Ford and GM to reduce / cease car production

halo

https://google.com/amp/s/www.cnbc.com/amp/2018/04/26/ford-is-basically-giving-up-on-us-car-business-and-gm-is-not-far-behind.html

kharp1

Yes, we've stopped building cars with the exception of the Fusion and the Mustang. They will still build cars under the Lincoln badge, and, they have SUV's based off some of the small car platforms that they are developing.

mhardy6647

I think it's only for North America, which seems to be confirmed by the article.
I think it is a shame, but the car companies will give Americans what they want, and they want "SUVs" and trucks. The fact that the car companies' profit margins are higher for trucks -- well, I am sure that's a coincidence.

I am sorry to see cars go.
I am sorry to see manual transmissions go.

But -- we're on the verge of a sea change in transportation. The era of the single-owner automobile, driven by its owner (or a family member or friend thereof) will end before the end of my lifetime, I think. Cars will be "smart", safe, autonomous, technologically advanced -- and too expensive for virtually all Americans to afford. So, we'll hail 'em with our phones (or whatever) and they'll come and take us where we want - or need - to go.

The end of the era of the boomers will, I reckon, be the end of the era of the personal automobile.

Remember how the dinosaurs got really big -- just before the end came?
Look at any modern trucks lately? Them suckas barely fit in a parking space, much less a garage.




Oh -- Good morning and have a nice day!

mhardy6647

On the other hand...

maybe the hipsters will bring back the Vista Cruiser.
Cassette tape deck and all.



Hey, they brought back Pabst Blue Ribbon and vinyls, so... it could happen.



Imagine the streets of Brooklyn or Portland (OR or ME) parked full of Vista Cruisers and Roadmasters

Mikey081057

NotaSuv

Wagon Queen Family Truckster in the National Lampoon movie is a 1979 Ford LTD Country Squire that has been modified by Warner Brothers, not by George Barris who did the Batmobile and other famous movie cars. For some reason George Barris gets credit for the Truckster but Gary Schneider did extensive research before building a Truckster himself and found out George Barris did not build the Griswold Family Truckster.
Also the internet will have you believe that the last living Truckster is preserved in a car museum in Chicago. The car in that museum is not one from the National Lampoon movie, it is a replica made by someone for the car museum. The side mirrors are different; the wood grain and molding are different, and the back side of the car has not been finished. Only the side you see at the museum has the wood grain added.

Mikey081057

Trucksters had best suspension in their class...

mhardy6647

NotaSuv wrote: »

Wagon Queen Family Truckster in the National Lampoon movie is a 1979 Ford LTD Country Squire that has been modified by Warner Brothers, not by George Barris who did the Batmobile and other famous movie cars. For some reason George Barris gets credit for the Truckster but Gary Schneider did extensive research before building a Truckster himself and found out George Barris did not build the Griswold Family Truckster.
Also the internet will have you believe that the last living Truckster is preserved in a car museum in Chicago. The car in that museum is not one from the National Lampoon movie, it is a replica made by someone for the car museum. The side mirrors are different; the wood grain and molding are different, and the back side of the car has not been finished. Only the side you see at the museum has the wood grain added.

My worldview is forever changed. I must go into seclusion and ponder the significance of these revelations.

mhardy6647

oh -- and lookin' for good photos of Vista Cruisers this morning's got me Jonesin' to track down and acquire a nice one, now.

... and that's exactly why I didn't even start lookin' at Roadmaster photos on Google.

PS Sorry for the goofy hijack of this thread. I do truly lament the disappearance of the car as we've known 'em for over a century.

decal

Dad had a Vista when I was a kid, loved that thing.

motorhead43026

Good VC's are hard to come by, most you will find have rust in the pillars and around the skylight. I have been on the lookout for that special one, that has been in Grandpa's garage for the last 50 years.

It would make a great looking restomod.

Big Oldsmobile fan here.

EndersShadow

@mhardy6647

It will be interesting to see if cars go fully autonomous if there isnt a pull BACK to the cities from the suburbs due to transportation issues (ride sharing, time to get a car to you, etc).

It also would be interesting to see how that transition affects those that prefer to live in very rural areas. Will they still own their own cars, will there be pools of cars to facilitate their needs? Will they just maintain their own cars, and if so, who will service those?

Also fun to think about farming and where its going..... satellite controlled tractors (already there), weather based rain solutions (already there), etc.... Thats honestly one section of "vehicles" that I am very interested in seeing how automation solves problems, creates other problems, and then solves those too

halo

EndersShadow wrote: »

@mhardy6647

It will be interesting to see if cars go fully autonomous if there isnt a pull BACK to the cities from the suburbs due to transportation issues (ride sharing, time to get a car to you, etc).

It also would be interesting to see how that transition affects those that prefer to live in very rural areas. Will they still own their own cars, will there be pools of cars to facilitate their needs? Will they just maintain their own cars, and if so, who will service those?

Also fun to think about farming and where its going..... satellite controlled tractors (already there), weather based rain solutions (already there), etc.... Thats honestly one section of "vehicles" that I am very interested in seeing how automation solves problems, creates other problems, and then solves those too

Makes me think of Red Barchetta by Rush
https://youtu.be/uukZgfHZIoc

mhardy6647

EndersShadow wrote: »

@mhardy6647

It will be interesting to see if cars go fully autonomous if there isnt a pull BACK to the cities from the suburbs due to transportation issues (ride sharing, time to get a car to you, etc).

It also would be interesting to see how that transition affects those that prefer to live in very rural areas. Will they still own their own cars, will there be pools of cars to facilitate their needs? Will they just maintain their own cars, and if so, who will service those?

