Re: European Drivers Think Hybrids Are a Good Idea

Actually Ford is ahead of the curve in what American buyers want, expanding
where the largest increase in sales are currently headed, crossovers, not
hybrids per se.

Toyota has a tendency to mix 'Toyota Motors' and the 'Toyota' brand in their
advertising and sales figures releases. IE they say Toyota is America
number one car brand, which is true but GM sells more cars, they just have
different brand names on the grill.

If you look at sales tends over the past ten years Toyota brand 'growth' has
been in trucks and SUVs, not cars. Growth for Toyota Motors has been in
Lexus brand and the addition of Scion. The best selling year for their lead
vehicle, the Camry, was three years ago in 2004. Camry sales have been
trending down, not up, in growth.

Currently what is helping Toyota, as well as other Japanese manufacturers,
is they have small cars available from foreign markets that can be easily
added to their mix of imports to meet the current midget car demand. On of
the problems is buyers in that economic group do no buy another new car
nearly as often as the average new car buyer in the US. History tells us
buyers that move to small and midget cars, who can afford larger cars, soon
move back up in size.

mike


"C. E. White" <cewhite3 (AT) removemindspring (DOT) com> wrote

"Harry K" <turnkey4099 (AT) hotmail (DOT) com> wrote in message
news:1176731542.705458.30300 (AT) d57g2000hsg (DOT) googlegroups.com...

The hybrids are, and will remain, a very small niche market in the US
until they match in size and performance at least the midsized cars,
SUVs, etc. That won't happen. The only way they will become a
significant market share is for gas to get up to very, very high
price.

Toyota sold more Hybrid Cars (Prius + Camry +Lexus Hybrid) in the first 3
months of 2007 than Ford sold Fusions. In fact Toyota sold as many Priuses
as Ford sold Fusions - and Ford claims Fusions are selling really well. So
it seems to me Hybrids are already a significant market force. In the
first 3 months of 2007, 1,861,459 cars (cars only, light trucks are not
included) were sold in the US. Approximately 58,932 of these were hybrid
cars (again, light trucks are not included). Therefore hybrids represented
around 3% of the car market. However, the share of the car market is
rapidly increasing and all of the increase is coming from Japanese cars.
Ford or GM would kill to gain 1% of market share. Toyota is getting it and
a lot of it comes from selling hybrids. The 39,682 Priuses Toyota sold so
far in 2007 represent 2% of the US car market. Don't you think Ford wishes
they had those sales?

I agree that for many people hybrids offer no real advantage and in fact
may actually be more expensive to own and maintain. However, this is not
stopping people from buying them. The same sort of herd mentality that got
people buying Japanese cars in the first place is now leading people to
buy hybrids. So, once again, domestic manufacturers aren't getting it. No
matter how good a product you build, if it isn't what people want, you
won't sell it. Building the best SUV in 2010 might be a recipe for
bankruptcy.

Ed

"Mike Hunter" <mikehunt2 (AT) mailcity (DOT) com> wrote

. One of
the problems is buyers in that economic group do no buy another new car
nearly as often as the average new car buyer in the US.

Especially if they buy a Jap it would appear.

That is most likely was one of those import buyers who is tying to convince
himself, that the underpowered not so great import he paid way too much to
buy, is better than the domestics. I have 300K on a '71 Pinto that looks
and runs like new

mike


"Larry Bud" <larrybud2002 (AT) yahoo (DOT) com> wrote

On Apr 16, 10:35 pm, Scott en Aztlán <scottenazt... (AT) yahoo (DOT) com> wrote:

"Jeff" <n... (AT) googlemail (DOT) com> said in rec.autos.driving:

Ford and GM both have sold hybrids: The Ford Escape and the Silverdo both
have Hyrbid options. The Silverado will save about 2 mpg city on the and
1
mpg highway (2x4 only). That an increase of about 10%, meaning a savings
of
1850 gallons of gasoline over 300,000 mi of driving.

LOL!! As if the typical American car will be on the road anywhere near
that long.

I've got 180k on my '86 Vette!

"Mike Hunter" <mikehunt2 (AT) mailcity (DOT) com> wrote

That is most likely was one of those import buyers who is tying to
convince himself, that the underpowered not so great import he paid way
too much to buy, is better than the domestics. I have 300K on a '71 Pinto
that looks and runs like new

Come again? The person said he had 180k on his '86 vette. That's an American
car. And it is not even a Ford.

