Ford's 65MPG Due In November, But Not In the US

[Shipkiller]

"Ford has a vehicle that gets 65MPG and will not be released in the US. Why? Because they can not afford to! 'Ford's 2009 Fiesta ECOnetic goes on sale in November. But here's the catch: Despite the car's potential to transform Ford's image and help it compete with Toyota Motor (TM) and Honda Motor (HMC) in its home market, the company will sell the little fuel sipper only in Europe. "We know it's an awesome vehicle," says Ford America President Mark Fields. "But there are business reasons why we can't sell it in the U.S." The main one: The Fiesta ECOnetic runs on diesel.'"

http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/08_37/b4099060491065.htm?chan=autos_autos+--+lifestyle+subindex+page_top+stories

 

[Smokin]

Most people in the US are put off of diesels because of the poor crap that was foisted on us in the first "gas crisis". Ford was smart enough to have International Harvester make the engines for its cars but GM just retooled gasoline engines--by the time fuel loosened up again, you couldn't give them away. The US also had all that sulfur in the diesel fuel-took us longer to get rid of it than in Europe (partly due to trucks having to have new engines to run on the ultralow sulfur fuel).

MB and BMW have fantastic diesels, and if I were in the market for a larger coupe or sedan, I'd sure as heck buy one. That little Ford would be great for someone like my daughter who is one year out of university, not married, no kids, but alas.......


A bonehead move, IMO.