North America has an entrenched NIH mentality that far exceeds what GM had a few years ago. Ford Europe is almost an entirely separate and independent entity. Ford of Australia has been till recently all but forgotten. Ford believes to this very day that everything has to be watered down (right down to design) for the US population.

I think what Ford does the next 12 months decides if it will still be an independent company in 4 years. Wasting no time debating and studying the idea of bringing overseas Fords here will be a huge step IMO.

 

How could Ford resist the awesome alliteration??

 

Good post.

Sure, they're roughly the same size, but the Mondeo will probably be in a much higher price class and marketed as a euro sports sedan. If they aren't planning on selling huge volumes, they could probably get away with it.

I don't think Mercury would work however -- too much of an old woman's brand. Maybe Lincoln though... (Or Merkur )

 

Honestly Guy, I'd not waste the effort to get the Galaxy here as-is. It would be a GREAT competitor to the current Nissan Quest, but by the time they got it here (18mos, 2 yrs?), it will be behind.

The SMax is the way to go.







Definitely mo' better.

 

Definately!

You sold me.