Chrysler Has Its Day in Court, While Ford Makes New Strides in Achievement
Posted: Friday, May 01, 2009
by Sandra E. Graham
My Books and Articles
While Chrysler made its first hearing appearance today in Bankruptcy court and voiced plans to close down plants in Michigan, Missouri, Ohio, and Wisconsin, GM prepares to face the music sometime around the first of June. Chrysler has also said that it plans to sell it assets to the Italian automaker, Fiat. This may be Chrysler's one big saving grace, which will possibly keep many otherwise unemployed workers working.
While Chrysler and GM have continued to struggle along with their financial woes, Ford has been quietly making great strides in producing newer, leaner, cleaner vehicles. Ford's new 2009 Escape Hybrid and its new 2010 Fusion Hybrid have both been listed by Kelley's Blue Book as being two of the "Top Ten Green Cars" (second consecutive win for the 2009 Escape). Two very sharp looking vehicles that just may attract the consumer public that all auto dealers are scrambling to win back.
Some of the considerations in focusing on these two vehicles were gas-mileage, powertrain, comfort, convenience, safety, and most important in today's economy-value for the money. The 2010 Fusion Hybrid is supposedly North America's most fuel- efficient mid-size sedan.
The new Fusion comes equipped with a little extra added touch-SmartGauge with EcoGuide, an instrument cluster that coaches drivers on how to optimize the performance of their hybrid. These gauges can be customized to show various status elements-low battery, and efficient fuel consumption. It also offers a variety of safety features, receiving a "Top Safety Pick" rating from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. It features Ford SYNC with 911 Assist and blind spot info system with cross-traffic alert. Its seats are covered with eco-friendly fabric and filled with soy-based seat foam.
The larger, gas-guzzling, SUV of former popular fame may be going the way of the dinosaur. Or will this all be " too little, too late"? Let's all hope not.
This Article has been viewed 977 times. (Not updated in real-time.)
Top-level comments on this article: (8 total)Good article, Sandra,The American car company certainly needs a push in the right direction to provide more efficient cars without a doubt. While I did drive a Subaru for a number of years, all of my other cars have been American made and I know that it is time that they bite the bullet and work on cars that get better mileage and are planet friendlier.Thanks for sharing some good information,NancyOf course, we've all (except our government and banks and oil cartels) have known this for many years--but who wants to listen to the little guy (the taxpayers; factory workers and the teachers).Thanks for reading and commenting.Sandra
I do find it humourous on the Ford ads (being a pioneer in American car manufacturing) that they say that their standards are right up there with Toyota. The Japanese certainly have come a long way from making party-favours, if Ford is now using their quality as something to attain.Our automotive industry has waited entirely too long to start looking for more fuel efficient, cleaner vehicles. Now they've either got to play catch-up or just roll over.Thanks for reading and commenting, David.Sandra
Wow, how timely! I'm car shopping now. Great information.Now why couldn't Chrysler and GM have been forward thinking and incorporated the word "bank" into their respective names? Maybe they could have just been bailed out over and over and not had to undergo the hassle of bankruptcy? Just another reminder to me that white collar crime still pays.Uh, oh. I think I just editorialzied rather than commented.Great job!GrammyGood comment, Grammy. Thanks for reading.Sandra
Great article. Well done.Chrysler is gone. Where I live there is a Mercedes dealership and I heard that they were not selling or stocking Chyslers anymore as no-one wants them.What can I say? Americans have let there automotive products go down hill now for many years--thinking bigger was better and quality is just an illusion. Now they have to eat crow! Time to pay the piper.Thanks for reading and commenting, Connor.Sandra
Well done article. Ford has worked hard at doing what it can to be more in tune with what Americans would want in the event of a gas crisis, it seems, while the others continued to make these gas-guzzlers. In their defense, though, people did buy them until last year.Now that we have a whole new perspective on the rollercoaster gas situation, GM and Chrysler have been caught without a plan. Ford seems ready to continue ahead, while the others are going the way of the Dodo. Ford should be commended, and the others should be left to fail. Why continue to fund something that doesn't work? I know Washington loves to do just that, but in this case there seems to be no return on our investment.Amen to that. Thanks for reading and commenting.Sandra
Hi Sandra,I enjoyed reading this article. "Too little, too late?" I hope not, too.Your fan,NenitaThanks, Nenita, for reading and commenting.Sandra
Good article. These are some nice looking cars. If I could afford a new one, it's what I'd get.JJ
Interesting. I'll have to check out these vehicles. I need a good, economic, car right now. Thanks.Jaimie
We want your comments! If you can read this, you don't have javascript enabled, so you can't use this comment system. Please enable javascript.