Chat & Social > The Bar - General Chat

..and so the truth is out.

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Eeyore:

--- Quote from: "M Thomas" ---Surely at the end of the day Ford will put reliability into LR products as is now evident in the new D3. A LR that doesn't break down - that must be a good thing.

The D3 is a Disco as the Ford designers see it. It's a Discovery and a Ford Explorer rolled into one. It even has the same type of knob to select the driving style.
--- End quote ---


Popular misconception, I'm afraid. Ford stumped up the cash, LR stumped up the product engineering. Ford have this excellent concept of letting niche vehicles develop and prove technologies before they roll 'em out to the parent business. Ever wondered why the Jag XK went aluminium?

Actually, I will have to conceed that Ford US did undertake final sign-off of both D3 and RRS, but as purse string holders, I would expect that.

And as for reliability. Have you seen any of the data from Fs 150, 250 and 350? The US car buyers pay third world money and unfortunately tolerate third world quality.

Okay. I'll accept that there are some similar styling cues accross vehicles, but only in the same way that Opels now look like Renualts and Nissans look like Toyotas and BMWs look like a dogs dinner.  :wink:

cheers
 8)
Eeyore

Karen696:

--- Quote from: "thermidorthelobster" ---
I don't agree.  Land Rover is a very strong brand.  They are great at marketing.  The marque has value to Ford in several areas:  the brand itself, the engineering & design capabilities, the customer base (which is as loyal as they come) and the physical assets.  Of these, only the physical assets and the engineering are valuable to Ford if they assimilate them.  By getting rid of Land Rover as we know it, they'd be throwing out the customer base and the brand, which is the major part of the value of the company.  Ford knows this as well as anybody.
--- End quote ---


The physical asserts aren't worth much.

The technology has already been taken by BMW and then Ford in turn.

What is left is the badge.

You only have to look at the freelanders and the new disco to see that Ford like BMW before them want to sell "Landrovers" to people who want the badge not the real thing.

Take a moment to look at Ford's latest billboard adverts for the new (latest?) fiesta - with its marketing line boldy displayed "Forget about MPG - its got MP3".  

(So has my landy, but I wouldn't try to sell it on that basis.)

And this is the type of consumer that Ford's marketing people are interested in.  Unfortunately they are the same crowd as love a bit of 'bling' and dress only in clothes that have the right 'label'.  

Even cheap copies with the right designer label sell to that kind of consumer.

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