Ford Posts Worst Loss in Its History

[Bluerauder]

http://www.comcast.net/news/index.jsp?cat=GENERAL&fn=/2007/01/25/570659.html

"Ford Posts Worst Loss in Its History
By TOM KRISHER, AP Business Writer
3 hours ago

DEARBORN, Mich. - Ford Motor Co. lost $5.8 billion in the fourth quarter amid slumping sales and huge restructuring costs, pushing the automaker's deficit for the year to $12.7 billion, the largest in its 103-year history.

The annual loss reported Thursday surpassed its previous record for a year of $7.39 billion set in 1992. The 2006 loss amounted to of $6.79 per share versus a profit of $1.44 billion, or 77 cents a share, in 2005.

It was far from the largest quarterly or annual corporate loss on record _ the company now known as Time Warner Inc. reported a $97.2 billion loss in 2002, largely due to new accounting rules about how to value assets. Ford could not rely on accounting rules, however, for its staggering total, which represented a loss of $4,380 on each car or truck they sold in 2006. ......."

[Mike Poore]

Charlie, do you remember the flowers on the roof when we visited the plant?
When the corporate goal is to satisfy personal family agendas, rather than manufacturing products consumers want, how can any other outcome be expected?

I still recall the story we heard at that Sunday breakfast, about Elana breezing into the meeting and saying: "Add $5,000" (to the Marauder's price). Elana Ford killed the Marauder project just as surely as Ford Motor Division is going to go bankrupt.

[LVMarauder]

I hate ford, becuase of said reasons, not making cars we want. This is what happens when accountants and not marketing directors run the show. The best way to be in the black is to give the people what they want. Looks like ford might lose everything since they put all material and intellectual assets up to secure that 15 billions dollar loan.

[SID210SA]

So if Ford goes bankrupt....does that mean I dont have to pay for my car anymore????:lol:
Just being facecious...

[JonW]

I've said it a million times: You have to be a car guy to run a car company (or a car gal, but they're even rarer than car guys). Ford has continued to sit on their butt and not build products the consumer will buy. Between the union and their total lack of product and marketing savvy, they're at such a competitive disadvantage that they only way they can move product is by price. GM finally figured this out and is poised to make a turnaround with some fresh products. They made some missteps earlier, but I believe they're about to get the hang of it again. Not Ford. Chrysler and Dodge have done well up until lately with their LX cars (Magnum, 300, Charger) and have almost single-handedly reinvented the musclecar. They've had some struggles lately, but at least they keep bringing out new product. Not Ford.

Bill Ford may be a fine man, but he's not a car guy. Never has been, never will be. He doesn't have the passion of a DeLorean or a Gale or a Lutz. I'm not sure Mulally will be any better in that respect. There's an old maxim in the car business: Product is King. Build a product the public will buy and everything else will fall into place. Honda and Toyota figured that out a long time ago.

[Bluerauder]

I still recall the story we heard at that Sunday breakfast, about Elena breezing into the meeting and saying: "Add $5,000" (to the Marauder's price).
Yeah, that was a quote that stuck with me as well. Interestingly enough, it was that extra $5,000 on the MSRP that delayed my purchase of a Marauder for more than a year. Mentally I just couldn't get past a $29,995 figure. ;) At the original sticker price of $35,385, I wasn't quite ready to jump into sale. :o

[Motorhead350]

This is why I am an old schooler... for the most part. New stuff is crap to me, ugly, slow, boring. Most cars now look like potatos. They all look alike espcially from 50 feet away. Not just Ford, but from all over the world. Another reason to wish I was born a lot earlier.

[Mach1]

Even though the losses are huge, they weren't unexpected. Most of it was due to one time costs of shutting down plants and employee buyouts.

[Joe Walsh]

As someone once joked in an older thread....

Last year FORD lost $4,300+ dollars on EVERY vehicle that they sold!!:eek:....SO I'm doing my best to help FORD stop losing money by NOT buying a FORD!

FORD is finding out the hard way that if you don't build cars that get people excited about buying them, then guess what? ....You don't sell many cars!

FORD 500....:sleepy:
FORD Fusion...:sleepy:
FORD Focus...:sleepy:

Another thing that annoys me about FORD is that they don't have any continuity in their products...What I mean by that is that for many, many years;
Honda has always had the Accord,
Toyota has always had the Camry,
Nissan has had the Maxima...
FORD had the best selling Taurus, and though it needed a re-design, they just dropped the name...HUH?
I am a dyed-in-the-(blue)-wool FORD fan, yet I can't name most of the newer FORD & Lincoln Mercury product offerings.
And POOR Lincoln Mercury...Put a bullet in their heads and end the prolonged misery!!! FORD has killed these divisions!
Lame engines, UGLY styling and No exciting products...except for one REALLY nice car that they overpriced and only made for 2 years.
I would NOT consider a new Lincoln for even 1 second!
I would go buy a new Cadillac 'V' series!

