Ford to Sell Volvo to Geely apparently
Discussion
Ahhh so! Svedish Tracktor.
Though saying that, the sale of Jaglear/Land-Rover to Tata hasn't hurt them (so far).
I thought that the original acquisition of Volvo by Ford would hurt the brand, but it hasn't and has led to a major improvement.
With the big American brands, like Ford and GM, pulling in their horns, they will soon only be left with there original unprofitable home-grown products that people seem to want less of. They should be closing down Detroit and finding their survival in the rest of the world. After all, this is a global market now.
Selling off the family silver is often not the best choice for the long term.
Though saying that, the sale of Jaglear/Land-Rover to Tata hasn't hurt them (so far).
I thought that the original acquisition of Volvo by Ford would hurt the brand, but it hasn't and has led to a major improvement.
With the big American brands, like Ford and GM, pulling in their horns, they will soon only be left with there original unprofitable home-grown products that people seem to want less of. They should be closing down Detroit and finding their survival in the rest of the world. After all, this is a global market now.
Selling off the family silver is often not the best choice for the long term.
thunderbelmont said:
Ahhh so! Svedish Tracktor.
Though saying that, the sale of Jaglear/Land-Rover to Tata hasn't hurt them (so far).
I thought that the original acquisition of Volvo by Ford would hurt the brand, but it hasn't and has led to a major improvement.
With the big American brands, like Ford and GM, pulling in their horns, they will soon only be left with there original unprofitable home-grown products that people seem to want less of. They should be closing down Detroit and finding their survival in the rest of the world. After all, this is a global market now.
Selling off the family silver is often not the best choice for the long term.
Agreed (mostly). So much for PAG eh? :-)Though saying that, the sale of Jaglear/Land-Rover to Tata hasn't hurt them (so far).
I thought that the original acquisition of Volvo by Ford would hurt the brand, but it hasn't and has led to a major improvement.
With the big American brands, like Ford and GM, pulling in their horns, they will soon only be left with there original unprofitable home-grown products that people seem to want less of. They should be closing down Detroit and finding their survival in the rest of the world. After all, this is a global market now.
Selling off the family silver is often not the best choice for the long term.
Volvo is about the only thing Ford didn't cock up spectacularly and they've turned it into a viable brand now. And they want to sell it??? Madness.
The trouble with Ford itself is that it's a bit of a nothing brand now, along with Vauxhall, Toyota, Nissan etc. The Koreans and Malaysians are closing in, offering very good cars with excellent reliability, credible dynamics (well, good enough for the target market) with looooong warranties and all for £3 and a button. I don't see where Ford will be in 10 years time.
Now Renault have identified that the market for small, fuel efficient go faster hatches is one worth chasing and they're doing well at it and they have a good image with the Kids. Ford just don't - they've become a bit of a fuddy brand now.
Rather than keeping Volvo and expanding it to rival Audi in sales, Ford are flogging it to the very country that will really f*ck them over in years to come.
Find that to be a load of crap about Renault. They dont seem to be increasing in market share at all.
As for Ford you forget they also own Mazda that has been having a much larger increase on the market share in Europe, a lot in the UK in recent years. Ford do continue to sell cars in Europe although have lost sales more to BMW/Mercedes/Audi over the years, mainly with the 3 series/C class/A4 hampering Mondeo sales and A3/1 series biting into Focus sales.
I can still see Ford here in 10 years time. Fords problem was they took too long to introduce smaller fuel effient cars in the North American markets, which is why they are now bring the new Fiesta to the US. Many of the core EU Fords should have been sold in the US years ago. The korean brands continue to lack image, dont matter how much warranty you put on top of them I dont want them. I would rather a Jap brand which has image and quality to go with it.
Volvo is about the only thing Ford didn't cock up spectacularly and they've turned it into a viable brand now. And they want to sell it??? Madness.
The trouble with Ford itself is that it's a bit of a nothing brand now, along with Vauxhall, Toyota, Nissan etc. The Koreans and Malaysians are closing in, offering very good cars with excellent reliability, credible dynamics (well, good enough for the target market) with looooong warranties and all for £3 and a button. I don't see where Ford will be in 10 years time.
Now Renault have identified that the market for small, fuel efficient go faster hatches is one worth chasing and they're doing well at it and they have a good image with the Kids. Ford just don't - they've become a bit of a fuddy brand now.
Rather than keeping Volvo and expanding it to rival Audi in sales, Ford are flogging it to the very country that will really f*ck them over in years to come.
As for Ford you forget they also own Mazda that has been having a much larger increase on the market share in Europe, a lot in the UK in recent years. Ford do continue to sell cars in Europe although have lost sales more to BMW/Mercedes/Audi over the years, mainly with the 3 series/C class/A4 hampering Mondeo sales and A3/1 series biting into Focus sales.
I can still see Ford here in 10 years time. Fords problem was they took too long to introduce smaller fuel effient cars in the North American markets, which is why they are now bring the new Fiesta to the US. Many of the core EU Fords should have been sold in the US years ago. The korean brands continue to lack image, dont matter how much warranty you put on top of them I dont want them. I would rather a Jap brand which has image and quality to go with it.
