Thread: Car Talk
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Robo
Formerly Roboman, still
awesome
 
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: Portland, OR
 
2009-12-23, 22:47

Quote:
Originally Posted by AWM View Post
Why do people assume Geely will somehow ruin Volvo just because they are Chinese?
It's not just because they're Chinese. I buy lots of products that are made in China. It's that Geely doesn't exactly have the best reputation. The average Geely is also a good bit lower-end than the average Volvo, methinks.

Quote:
Originally Posted by AWM
As for Lincoln, they can compete if they try.
But that's the rub, isn't it? Ford really can't afford to try, with Lincoln. They're pouring all of their money into the Ford brand, which is mostly pretty smart, but it means they're not that competitive in the luxury space.

I don't think many luxury buyers today even think to consider Lincoln. It's not that they're necessarily bad cars, although I don't think they're great -- it's just that Lincoln really isn't in the public consciousness like BMW or Lexus or Mercedes-Benz. Getting there would take more advertising than Ford can afford (especially since they also have to split that advertising with Mercury).

I'm not saying Ford should kill Lincoln-Mercury. Not now, anyway, when they don't have anything else to fall back on (no more PAG!). Besides, having that sort of half-life (selling gussied up Fords at a premium) allows Ford to, without a huge investment, sort of have a presence in a market they normally wouldn't have access to. But I don't think they'll ever be truly competitive in that market without a larger cash outlay -- some unique models, and more advertising. (Let's be real, the only reason they've been around for the last decade was because of the Navigator.)

And I normally go for unique/quirky concept cars, but IMO that Lincoln is ugly. But to each his own, I guess

and i guess i've known it all along / the truth is, you have to be soft to be strong
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