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Ford executive pays rare tribute to Toyota Camry
Reuters via Forbes.com ^ | 02/13/2003

Posted on 02/12/2003 4:06:25 PM PST by GeneD

CHICAGO, Feb 12 (Reuters) - A Ford Motor Co. executive paid a rare tribute to one of his company's fiercest competitors Wednesday, saying the hot-selling Camry from Toyota Motor Corp. was a better car than Ford's Taurus.

"Very frankly, Camry is a better product than Taurus today," said Jim O'Connor, who heads Ford's sales and marketing division for North America, speaking to reporters at the Chicago Auto Show.

"It's all about product in this business," O'Connor said, when asked why the mid-sized Camry outsold Taurus in the U.S market last month.

O'Connor said Ford still sees near-term demand for the Taurus, especially from its fleet customers and to supply rental cars for its Hertz subsidiary.

But Ford is cutting production of the Taurus and its sister Mercury Sable sharply next year, building the vehicles in one plant instead of two. The glory days Taurus enjoyed as a top money-maker after Ford introduced it in 1986 are clearly over.

A new sedan, the Ford Five Hundred, will be launched next year, and the world's second-largest automaker hopes it will help it recoup some of the car segment's losses.

But Toyota is poised to strip the Ford brand of its crown as the No. 1 seller of cars in the United States this year, and U.S. automakers are growing more anxious about the relentless assault by Asian automakers in Detroit's backyard.

Last year in cars, Ford brand sold a total of 864,903 units in the United States. Toyota brand sold 836,110. That was enough for Toyota cars to surpass U.S. sales of cars with the venerable Chevrolet nameplate from General Motors Corp.

Jim Padilla, Ford's executive vice president for North America, who was also attending the auto show here, said he had no apologies to make about the Taurus, saying the vehicle, like some fallen hero, "served the company well."

'COMMODITIZING"

But he added that Ford itself had helped give the car a bad image, as a vehicle many consumers now see as little more than a drab rental car.

"Frankly, we didn't do ourselves any favor by pushing Taurus into rental fleets the way we did to get the volumes," Padilla said. "That kind of commoditized the product. The product is better than its image, that's my view of it," he said.


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Foreign Affairs; Japan; News/Current Events; US: Michigan
KEYWORDS: fordmotor; fordtaurus; jimoconnor; jimpadilla; toyotacamry; toyotamotor
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1 posted on 02/12/2003 4:06:25 PM PST by GeneD
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To: GeneD
I've driven Caddys, MBZs and a Camry. I like the Camry best.
2 posted on 02/12/2003 4:08:08 PM PST by martin_fierro (ok, SOMEBODY had to say it)
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To: GeneD
Ford = Fixed or Repaired Daily. Rarely do I hear of a satisfied Ford owner. Its good to see that even their executives admit that they are selling crap.
3 posted on 02/12/2003 4:11:19 PM PST by StockAyatollah
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Comment #4 Removed by Moderator

To: NolanVoid
1985 Camery, 200k+ and still rolling.
5 posted on 02/12/2003 4:20:23 PM PST by Fyscat
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To: GeneD
The Camry is a reliable, well built and well designed car. But it is designed for people with mediocre driving skills.
6 posted on 02/12/2003 4:23:09 PM PST by rimmont
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To: GeneD
I've owned a Camry and now own a Taurus. I like my Taurus better.
7 posted on 02/12/2003 4:25:40 PM PST by caisson71
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To: StockAyatollah
I guess you don't know any F150 owners. My 2000 F150 has the finish and build quality and reliability equal to that of a Lexus ES300 I used to own. That is to say, VERY GOOD. Ford trucks are pleasers, just like Toyota sedans.
8 posted on 02/12/2003 4:30:09 PM PST by SBprone
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To: Fyscat
Had a '81 F-150, biggest piece I ever bought. Its why I purchased the Camery
9 posted on 02/12/2003 4:30:13 PM PST by Fyscat
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To: StockAyatollah
Rarely do I hear of a satisfied Ford owner.

