Wise Words on Foolish Ford Moves

Filed in archive on May 26, 2006

We old guys tend to become jaundiced though I'm trying to avoid it. I'm having too much fun to waste time bitchin'. Jerry Flint qualifies, however, and has just written a major rant about Ford's products, specifically the company's habit of killing off car names. In the last six years Ford has eliminated thirteen vehicles, including several that could have been successful if Ford had shown conviction and made the needed improvements. Flint writes in "theCarConnection" "...we're talking about killing hundreds of millions of dollars of investment, in tools and dies and brand identity." He suggests that at least four more are on the soon-to-die list and says "cars and trucks, even the successful ones, do run into problems and most automakers correct the problems. At Ford when there's a problem they seem to quit, give up, and kill the car. What is strange is that this is a company that really knew marketing and how to sell, and had great dealers, too. Somehow the men who knew how to sell were driven from the company. Those left just don't seem to have the knack."