Victor101 said:
thunderbelmont said:
Ahhh so! Svedish Tracktor.
Though saying that, the sale of Jaglear/Land-Rover to Tata hasn't hurt them (so far).
I thought that the original acquisition of Volvo by Ford would hurt the brand, but it hasn't and has led to a major improvement.
With the big American brands, like Ford and GM, pulling in their horns, they will soon only be left with there original unprofitable home-grown products that people seem to want less of. They should be closing down Detroit and finding their survival in the rest of the world. After all, this is a global market now.
Selling off the family silver is often not the best choice for the long term.
Agreed (mostly). So much for PAG eh? :-)Though saying that, the sale of Jaglear/Land-Rover to Tata hasn't hurt them (so far).
I thought that the original acquisition of Volvo by Ford would hurt the brand, but it hasn't and has led to a major improvement.
With the big American brands, like Ford and GM, pulling in their horns, they will soon only be left with there original unprofitable home-grown products that people seem to want less of. They should be closing down Detroit and finding their survival in the rest of the world. After all, this is a global market now.
Selling off the family silver is often not the best choice for the long term.
Volvo is about the only thing Ford didn't cock up spectacularly and they've turned it into a viable brand now. And they want to sell it??? Madness.
The trouble with Ford itself is that it's a bit of a nothing brand now, along with Vauxhall, Toyota, Nissan etc. The Koreans and Malaysians are closing in, offering very good cars with excellent reliability, credible dynamics (well, good enough for the target market) with looooong warranties and all for £3 and a button. I don't see where Ford will be in 10 years time.
Now Renault have identified that the market for small, fuel efficient go faster hatches is one worth chasing and they're doing well at it and they have a good image with the Kids. Ford just don't - they've become a bit of a fuddy brand now.
Rather than keeping Volvo and expanding it to rival Audi in sales, Ford are flogging it to the very country that will really f*ck them over in years to come.
If you take fleet sales out of the equation, Renpig are indeed doing rather well at attracting the "chique" buyer. Ford's private buyers are the Focus ST types, and a few died in the wool Cortina/Sierra/Mondeo men.
Beemer is doing very well in the fleet market now as leasing wise, they are not far away from Ford in terms of £/month - and the lease companies like them because of the improved residuals compared to the run-of-the-mill Ford/GM/Toyota stuff - which to them are disposable assets after a 3 year lease term.
The private Beemer buyer is generally the M or Z buyer (new) or anything else ex-lease.
Volvo still has the "Golden Retriever in the back" stigma with it, even though a V70 T5 will embarrass an Escort Cosworth, and many other "superior" machines (especially when given the plod spec treatment of a little more boost, bigger stoppers, and uprated suspenders), and still have room in the back for the hound (with it's face stuck firmly against the heated rear window)
That said, it's residual value for the V70, which is the same floorpan as the Mondeo, is much much better, because it doesn't have a Ford badge on it.
Volvo's core sales are again, fleet (both Govt [police/ambulance] and private), but they have a hell of a lot of "middle class" private buyers.
So, with Ford looking to flog off the family silver to bail out their in-house operations, yes, Volvo is an ideal candidate for the fire-sale.
Bottom line is that in about 10 years, if Ford (USA) don't pull up their socks, they will be a bit of motoring history.
If I were them, I wouldn't be selling the family silver, I'd be using it to help keep the company as a whole afloat.
Their only hope in the 'States was for a Ford to win the NASCAR series this year, that would boost sales, but it's going to be a Chevy again, and most likely Jimmie Johnson again.
Beemer is doing very well in the fleet market now as leasing wise, they are not far away from Ford in terms of £/month - and the lease companies like them because of the improved residuals compared to the run-of-the-mill Ford/GM/Toyota stuff - which to them are disposable assets after a 3 year lease term.
The private Beemer buyer is generally the M or Z buyer (new) or anything else ex-lease.
Volvo still has the "Golden Retriever in the back" stigma with it, even though a V70 T5 will embarrass an Escort Cosworth, and many other "superior" machines (especially when given the plod spec treatment of a little more boost, bigger stoppers, and uprated suspenders), and still have room in the back for the hound (with it's face stuck firmly against the heated rear window)
That said, it's residual value for the V70, which is the same floorpan as the Mondeo, is much much better, because it doesn't have a Ford badge on it.
Volvo's core sales are again, fleet (both Govt [police/ambulance] and private), but they have a hell of a lot of "middle class" private buyers.
So, with Ford looking to flog off the family silver to bail out their in-house operations, yes, Volvo is an ideal candidate for the fire-sale.
Bottom line is that in about 10 years, if Ford (USA) don't pull up their socks, they will be a bit of motoring history.
If I were them, I wouldn't be selling the family silver, I'd be using it to help keep the company as a whole afloat.
Their only hope in the 'States was for a Ford to win the NASCAR series this year, that would boost sales, but it's going to be a Chevy again, and most likely Jimmie Johnson again.
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