# No more Ford **URL:** \ **Category:** General Discussion\ **Created:** [September 15, 2016, 8:36pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/no-more-ford/95681 "2016-09-15T20:36:55Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![VDCdriver](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/vdcdriver/32/48514_2.png) [@VDCdriver](https://community.cartalk.com/u/VDCdriver)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2016, 2:48pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/no-more-ford/95681/61 "2016-09-20T14:48:00Z")
> [@Mustangman](#): > > Sell one small car for little profit and then you get to sell one big pickup truck for a big profit. That is true, but it is also true that all carmakers need to sell their small cars for reasonable prices–even if it leaves little or no profit margin–in order to get younger drivers to buy them. Many studies over the years have shown that if a young car owner really likes his/her first new car, he/she is more likely to be a loyal buyer of that brand in the future. And, as their income grows over the years, then those buyers will be more likely to buy that carmaker’s more expensive models, all of which have a significant profit margin. ---
**Author:** ![MikeInNH](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a587f6/32.png) [@MikeInNH](https://community.cartalk.com/u/MikeInNH)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2016, 3:12pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/no-more-ford/95681/62 "2016-09-20T15:12:18Z")
It’s amazing how Toyota , Nissan and Honda became the monster companies they are with nothing but small cars. Obviously you can make a profit selling small cars But it’s harder - and very easy to start depending on the larger vehicles for profit. ---
**Author:** ![Docnick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ecae2f/32.png) [@Docnick](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Docnick)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2016, 3:26pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/no-more-ford/95681/63 "2016-09-20T15:26:15Z")
Mercedes owns Smart Car and will push those to meet the Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) standards since most of their vehicles are higher powered and are not economy cars… Agree with Mike that Japanese and Korean companies make excellent small cars at a profit. It’s just more difficult and really requires world class management and engineering to achieve. ---
**Author:** ![bing](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/bing/32/4619_2.png) [@bing](https://community.cartalk.com/u/bing)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2016, 3:49pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/no-more-ford/95681/64 "2016-09-20T15:49:29Z")
So we agree that its the CAFE standards from DC that are causing a production change that otherwise would not happen? ---
**Author:** ![texases](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/texases/32/862_2.png) [@texases](https://community.cartalk.com/u/texases)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2016, 4:05pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/no-more-ford/95681/65 "2016-09-20T16:05:05Z")
Absolutely. ---
**Author:** ![Whitey](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/whitey/32/24680_2.png) [@Whitey](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Whitey)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2016, 4:27pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/no-more-ford/95681/66 "2016-09-20T16:27:02Z")
> [@MikeInNH](#): > > It’s amazing how Toyota , Nissan and Honda became the monster companies they are with nothing but small cars. Obviously you can make a profit selling small cars But it’s harder - and very easy to start depending on the larger vehicles for profit. Have you noticed even Toyota, Nissan, and Honda have added large profitable vehicles to their lineups? Honda has the Ridgeline, Nissan has the Titan, and Toyota has several vehicles that would qualify as large profit-makers. ---
**Author:** ![Whitey](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/whitey/32/24680_2.png) [@Whitey](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Whitey)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2016, 4:28pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/no-more-ford/95681/67 "2016-09-20T16:28:18Z")
> [@bing](#): > > So we agree that its the CAFE standards from DC that are causing a production change that otherwise would not happen? It’s certainly a factor, but auto production doesn’t happen in a vacuum. Factories and corporations interact with many aspects of their environment. The regulatory environment is just one factor in the decision. ---
**Author:** ![MikeInNH](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a587f6/32.png) [@MikeInNH](https://community.cartalk.com/u/MikeInNH)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2016, 6:08pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/no-more-ford/95681/68 "2016-09-20T18:08:39Z")
> [@Whitey](#): > > Have you noticed even Toyota, Nissan, and Honda have added large profitable vehicles to their lineups But their bread and butter are still mid to small size vehicles ---
**Author:** ![texases](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/texases/32/862_2.png) [@texases](https://community.cartalk.com/u/texases)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2016, 6:20pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/no-more-ford/95681/69 "2016-09-20T18:20:29Z")
Toyota, Honda, and Nissan now sell more trucks/SUVs/CUVs than they do cars (last month, getting about even for the year): [http://online.wsj.com/mdc/public/page/2\_3022-autosales.html](http://online.wsj.com/mdc/public/page/2_3022-autosales.html) ---
**Author:** ![Whitey](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/whitey/32/24680_2.png) [@Whitey](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Whitey)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2016, 6:23pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/no-more-ford/95681/70 "2016-09-20T18:23:11Z")
…and in addition, even their small and midsize models have gotten larger over the years. What I would call a small economy two- or three-door hatchback has become a lot harder to find. ---
