Recent Comments:
Ford may be considering sale of Mazda stake {Autoblog}
Oct 12th 2008 5:26PM rsfourever. I hope you are wrong in your thinking that one day Ford should aim to own all of Mazda and make it a wholly owned subsidiary.
One of the key reasons the partnership works is Mazda gets the benefits of Ford technology without having to have the benefit of Ford culture. Sure Ford does interfere, but Mazda find a way to still be themselves (you see it in the cars they make) and that is what makes Mazda successful. They are still very much a Japanese company.
In the end I buy Mazda because they take what Ford does and make it better and more reliable and deliver a package that is always that bit more special then Ford themselves can deliver.
Monterey 2008: 2010 Cadillac CTS Sport Wagon revealed LIVE {Autoblog}
Aug 15th 2008 7:00PM Anyone wondering why you didn't get the G8 Sportswagon from Australia and the ute instead, here is your answer.
The Commodore (sorry G8) would be a direct competitor to this car.
First Drive: 2009 Ford Flex Limited AWD {Autoblog}
Jun 12th 2008 1:04AM Looks like a Ford Transit van gone wrong.
Ford dealership tells non-believers to "sit down and shut up" {Autoblog}
May 29th 2008 12:54AM Its been fascinating to read these responses as it does really show a big difference I wasn't aware of in Australian and US cultural values.
We are a majority Christain country too, but if a Ford dealer out here tried this on, the overwhelming majority of people would call him a dickhead or words to that effect and basically ignore him.
Maybe Australians don't take themselves so seriously, but whatever the case its strange to think anyone would use this angle as a marketing tool and even stranger to think anyone would actually go along with it.
I think this goes a long way to explaining why the US has problems anytime it gets involved in international politics.
Dan
Ford dealership tells non-believers to "sit down and shut up" {Autoblog}
May 28th 2008 1:10PM I often used the Lords name in vain when yet another thing went wrong with my Falcon GT, but I don't think thats what they had in mind. :)
Sold the car and these days I am fond of saying the local dealer needs a prayer.
Dan
Jaguar Land Rover CEO dies {Autoblog}
Apr 21st 2008 9:17AM He did a heck of a lot for Ford Australia and is remembered fondly as the best President Ford Australia ever had. If he had continued in that post I have no doubt the last few years would have been more successful for them. Anyone in that posting now walks in his shadow.
He also did a fantastic job with his stewardship of Jaguar and Land Rover.
Condolences to his family and friends.
Dan
2008 International Engine of the Year Award nominees announced {Autoblog}
Apr 17th 2008 1:35PM If the engines are to be specifically available to US customers then a more appropriate title would be "American Engine of the year", which could be open to engines from international companies that sell in the US if you like.
Of course the world is a big place and so "International Engine of the Year" should not mean it must be sold in the US, any more than it should have to be sold in Botswana.
The US being only one market and not one that reflects the vehicles, engines or choices available to other markets around the world or vice versa. The idea that an engine should be excluded because you can't buy it in Texas or where ever in the United States is illogical for an award claiming to be "international".
Dan
Spy Shots: 2010 Ford Taurus... finally {Autoblog}
Apr 10th 2008 7:14AM Looks like the just superceded Mazda 6 with some Ford and Toyota parts thrown on the front.
Dan
Ford developing new rear-drive platform in Dearborn {Autoblog}
Mar 25th 2008 5:40AM So Ford looked around for the best people they had in the company to build a world class RWD platform and came up with the same crowd who gave the US a warmed over decade old Focus?
The money thing doesn't hold up to scrunity. I'm sorry but Ford Australia could build a better platform for half the budget of the US and indeed, have been doing just that for decades. Some of the preliminary work to convert Falcon was already done, when these same bright sparks in HQ canned it and then looked surprised when GM gave the US the G8.
A case of the good ol boys winning out agains't what makes sense for the bottom line of the company.
Don't take the best you have from Europe for small cars or the best from Australia for large cars. What would they know huh?
This will spell the end of the Aussie Falcon, because these same brains trusts will use it to finally kill a car that made them look bad for three decades. The end result will not beat a Falcon dynamically and will be a 50/50 chance styling wise.
Bottom line is I hope you fellas like it, because you will have to buy enough of them to make up for the rest of the world ignoring it.
More sales for Holden and Mazda I suppose.
Dan
New York 2008: Ford debuts 2009 "Warriors in Pink" Mustang {Autoblog}
Mar 20th 2008 10:21PM Well I keep looking at these Mustang stories from the other side of the world, but I am beginning to think the way to stand out in a Mustang is to order a plain jane factory Mustang that is NOT a limited edition, badged, striped, painted in a unique colour, anniversary of something, modified etc Mustang.
You'd have to be one of the few that actually has a factory standard Mustang. Well it seems that way with the stories on Autoblog! lol
Dan
