| Click to Post a New Message!
Page [ 1 ] |
|
|
|
New Ford Ranger but no diesel for the US
After ~30 years of selling the same basic Ranger pickup Ford is supposed to be coming out with a new one in the next year or two. Although a diesel version will be available in other countries, Ford thinks there is no market in the US for compact diesel pickups. Argh. If the new Mahindra looks well made and drives well I'll probably trade the Tacoma in on one of those.
Anyone else think Ford is nuts?
|
|
 Add Photo
Bookmarks: |
|
| |
|
New Ford Ranger but no diesel for the US
Don't know if they are nuts but they are the only one who remained solvent.
|
|
Add Photo
Bookmarks: |
|
| |
|
New Ford Ranger but no diesel for the US
|
Quote:
|
Don't know if they are nuts but they are the only one who remained solvent.
|
|
True, but from an (over) regulatory perspective it seems that it would be a help to meet their CAFE requirements. On the truck boards a whole bunch of people are wanting small trucks with much better mileage. If the Mahindra is a decent truck my guess is that they will fill a significant market niche.
|
|
Add Photo
Bookmarks: |
|
| |
|
New Ford Ranger but no diesel for the US
Before 1999 (I think), diesel was cheaper than gas, so big-rig truckers were willing to pay the premium for a diesel engine that would rarely get cold. It was virtually impossible to buy a gas-engined trailer-tractor. That appeal started to spill over to the consumer market.
Now with the severe (some would say excessive) limit on sulphur in the fuel (costly to extract, making diesel around the same price as gas -- and not quite as good for the engine), and with diesel rigs being driven less (due to rest-period regulations as well as the economy), the break-even point (not in fuel savings any more, but in lower maintenance and replacement costs) is too remote for the extra engine cost, and new diesels are giving way to new gas ones.
Ford is not the only maker concerned about the current decreased appeal of diesel engines in North America. However, the weakening sales of diesel engines are now lowering the demand and therefore the relative cost of diesel fuel, so the pendulum may be swinging back.
|
|
Add Photo
Bookmarks: |
|
| |
|
New Ford Ranger but no diesel for the US
auerbach, what you say is true but I think the automakers are underestimating consumer sentiment toward diesels. Take VW for instance. Some 60% of their Jetta sales are diesels and last year, when no TDI was available, Jetta sales fell off quite a bit.
|
|
Add Photo
Bookmarks: |
|
| |
|
New Ford Ranger but no diesel for the US
Ken, I think the key isn't to look at the market, but rather the buyers in that market.
For instance, VW Jetta buyers probably aren't interested in a small pickup, they have kids, dogs, luggage, etc. that is incompatible with a Ranger.
I'm pretty sure if there was a market for a diesel, you'd see it on showroom floors pronto! Remember, Ford has been the absolute p/u sales leader for a long time now. They didn't get there by not providing what people want.
Besides, as has been mentioned, the overly stringent emmissions requirements mean they would have to spend a lot of $$$ to sell the truck here anyways.
Best of luck.
|
|
Add Photo
Bookmarks: |
|
| |
|
New Ford Ranger but no diesel for the US
It will be interesting to see how it plays out with Mahindra.
Ford is #1 in truck sales but bureaucracies often miss the obvious. It's been my experience that marketing usually recommends exactly what management wants to hear. After all, in today's corporate America keeping one's job is all about risk avoidance.
|
|
Add Photo
Bookmarks: |
|
| |
|
Page [ 1 ] | Thread 166937 Filter by Poster:
1 | 1 | 4 | 1 |
|
()
Picture of the Day
DennisCTB
Unanswered Questions
Active Subjects
Hot Topics
Featured Suppliers
|
Gas Generator Weather Protecti
11-19-2009, 09:20 
Digg It 
Del.icio.us 