**Author:** ![VOLVO-V70](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/8e8cbc/32.png) [@VOLVO-V70](https://community.cartalk.com/u/VOLVO-V70)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2016, 6:26pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/no-more-ford/95681/71 "2016-09-20T18:26:31Z")
I doubt if enough Smart cars are being sold to have much effect on anything. ---
**Author:** ![Mustangman](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/mustangman/32/44130_2.png) [@Mustangman](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Mustangman)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2016, 6:27pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/no-more-ford/95681/72 "2016-09-20T18:27:31Z")
I agree with you. I was pointing out that manufacturers can’t just raise the price so these cars at least break even. Yes, you must have an entry level car, even if you don’t make much on it. That said, I don’t think the “I bought my first car from X so I’ll always buy X” really works anymore. Younger buyers are far less brand loyal that baby boomers or boomers parents. That first car can sure make a BAD impression, though. “My X was always in the shop so I won’t EVER buy an X again, and I’ll tell all my friends on FB” Social media can tank a car maker’s reputaion very, very quickly. ---
**Author:** ![Mustangman](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/mustangman/32/44130_2.png) [@Mustangman](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Mustangman)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2016, 6:29pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/no-more-ford/95681/73 "2016-09-20T18:29:19Z")
Toyota has Lexus, Honda had Acura, Nissan has Infinity and now Hyundai has Genesis. ---
**Author:** ![VDCdriver](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/vdcdriver/32/48514_2.png) [@VDCdriver](https://community.cartalk.com/u/VDCdriver)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2016, 7:23pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/no-more-ford/95681/74 "2016-09-20T19:23:54Z")
> [@Mustangman](#): > > Toyota has Lexus, Honda had Acura, Nissan has Infinity and now Hyundai has Genesis. …and Mazda “had” Amati, until they pulled the plug at the last minute. The Mazda Millenia (how can one car have a plural name??) was originally supposed to be the first model from Mazda’s luxury level marque, Amati. ---
**Author:** ![VOLVO-V70](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/8e8cbc/32.png) [@VOLVO-V70](https://community.cartalk.com/u/VOLVO-V70)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2016, 7:35pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/no-more-ford/95681/75 "2016-09-20T19:35:41Z")
VDC-Just curious, could you mean the short lived Kia Amanti ? Which by the way was a really nice reasonably priced vehicle. ---
**Author:** ![texases](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/texases/32/862_2.png) [@texases](https://community.cartalk.com/u/texases)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2016, 7:57pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/no-more-ford/95681/76 "2016-09-20T19:57:47Z")
Nope, Mazda was going to have a separate line called ‘Amati’. I had forgotten about that… ---
**Author:** ![TwinTurbo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8baadc/32.png) [@TwinTurbo](https://community.cartalk.com/u/TwinTurbo)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2016, 8:35pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/no-more-ford/95681/77 "2016-09-20T20:35:40Z")
And most make trucks which is where significant profit can be had… ---
**Author:** ![MikeInNH](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a587f6/32.png) [@MikeInNH](https://community.cartalk.com/u/MikeInNH)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2016, 8:36pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/no-more-ford/95681/78 "2016-09-20T20:36:13Z")
Small to mid size vehicles sell extremely in South America. Obviously Cafe numbers have nothing to do with those sales. They wouldn’t be in those markets if they weren’t making money. ---
**Author:** ![bing](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/bing/32/4619_2.png) [@bing](https://community.cartalk.com/u/bing)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2016, 8:58pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/no-more-ford/95681/79 "2016-09-20T20:58:14Z")
Ahem, sales in South America though have nothing to do with meeting the US fleet CAFE standards. Sure small cars sell well in other places but in the US its another matter. We have thousands of miles of open Interstate and they are well traveled. Not very comfortable in a buzz box. ---
**Author:** ![VDCdriver](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/vdcdriver/32/48514_2.png) [@VDCdriver](https://community.cartalk.com/u/VDCdriver)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2016, 8:59pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/no-more-ford/95681/80 "2016-09-20T20:59:36Z")
> [@VOLVO\_V70](#): > > could you mean the short lived Kia Amanti ? Long ago, I gave up on the thought that most other people had as good a memory as I do, but I must have temporarily ignored that reality… 😉 > **[Mazda Puts Brakes on Amati : The Car Maker Cancels Plans to Launch a Luxury...](https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1992-10-27-fi-807-story.html)** > > Bowing to economic pressure, Mazda Motors of America said Monday that it is canceling plans to launch its Amati luxury car division in the United States. …and… > **[Mazda Millenia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mazda_Millenia)** > > The Mazda Millenia is an automobile which was manufactured by Mazda in Japan from 1993 to 2002. > The Millenia was originally planned as the second of three models for Mazda's proposed luxury brand Amati. As the company's dwindling finances caused by the onslaught of the "bubble economy" prevented the launch of the Amati brand, the Millenia was released in the autumn of 1993 in Europe as the Mazda Xedos 9 and in Japan and Australia as the Eunos 800. The car was launched in North America in 1995 as... [Previous page](https://community.cartalk.com/t/no-more-ford/95681.md?page=3) [Next page](https://community.cartalk.com/t/no-more-ford/95681.md?page=5)