The 65 mpg Ford the U.S. Can’t Have
If ever there was a car made for the times, this would seem to be it: a sporty subcompact that seats five, offers a navigation system, and gets a whopping 65 miles to the gallon. Oh yes, and the car is made by Ford Motor (F), known widely for lumbering gas hogs.
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.
Automakers such as Volkswagen (VLKAY) and Mercedes-Benz (DAI) have predicted for years that a technology called “clean diesel” would overcome many Americans’ antipathy to a fuel still often thought of as the smelly stuff that powers tractor trailers. Diesel vehicles now hitting the market with pollution-fighting technology are as clean or cleaner than gasoline and at least 30% more fuel-efficient.
[…]only 3% of cars in the U.S. use diesel. “Americans see hybrids as the darling,” says Global Insight auto analyst Philip Gott, “and diesel as old-tech.”
[…]
A $1,300 tax deduction available to buyers of new diesel cars could bring the price of the Fiesta to around $24,400. But Ford doesn’t believe it could charge enough to make money on an imported ECOnetic.
Before you bash Ford too badly there are other reasons that influence the decision. Emissions regulations are one. The US diesel regulations are stricter than those in the EU. The diesel version for the US market would be much more expensive because of this. The fuel is more expensive in the US when compared to gasoline. The consumer will not buy the car if the fuel savings can’t pay the price differential over the life of the car or length of the lease.
I wonder what “extras” are bumping price estimates for the U.S. – since EU and UK crash standards, emissions standards are pretty close, nowadays.
Base price for the Econetic model is ~$18,500 in the UK.
Never mind. I get it. The Business Week drones just took the numbers from the Ford PR types who are testing the water with one tiny toe.
They built-in the higher prices – probably to cover the costs of care and feeding their executives. And BW didn’t have the smarts to check UK prices or maybe even do the conversion from pounds to dollars, themselves.
British press has the critter starting at below 8,500 quid.
If you likee so much you could buy it in Europa and have it sent to the states. Sure you’ll have to pay duties and possibly get one helluva inspection but you should take that up with your DMV.
I wouldn’t import it though because the Fiestas they use to sell here are pieces of shit, proof that not everything built by Germans is an engineering marvel. The Ford Aspire was the 2nd generation Fiesta here in the U.S. back in the 90’s. We use to joke that it aspired to be a car someday. It was a POS too and is no longer available.
BTW the Mustang is a better looking car.
That doesn’t look like a car I’d like to drive. But of course liberals will claim that bigger and roomier cars are ones that Americans don’t want.
Promises since the 70’s for BETTER cars and millage..
NOTHING has happened except LIP SERVICE and lies from the Auto industry..
in europe i drive skoda octavia turbo diesel /vw group car/ it is a cca 10years old model and fuel cons. is 60mpg. i love that car. the only problem with vw diesel engines is that after a while they get noisy. ford, citroen and renault are using so called common rail system. it is not that noisy and it is friskier than turbo diesels. i still love my tdi. btw mr. diesel with his innovation intended to boost the agriculture of countries using cars with his technology. you can run diesel cars on a used veggie oil… exhaust smells like McDonald 🙂
US car manufacturers have been making beautiful cars that they only sell in Europe for years. The Euro car market is much more competitive (especially in fuel economy) then the US market. I remember driving an Opel in the 80’s in Germany I loved. I have never understood why GM and Ford have not marketed their Euro cars here. Everyone is afraid to introduce Diesels because they won’t sell. Unfortunately the few diesels available in the US are not good examples of what would sell in our market. While the MB E series and Jetta’s pre Bluetec were perhaps the best offerings, the Jeep Liberty and MB’s new Bluetecs do not offer compelling reason to switch (terrible milage). Further more the price of diesel in the US seems artificially high compared to gas. There is no appetite in congress to take on big oil and with out a strong teamster’s union there clearly is pricing collaboration going on. I believe the true market for diesels will reveal itself with the introduction of the new Jetta. Perhaps with the Jetta’s success US carmakers will realize that there is a market here. I personally have been bitter about the lack of diesel offerings and the price fixing of diesel for years. If GM had just put the Duramax in the Suburban and Tahoe’s 5 years ago and tweaked them for high milage perhaps we would have more diesels in this country.
I suspect that the REAL rerason FORD will not bring the car to the USA or even consider building it here is UNION interference and foot dragging. Screw the Unions. They have become a hinderance to American competitive production in every sphere. It is time to either break them or force them to be reasonable in their demands. They are the WORKERS, not the owners, the brains behind the company and certainly not interested in others making a profit from their labor, sweat and chance taking. How do you spell—LEACHES.
I would by a ford focus diesel today.
automakers are pushing through with their plans to develop clean diesel engines for the United States auto market