Oh Well, I've been threatening to sell my FORD stock for some time but I just couldn't stomach the capital losses I would incur due to the abyssmally low stock price.
I think that it is time to dump it, take a big loss, and move on.
I really don't see FORD turning things around any time soon.
Even if FORD did decide to come out with a bunch of new, exciting vehicles (very wishful thinking)..it will take years to complete the designs and get them in the showrooms.
FORD's recent 'Bet the Farm' finance deal won't keep them in cash long enough for someone to turn them around.

BYE BYE FORD!

I'll keep my existing collection of FORDS and continue to enjoy the fun products that FORD once made.





:soap: :cheesed:
Rant finished, back to my coffee!

[wildman649]

This is why I am an old schooler... for the most part. New stuff is crap to me, ugly, slow, boring. Most cars now look like potatos. They all look alike espcially from 50 feet away. Not just Ford, but from all over the world. Another reason to wish I was born a lot earlier.
Praise the lord , thats how iIfeel.

[Motorhead350]

Just so you know Joe the Ford Focus is the best selling car in world. It's only been here for a few years, but it's been in Europe for close to 15.

[Raudermaster]

Ford just needs to make a balls to the wall, affordable Mustang, or invent some new age muscle. Go all out, put a tt setup in, make it a manual only with NO auto available, something!

[JimmyXR7]

Quote Another thing that anoys me about FORD is that they don't have any continuity in their products...What I mean by that is that for many, many years; Honda has always had the Accord, Toyota has always had the Camry, Nissan has had the Maxima... FORD had the best selling Taurus, and though it needed a re-design, they just dropped the name...HUH? I am a dyed-in-the-(blue)-wool FORD fan, yet I can't name most of the newer FORD & Lincoln Mercury product offerings.

I think you hit the nail on the head. No product recognition. I also do not know what Ford-LM have to offer. I also follow motorcycles, football, some racing, computers, games, in addition to home activities including grand children and care for parents besides work and do not have time to follow every vehicle product being introduced.


I feel the recent Ford product offerings have been a flash in the pan. The Ford GT should have continued manufacture to bolster the Ford Performance image as Dodge has continued with the Viper. The new products are a good idea but name recognition takes some time for the general population to absorb. The Mustang, Cougar, Camaro, and Firebird developed name recognition. Besides the current Mustang and some of the Dodge and Chrysler vehicles, many of the modern cars look similar.

The Marauder should have been continued as it was sharing many parts with the Crown Vic and the Grand Marquis which should have kept the cost down. Since a Marauder model variant was discontinued, indicates to me Ford has major problems. Example, a 1969 mustang you could order with various engines, a 302, 351, 428 CJ depending if you needed to tow a trailer or were a performance enthusiast. What does modern cars such as a Grand Marquis offer? Nothing. That is what made the Marauder different. Did it justify a 50% price mark-up? 10,000+ sold. Jim

[Mike Poore]

I went looking for an Edge at the Auto Show on Saturday, and, after asking, found it over near the trucks. After seeing those crazy ads with the thing suspended, on two wheels, high above the street, driven by 20's something hip citizens, I figured marketing was aimed at this segment; until seeing the sticker price.
Thinking the mid 20's and something a little upscale from the Focus, I almost had an MI when the sticker shouted nearly $35,000. Yep, your eyes do not deceive ....THIRTY FIVE THOUSAND f'n DOLLARS! I think base, without options was $32K. That's crazy, just crazy ....
Now ....do any of you have doubts where this company is headed? :banned:

The other shock was the Chrysler Sebring. You know, that slick little convertible, chick car? Well, now, it's a 4dr turd, and although they were showing a 2dr drop top, that may make production sometime in the future, don't hold your breath. :rolleyes:

[Joe Walsh]

I went looking for an Edge at the Auto Show on Saturday, and, after asking, found it over near the trucks. After seeing those crazy ads with the thing suspended, on two wheels, high above the street, driven by 20's something hip citizens, I figured marketing was aimed at this segment; until seeing the sticker price.
Thinking the mid 20's and something a little upscale from the Focus, I almost had an MI when the sticker shouted nearly $35,000. Yep, your eyes do not deceive ....THIRTY FIVE THOUSAND f'n DOLLARS! I think base, without options was $32K. That's crazy, just crazy ....
Now ....do any of you have doubts where this company is headed? :banned:




Mike, I saw an 'EDGE' out in front of Apple Ford in Columbia, Md. yesterday....

It looks like a Chrysler Pacifica with a huge chrome grille!:puke:

When is Ford going to give up on this HUGE chrome grille styling abortion?
I think that it looks good on the Trucks...but that's where it belongs...ON A TRUCK!
BTW: I also noticed that now Ford has copied Audi's styling miscue on their mid-sized trucks....with the "Let's extend the grille down through the front bumper!!" treatment.

:puke: .....:nono: .......:eek: .........:down: ..........:puke: ......:puke:

[Motorhead350]

Old school rules.