Word: subcompacts
(lookup in dictionary)
(lookup stats)
Dates: during 1970-1979
Sort By: most recent first
(reverse)
...memo suggests that Ford might increase profits by loading well-selling models like the subcompact Fiesta and Courier minitruck with expensive options that customers would be forced to accept, and putting on less costly tires. Ford is also attacking internal costs by cutting executive business travel by 50% and symbolically dropping free coffee at company business events and eliminating all magazine subscriptions...
...lines did more than anything else to turn our industry upside down." But a major problem was what Henry Ford concedes to be "poor planning," and he accepts much of the blame. Four years ago, he said no to arguments that Ford should build a front-wheel-drive subcompact for the 1979 model year; front-wheel drive means shorter hoods, lighter weight and, consequently, less use of fuel. Concerned by the size of the investment gamble, Henry Ford demurred. That was a mistake. When the gas lines reappeared, and Americans shifted to small cars, Ford was still offering its decade...
Ford will introduce a front-wheel-drive subcompact code-named Erika by next fall. In the meantime it has just completed a costly effort to downsize its big gas-gulping Lincoln Mark VIs, Cougar XR-7s and Thunderbirds for the 1980 model year and to boost its fleet average fuel economy 13% to an industry high of 21.6 m.p.g. But for a while, Ford's only real strong points will be its overseas operations and its brisk truck business...
...enough to skinny through to 1981, when President Lee lacocca is expected to bring out a series of front-wheel-drive compacts to compete with General Motors' successful X cars. By then, a new plant will also be producing small engines for Chrysler's popular but scarce subcompact Omnis and Horizons...
...June in 1978. For the same period this year, fewer than 3,000 Cougars have been bought-only 35 of them during the middle ten days of June. At Chrysler, sales of Dodge Aspens are down 30% for the year. The company's hottest autos are the subcompact Dodge Omni and Plymouth Horizon (up 55%). Yet production of these models is limited because their engines are supplied by Volkswagen, and the number is fixed at 300,000 for the year...