Bye Bye To The American V-8...

[Late BrakeU2]

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Ford had the luck of selling off its assets before things got bad. Now, they are in PR mode trying to tell us they're better because they didn't receive a loan, but I know Ford is as bad as any other company in Detroit.


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Luck, or foresight? When the dust settles they will be the only domestic left that didn't file BK and crawl to this admin with a cup in their hand. Maybe they had less arrogance than the other two,and actually released new products on time?

And now the UAW is pissed GM is planning to import cars from China- go figure

[442w30]

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Luck, or foresight? When the dust settles they will be the only domestic left that didn't file BK and crawl to this admin with a cup in their hand. Maybe they had less arrogance than the other two,and actually released new products on time?


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Luck.

Don't forget that it was just a few short years ago that Ford was in the weakest position of the Big 3. They have had a lot of problems in the decade as well, including:

- the Explorer tire debacle
- letting the equity of the Taurus sink, then introducing the 500 with no identity whatsoever
- letting Mercury and Lincoln become badge-engineered nothings
- not importing the second-generation Focus to America

Ford does not deserve my good graces any more than any other company in Detroit.

[Late BrakeU2]

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Luck.



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It is said that luck is when preparation meets opportunity, Ford had a chance to restructure it's debt before someone else did it for them(hint) In the end it only goes on the scoreboard one way though.

Guess it was just bad timing on GM's part?
http://finance.yahoo.com/q/bc?s=GM&t...mp;q=l&c=F

[70 copo]

Not so fast...



"What ended the first round of performance cars was insurance. The energy crisis merely followed".
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What about the governmental requirement to switch to unleded low octane fuel. Did you forget about that?? Way more to do with the death of performance than insurance.

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"Besides, your right to go fast is not a right at all. In fact, to tie liberty to a car is kinda funny - there are people in the world who can't say what they feel because of a totalitarian regime, and you think your freedom is being undermined? You have plenty of resources at your disposal to go fast despite your doom-and-gloom prognosis (which, by the way, hasn't been qualified yet)".

Perhaps in your world view -I have no right to go fast. Thanks for making your positions clear for all to see publicly right here! With this view (your view), the car collector could soon be a target of future "progressive legislation" without a doubt targeting muscle cars- (and needless to say, but I will anyway)... I disagree with you 100% on this opinion and most here would do the same

"I don't like CAFE and I don't like the new proposal. However, I try to call a spade a spade rather than get all bent out of shape over uncertainty. I try to look at the big picture and, when it comes down to Detroit, they have an antiquated business model with horrendous legacy costs and a poor product portfolio. The poor economy has reduced their liquidity although Ford had the luck of selling off its assets before things got bad. Now, they are in PR mode trying to tell us they're better because they didn't receive a loan, but I know Ford is as bad as any other company in Detroit"

But I asked you a simple question about the future of the V-8 where you could have been so proactive...

[70 copo]

Here is the far Green digest of all things automotive, and guess what they hate V8's and are signaling a dislike for the new Camaro... Imagine that.

Here: http://www.autobloggreen.com/2009/05...aro-success-w/

[442w30]

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What about the governmental requirement to switch to unleded low octane fuel. Did you forget about that?? Way more to do with the death of performance than insurance.

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Not really.

For all the hype about 1970, the trend against performance cars was already in place. Don't believe me? Look at sales for all performance cars compared with 1969. Certainly lowered compression by 1972 played a role, but performance was not hurt a much as people have said in the past (judging by the Pure Stock races, among other things).

Insurance was the death knell.


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Perhaps in your world view -I have no right to go fast. Thanks for making your positions clear for all to see publicly right here! With this view (your view), the car collector could soon be a target of future "progressive legislation" without a doubt targeting muscle cars- (and needless to say, but I will anyway)... I disagree with you 100% on this opinion and most here would do the same

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You sure about that? We all know the cliche about driving being a privilege, so how is "going fast" any different? And who says you can't modify your car to "go fast?"

Once again, nothing qualified. Show me some proof.

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But I asked you a simple question about the future of the V-8 where you could have been so proactive...

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CAFE is an aggregate item, so the V-8 won't disappear anytime soon.

[70 copo]

Again not so fast...

"Not really. for all the hype about 1970, the trend against performance cars was already in place. Don't believe me? Look at sales for all performance cars compared with 1969. Certainly lowered compression by 1972 played a role, but performance was not hurt a much as people have said in the past (judging by the Pure Stock races, among other things).

Insurance was the death knell."

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Please Dont make me Scan copies of my automobile performance Magazine collection from the early 1970's that point clearly to the advent of Emission controls and unleded Gas with the production effect of lowered compression ratios and loss of HP. Insurance was a gripe and hurt sales also but the government's own regulations strangled the life out of these cars. This is factual and in print over and over again from '71 forward.

The zenith was reached in late '74 for the 1975 models with the Catalytic converter which caused GM to decide to drop the Z/28. Not a darn thing to do with insurance rates as the cars were selling strong in 1974.

As to the remainder of your opinions - good for you!

[JoeG]

GM/Government Motors is a micro management corruption fiasco in the making......
Look,.....more stringent emission standards were enevitable, but I think it would have been wiser to see if GM could at least survive and produce a vehicle that the American people would buy before putting an added burden on the car companies with untimely overstrigent emission requirements..but I've afraid the boys from Brazil will just keep recklessly spending our money till they get it right...
I've would have liked to see the consumer decide whether or not he wanted to buy a government green car and get a income tax credit for his leap of fate..this way the money would benefit the individual family and not go back to the Obama's money program pit in Washington..
Maybe ,if GM does get back on its feet it can eventually get some private investors and buy out the government(if this administration will let them)---
Can't wait for the government color charts--Global warming gray---Ozone protection orange--Barack blue---Government green..Pelosi pink .. Recycle red.....Just my lousy $.02 against this Nationalization .............