To what are you responding?

You really need to learn to do in-line posting. It is hard to follow your
convaluted chains of thought; at least if we knew to what comment you were
responding, we'd having a fighting chance.

Jeff

mike


"Larry Bud" <larrybud2002 (AT) yahoo (DOT) com> wrote in message
news:1176838250.625593.22310 (AT) q75g2000hsh (DOT) googlegroups.com...
On Apr 16, 10:35 pm, Scott en Aztlán <scottenazt... (AT) yahoo (DOT) com> wrote:
"Jeff" <n... (AT) googlemail (DOT) com> said in rec.autos.driving:

Ford and GM both have sold hybrids: The Ford Escape and the Silverdo
both
have Hyrbid options. The Silverado will save about 2 mpg city on the and
1
mpg highway (2x4 only). That an increase of about 10%, meaning a savings
of
1850 gallons of gasoline over 300,000 mi of driving.

LOL!! As if the typical American car will be on the road anywhere near
that long.

I've got 180k on my '86 Vette!

"Jeff" <news (AT) googlemail (DOT) com> wrote

"Mike Hunter" <mikehunt2 (AT) mailcity (DOT) com> wrote in message
news:J9udnWAKRu_IvrjbnZ2dnUVZ_q-vnZ2d (AT) ptd (DOT) net...
That is most likely was one of those import buyers who is tying to
convince himself, that the underpowered not so great import he paid way
too much to buy, is better than the domestics. I have 300K on a '71
Pinto that looks and runs like new

Come again? The person said he had 180k on his '86 vette. That's an
American car. And it is not even a Ford.

To what are you responding?

You really need to learn to do in-line posting. It is hard to follow your
convaluted chains of thought; at least if we knew to what comment you were
responding, we'd having a fighting chance.

Jeff

Please don't make the assumption that I think your comments are worth
figuring out, however. ;-)

mike


"Larry Bud" <larrybud2002 (AT) yahoo (DOT) com> wrote in message
news:1176838250.625593.22310 (AT) q75g2000hsh (DOT) googlegroups.com...
On Apr 16, 10:35 pm, Scott en Aztlán <scottenazt... (AT) yahoo (DOT) com> wrote:
"Jeff" <n... (AT) googlemail (DOT) com> said in rec.autos.driving:

Ford and GM both have sold hybrids: The Ford Escape and the Silverdo
both
have Hyrbid options. The Silverado will save about 2 mpg city on the
and 1
mpg highway (2x4 only). That an increase of about 10%, meaning a
savings of
1850 gallons of gasoline over 300,000 mi of driving.

LOL!! As if the typical American car will be on the road anywhere near
that long.

I've got 180k on my '86 Vette!

It is hard to follow your convoluted chains of thought. One can only
assume you have not been following the thread if that is what you took from
that reply

mike


"Jeff" <news (AT) googlemail (DOT) com> wrote

"Mike Hunter" <mikehunt2 (AT) mailcity (DOT) com> wrote in message
news:J9udnWAKRu_IvrjbnZ2dnUVZ_q-vnZ2d (AT) ptd (DOT) net...
That is most likely was one of those import buyers who is tying to
convince himself, that the underpowered not so great import he paid way
too much to buy, is better than the domestics. I have 300K on a '71
Pinto that looks and runs like new

Come again? The person said he had 180k on his '86 vette. That's an
American car. And it is not even a Ford.

To what are you responding?

You really need to learn to do in-line posting. It is hard to follow your
convaluted (sic) chains of thought; at least if we knew to what comment
you were responding, we'd having a fighting chance.

Jeff

mike


"Larry Bud" <larrybud2002 (AT) yahoo (DOT) com> wrote in message
news:1176838250.625593.22310 (AT) q75g2000hsh (DOT) googlegroups.com...
On Apr 16, 10:35 pm, Scott en Aztlán <scottenazt... (AT) yahoo (DOT) com> wrote:
"Jeff" <n... (AT) googlemail (DOT) com> said in rec.autos.driving:

Ford and GM both have sold hybrids: The Ford Escape and the Silverdo
both
have Hyrbid options. The Silverado will save about 2 mpg city on the
and 1
mpg highway (2x4 only). That an increase of about 10%, meaning a
savings of
1850 gallons of gasoline over 300,000 mi of driving.

