Puma Axed except for EV

[PG2]

Originally Posted by kypez

I don't totally agree with this given the Laser did quite well. When Laser was replaced by Focus, that tanked. Not sure why but Australians just didn't warm up to Focus over Laser

I was selling Ford when Ford moved from Laser to Focus.

The Laser was a good little nippy car that had plenty of relevant features that buyers wanted. The Focus, while a more refined car, was a slug of a thing that was sparsely optioned particularly in base model. Air conditioning was not even standard.

A big problem with them was that the indicator stalk was on the left. You would be surprised how many people took that into consideration when looking at the Focus.

Ford wanted to go upmarket with their small car range. The problem was that people buying these sized cars back in the early 00's were budget conscious and the price went from $19,990 to a tad over $25,000 overnight.

[kypez]

Originally Posted by PG2

I was selling Ford when Ford moved from Laser to Focus.



The Laser was a good little nippy car that had plenty of relevant features that buyers wanted. The Focus, while a more refined car, was a slug of a thing that was sparsely optioned particularly in base model. Air conditioning was not even standard.



Ford wanted to go upmarket with their small car range. The problem was that people buying these sized cars back in the early 00's were budget conscious and the price went from $19,990 to a tad over $25,000 overnight.

Ah, there you go. Didn't know the price jump and feature list was so different with Focus. That would explain a lot of what came after.

[Mechan1k]

Originally Posted by PG2

I was selling Ford when Ford moved from Laser to Focus.

The Laser was a good little nippy car that had plenty of relevant features that buyers wanted. The Focus, while a more refined car, was a slug of a thing that was sparsely optioned particularly in base model. Air conditioning was not even standard.

A big problem with them was that the indicator stalk was on the left. You would be surprised how many people took that into consideration when looking at the Focus.

Ford wanted to go upmarket with their small car range. The problem was that people buying these sized cars back in the early 00's were budget conscious and the price went from $19,990 to a tad over $25,000 overnight.

Laser also got a lot of advertising and TV time as well. I remember when a lot younger I'd see the ads everywhere.

Had 2 Lasers in the family over the years ... gold old KB and then later a KF

[Adamz Ghia]

Ford also botched the Focus launch. They launched it alongside the BA, which was sucking up every piece of media and buyers attention it could. Focus was a brand new nameplate that just got lost.

[DFB FGXR6]

Originally Posted by Mechan1k

Laser also got a lot of advertising and TV time as well. I remember when a lot younger I'd see the ads everywhere.

Had 2 Lasers in the family over the years ... gold old KB and then later a KF

Always loved this one.......................but that sort of ad wouldn't fly these days, someone somewhere would take offence to the car moving that fast!

[ToryMikey]

Originally Posted by PG2

I was selling Ford when Ford moved from Laser to Focus.

The Laser was a good little nippy car that had plenty of relevant features that buyers wanted. The Focus, while a more refined car, was a slug of a thing that was sparsely optioned particularly in base model. Air conditioning was not even standard.

A big problem with them was that the indicator stalk was on the left. You would be surprised how many people took that into consideration when looking at the Focus.

Ford wanted to go upmarket with their small car range. The problem was that people buying these sized cars back in the early 00's were budget conscious and the price went from $19,990 to a tad over $25,000 overnight.

It would have been a hard job to sell an up spec Ford small car when Falcon GLi could be had for a price starting with a 2 when new.

Even BA XT could be had for mid 30s, and had heaps more standard kit than the Focus at the time.

[jpd80]

Originally Posted by ToryMikey

It would have been a hard job to sell an up spec Ford small car when Falcon GLi could be had for a price starting with a 2 when new.

With respect, that’s been the case for a long time and by that I mean back to the late 1960s.
Locally built Falcons and Holdens were exceptional value and exactly why nothing else
either team sold back then really did more than minor sales.


I remember my dad who worked at Metro Ford brought home a brand new ‘69 440 Cortina
$2,250 when the base Falcon started at $2,320, he loved the Falcon but wanted fuel economy

[ToryMikey]

Originally Posted by jpd80

With respect, that’s been the case for a long time and by that I mean back to the late 1960s.
Locally built Falcons and Holdens were exceptional value and exactly why nothing else
either team sold back then really did more than minor sales.


I remember my dad who worked at Metro Ford brought home a brand new ‘69 440 Cortina
$2,250 when the base Falcon started at $2,320, he loved the Falcon but wanted fuel economy

My extended family lived off Falcon 500/GLi/Futura/XT for about four decades straight. All bought new. Now that I'm old I totally understand why.

Last non-Ford my grandfather had was a HK Monaro...until his most recent purchase of a Hyundai Tucson :(