I had several Ford Vans in past years. I liked them well enough, but then I had a part go bad while under warranty. My van had a bumper to bumper warranty as they called it and the only items which were not covered were specifically spelled out in the documentaion. My part was not among them and clearly covered. A ford dealer outside of my home town refused to cover the part. They told me to call Ford. Everyone involved agreed that the warranty said the part was covered, but none would stand up to the warranty.

Ford told me that they would not cover it and I had to return to my original dealer and work it out with them. I finally got satisfaction from the dealer (it took a lot of time and effort), but I will never buy another Ford product as long as I live. They are liars and welshers.

10 posted on 02/12/2003 4:31:00 PM PST by Protagoras
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To: martin_fierro
I don't think I've ever driven a Camry, though I have nothing against them. But my battered old 87 Ford Taurus is the best car I've ever owned. I did have to get the transmission rebuilt after 150,000 miles, but that's the only big repair I've ever had done to it. Durn thing just runs.
11 posted on 02/12/2003 4:31:11 PM PST by ArcLight
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To: SBprone
You don't really drive a "Ford", it's a Mazda with a Ford stamp on it
12 posted on 02/12/2003 4:31:55 PM PST by Fyscat
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To: ArcLight
Hey!! Maybe it's really a Ford F-150 with a Taurus body on top...
13 posted on 02/12/2003 4:32:40 PM PST by ArcLight
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To: GeneD
I've never driven a Camry, but I've had two Toyota Corollas: A 1990 that I bought new, kept until June of 2000 (w/ 197,000 miles) and a 2000, which now has 52,000 miles on it. Great cars! I would have kept the 1990, which was only burning about 1/2 qt of oil every 3000 miles, and still got 32 MPG, but it needed new tires, springs, shocks, struts, brakes, clutch, timing belt, and all new front end parts... Couldn't justify that much to keep a great car on the road.

Mark
14 posted on 02/12/2003 4:37:17 PM PST by MarkL (... but I'm not bitter... NO!!)
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To: StockAyatollah
I am a very satisfied Ford owner. I bought a 2001 Ford Taurus SES in late September of 2001. It handles great and gets good gas mileage. In addition, I got a 0% loan. I had a 1996 Mercury Sable before that. I have been very pleased with my vehicles.
15 posted on 02/12/2003 4:39:26 PM PST by TheCPA
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To: rimmont
it is designed for people with mediocre driving skills

That's probably a valid point. You almost never see a Camry being "driven." It can be "driven," but it takes a heavy foot. That, and it is hard to judge when it will transition from severe understeer to oversteer, so it takes an experienced driver to "drive" it. Most people in a Camry have no "driving" experience at all.

16 posted on 02/12/2003 4:44:11 PM PST by RightWhale
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To: GeneD
I bought 3 Fords in a row in an effort to "buy American." The last was a Taurus and it was the worst piece of junk imaginable. The transmission gave out before the car was paid for. I am now on my 3rd Toyota. Ford will never get me back until their car performs like my Toy.
17 posted on 02/12/2003 4:52:28 PM PST by Bahbah (Pray for our Troops)
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To: caisson71
I own a loaded 2000 Taurus SEL (great car), and a 2001 Camry (my first rice-burner).

Wife drives the Ford (everything but leather).

I drive the TOY due to looong drive to/from work. The Ford is great, and so is the TOY ( @ 31/32 mpg h'way), BUT... tonight I took the TOY to the dealer and a new air bag has been ordered for that car (100% covered by TOY).

I never had an air bag problem with any car I owned, is this a common problem for Toyota?
18 posted on 02/12/2003 4:54:38 PM PST by Las Vegas Dave
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To: GeneD
A new sedan, the Ford Five Hundred, will be launched next year,

I wonder how much they spent on marketing research to come up with that name?

I suppose it beats "Edsel", but not by much.

19 posted on 02/12/2003 4:57:49 PM PST by Willie Green (Go Pat Go!!!)
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To: GeneD
It seems this is honest for a change. The solution is to make a better product and possibly fire the Harvard MBAs and bean counters.
20 posted on 02/12/2003 4:59:05 PM PST by RAY (de,pce)
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