Also fun to think about farming and where its going..... satellite controlled tractors (already there), weather based rain solutions (already there), etc.... Thats honestly one section of "vehicles" that I am very interested in seeing how automation solves problems, creates other problems, and then solves those too

1. The pull-back to the cities is in full swing -- check out real estate availability and prices in, say... Boston.

I think the suburbs in the US will soon become a lot like the suburbs of, say, Paris. They're not nice places.

2. Not sure what will happen to the truly rural areas in the US. We're right on the edge of rural here -- but it would be extremely difficult to live here without a vehicle. Town is 3 miles away, a nice walk on a nice day... but we get a lot of not nice days in the wintertime especially. Town has the post office, a library, a garage, and a general store/gas station. Oh, and a snooty private/boarding high school, but that's not a lot of help in terms of the necessities of life

3. Our gardens are small -- but, so far, we work 'em with (mostly) hand tools.
And we eat a lot of home-grown meals (no meat, of course, when fully home-grown!) -- and I think that's a very special and wonderful thing in 2018.

Viking64

mhardy6647 wrote: »

no meat

Milito

I don't see that happening in Texas. If it does it will be one of the last states to have that happen as it is so big you really need a car here if you have friends or family in different parts of the state.

As far as moving back to the cities we have some people moving back to be closer to work. However the suburbs are still expanding here, some at a very fast rate with all of the out of state people moving in. I wish they would shut the gate as it is causing major traffic issues here in some cities.

gwh

Vacation.....The best movie ever and we do quote lines around here on a daily basis.

F1nut

I was in the "city" the other day. Took 20 minutes to drive one mile, I could have walked faster. Over crowded, noisy and full of people who look very unhappy and unhealthy. Hard to believe anyone would be willing to pay through the nose to live like that.

Jetmaker737

Get a horse!

nooshinjohn

Agenda 21....

pitdogg2

halo wrote: »

EndersShadow wrote: »

@mhardy6647

It will be interesting to see if cars go fully autonomous if there isnt a pull BACK to the cities from the suburbs due to transportation issues (ride sharing, time to get a car to you, etc).

It also would be interesting to see how that transition affects those that prefer to live in very rural areas. Will they still own their own cars, will there be pools of cars to facilitate their needs? Will they just maintain their own cars, and if so, who will service those?

Also fun to think about farming and where its going..... satellite controlled tractors (already there), weather based rain solutions (already there), etc.... Thats honestly one section of "vehicles" that I am very interested in seeing how automation solves problems, creates other problems, and then solves those too

Makes me think of Red Barchetta by Rush
https://youtu.be/uukZgfHZIoc

DUDE I WAS THINKING THE VERY SAME THING!!!!

mhardy6647

F1nut wrote: »

I was in the "city" the other day. Took 20 minutes to drive one mile, I could have walked faster. Over crowded, noisy and full of people who look very unhappy and unhealthy. Hard to believe anyone would be willing to pay through the nose to live like that.

I don't disagree, but that does seem to be the way the winds of change are blowin'.

halo

halo wrote: »

Makes me think of Red Barchetta by Rush
https://youtu.be/uukZgfHZIoc

pitdogg2 wrote: »

DUDE I WAS THINKING THE VERY SAME THING!!!!

Great minds think alike Ivan

verb

SUVs and Trucks are all the rage. IMO have been for quite some time. Not only in the US, but worldwide. Since I last worked on a car, the venerable Chevy Malibu (currently in production), I have worked on SUVs non-stop. Currently working on an SUV (with multiple variants) intended for sale globally.

Cars seem to be headed more toward a niche or boutique marketplace. Mustang, Corvette, exotic imports, etc. or the ultra luxury vehicles, IMO.

Everyday use, customers tell us they want function. With that in mind, a car simply can't compete with an SUV. They regard a vehicle almost like an appliance. Nothing more.

Autonomous is yet another frontier. Ultimately the customers will tell us what they want. Right now it's the hottest thing in the industry, but just like the electric craze not so long ago, the market will bring it back into reality.

It's gonna be a ride for sure! No pun intended!

mdaudioguy

I like my Ford sedan and hope it lasts a while! My wife has one too. Just not into SUVs. Btw, it's not so much that Ford thinks no one wants them anymore. Fact is, they ceded the market to Honda, Toyota, and.... Hyundai, as well as the luxury brands. Ford was actually losing money on cars.

nooshinjohn

And Jaguar wants to become the European Tesla.... I will NOT buy a 100k glorified golf cart.

verb

mdaudioguy wrote: »

I like my Ford sedan and hope it lasts a while! My wife has one too. Just not into SUVs. Btw, it's not so much that Ford thinks no one wants them anymore. Fact is, they ceded the market to Honda, Toyota, and.... Hyundai, as well as the luxury brands. Ford was actually losing money on cars.

The car market is very tough. Low margins, lot's of low cost (labor/material) cars out there. Brand loyalty often yields to MSRP in this market, IMO.

Trucks and SUVs are more profitable, for sure.

FestYboy

They need to bring back the wagon... Especially the 2 door variety

verb

nooshinjohn wrote: »

And Jaguar wants to become the European Tesla.... I will NOT buy a 100k glorified golf cart.

IIRC, didn't Toto acuire Jaguar?

Viking64

FestYboy wrote: »

They need to bring back the wagon... Especially the 2 door variety

We had a few of these in the area back in the 1960s, including one barely not even a mile from the house in which I (pretended to) grow/grew up.

nooshinjohn

TATA has been at the helm of Jaguar for a decade now...