LOL!! As if the typical American car will be on the road anywhere near
that long.

I've got 180k on my '86 Vette!

"Mike Hunter" <mikehunt2 (AT) mailcity (DOT) com> wrote

It is hard to follow your convoluted chains of thought. One can only
assume you have not been following the thread if that is what you took
from that reply

The point is that it is appropriate to post inline so that it is easier to
follow the thread.

It shows respect for others and yourself.

Jeff

mike


"Jeff" <news (AT) googlemail (DOT) com> wrote in message
news:j3pVh.6187$xL6.4099 (AT) trnddc05 (DOT) ..

"Mike Hunter" <mikehunt2 (AT) mailcity (DOT) com> wrote in message
news:J9udnWAKRu_IvrjbnZ2dnUVZ_q-vnZ2d (AT) ptd (DOT) net...
That is most likely was one of those import buyers who is tying to
convince himself, that the underpowered not so great import he paid way
too much to buy, is better than the domestics. I have 300K on a '71
Pinto that looks and runs like new

Come again? The person said he had 180k on his '86 vette. That's an
American car. And it is not even a Ford.

To what are you responding?

You really need to learn to do in-line posting. It is hard to follow your
convaluted (sic) chains of thought; at least if we knew to what comment
you were responding, we'd having a fighting chance.

Jeff

mike


"Larry Bud" <larrybud2002 (AT) yahoo (DOT) com> wrote in message
news:1176838250.625593.22310 (AT) q75g2000hsh (DOT) googlegroups.com...
On Apr 16, 10:35 pm, Scott en Aztlán <scottenazt... (AT) yahoo (DOT) com> wrote:
"Jeff" <n... (AT) googlemail (DOT) com> said in rec.autos.driving:

Ford and GM both have sold hybrids: The Ford Escape and the Silverdo
both
have Hyrbid options. The Silverado will save about 2 mpg city on the
and 1
mpg highway (2x4 only). That an increase of about 10%, meaning a
savings of
1850 gallons of gasoline over 300,000 mi of driving.

LOL!! As if the typical American car will be on the road anywhere near
that long.

I've got 180k on my '86 Vette!

That seems to be more of a personal problem for you.

mike

"Jeff" <news (AT) googlemail (DOT) com> wrote

"Mike Hunter" <mikehunt2 (AT) mailcity (DOT) com> wrote in message
news:5pqdnaV1YcwqsLvbnZ2dnUVZ_tijnZ2d (AT) ptd (DOT) net...
It is hard to follow your convoluted chains of thought. One can only
assume you have not been following the thread if that is what you took
from that reply

The point is that it is appropriate to post inline so that it is easier to
follow the thread.

It shows respect for others and yourself.

Jeff

mike


"Jeff" <news (AT) googlemail (DOT) com> wrote in message
news:j3pVh.6187$xL6.4099 (AT) trnddc05 (DOT) ..

"Mike Hunter" <mikehunt2 (AT) mailcity (DOT) com> wrote in message
news:J9udnWAKRu_IvrjbnZ2dnUVZ_q-vnZ2d (AT) ptd (DOT) net...
That is most likely was one of those import buyers who is tying to
convince himself, that the underpowered not so great import he paid way
too much to buy, is better than the domestics. I have 300K on a '71
Pinto that looks and runs like new

Come again? The person said he had 180k on his '86 vette. That's an
American car. And it is not even a Ford.

To what are you responding?

You really need to learn to do in-line posting. It is hard to follow
your convaluted (sic) chains of thought; at least if we knew to what
comment you were responding, we'd having a fighting chance.

Jeff

mike


"Larry Bud" <larrybud2002 (AT) yahoo (DOT) com> wrote in message
news:1176838250.625593.22310 (AT) q75g2000hsh (DOT) googlegroups.com...
On Apr 16, 10:35 pm, Scott en Aztlán <scottenazt... (AT) yahoo (DOT) com> wrote:
"Jeff" <n... (AT) googlemail (DOT) com> said in rec.autos.driving:

Ford and GM both have sold hybrids: The Ford Escape and the Silverdo
both
have Hyrbid options. The Silverado will save about 2 mpg city on the
and 1
mpg highway (2x4 only). That an increase of about 10%, meaning a
savings of
1850 gallons of gasoline over 300,000 mi of driving.

LOL!! As if the typical American car will be on the road anywhere near
that long.

I've got 180k on my '86 Vette!