Ford "Core Brand" Sales Up 4.6 Percent In July, Volvo Down 33 Percent
Ford may have beat its July 2009 number last month, but sales at the Blue Oval brand still fell compared to the month before. Perhaps more embarrassing still is the fact that the recently-canceled Mercury brand managed to move more volume than Lincoln, despite the fact that both brands underperformed compared to both June 2010 and July 2009.
In fact, the only Mercury nameplate that saw year-over-year sales growth last month was Mountaineer, which improved by 73 units (18 percent). On the Lincoln front, the MKZ saw a 3.8 percent improvement (to 1,590 units), while Navigator improved by 116 units. And in its last month under Ford Control, Volvo tanked 33 percent, with only the XC60 (+48.2%, 1,129 units) and S80 (+66 units) growing at all. But then, we’re used to seeing Ford’s luxury offerings fall flat, only to be rescued by the Ford brand, and last month was no exception. Fiesta is ramping up, hitting 3,349 units, F-150 grew nearly 40 percent to 50,449, Taurus hit 5,046 units, and Explorer charged to 4,763 units. Transit Connect had a relatively good month at 2,633 units, and Edge edged up to 9,342, but Focus (-29.4, 15,417 units), Escape (-27.4%, 13,689 units) and Ranger (-32.3%, 5,213 units) all failed to hit their Cash-For-Clunker-boosted July 2009 levels.
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Nullo, Point taken, and I'd like to add that I find your posts to be at least coherent and well-written. I also understand your frustration with *ahem* the "other poster" - I think many on TTAC feel the same way. I'd also like to retract my "zero credibility" remark as it pertained to you. Perhaps too harsh considering your familiarity with Ford products. I do take issue, however, with your assertion that your "goal is only to make sure that the truth and facts are known." Statements such as "The MKS absolutely competes with, and in fact destroys, the Genesis" (Destroys??) and "a heavily revised MKX coming out next month that is superior to the RX and the MDX in every way" (In EVERY way?? Really??) are not factual at all . It is opinion bordering on hyperbole, and when you start spouting things like that you diminish your otherwise valid points re: the competitiveness of Ford products. Don't post down to the level of Z71.
Trust a shill/troll or Edmunds? Remember the mission of this site? The TRUTH! about cars! Edmunds, in effect, states that the MKS is not really competitive (other than price wise) with any number of similarly priced and even some lower priced cars: ....Besides the aforementioned and highly regarded Hyundai Genesis (V8 or V6) or more prestigious Cadillac CTS, Jaguar XF or Mercedes-Benz E-Class, you could also do better (and spend less) with cars like the Acura TL SH-AWD or Volkswagen CC VR6 4Motion. Even affordable front-wheel-drive cruisers like the Hyundai Azera and Toyota Avalon could be considered as viable alternatives to the base MKS. In short, it takes more than a tarted-up Taurus to do battle with some of the world's best all-around sedans.... ...The 2010 Lincoln MKS drives like what it is: a really expensive Ford Taurus. In fact, the base MKS with its 3.7-liter V6 would have trouble keeping up with a Ford Fusion SEL V6, and its coarse noises aren't exactly what buyers with $40,000-plus budgets are hoping to hear. The twin-turbocharged engine is far more satisfying from a driving standpoint. When taken on a curvy road, the MKS's handling is a letdown, feeling dull and overly soft. Yet this softness doesn't translate into comfort, as the MKS is in fact rather firm-riding. It's the worst of both worlds -- rides like a sport sedan, handles like a boat...... http://www.edmunds.com/lincoln/mks/2010/review.html The last line was Edmund's concluding line. Read that or any number of reviews, the MKS is bottom drawer. If consistency is a virtue, at least it is representative of the Lincoln line.