Ford has made small cars like that continuously for the last 25 years. They just haven't consistently tried to sell them in the American market.

The Fiesta picture has a European plate on it. Ford made more money selling trucks and SUVs so they kept doing it. They could make that Fiesta here.

Hell they could make that new Focus RS here too: 2.5 liter turbocharged, 300 bph, and will still get 25-30 mpg. But they won't. Ford still thinks Americans want trucks.

No! Read the article. Ford thinks Americans are changing their buying habits. So they're planning to make the Fiesta and the Focus for this market.

It's all about "rising gas prices," whatever that means. All this complex economics talk is way over my head.

'It's all about "rising gas prices,"'

That's still what I mean. Were it not for the gas prices, Ford thinks Americans would want trucks.

Meanwhile, Subaru has been making a killing off the WRX for years. Mazda 3s are everywhere as is the Toyota Matrix. And there cars were purchased before gas was so oppressively expensive.

That's the problem. Ford thinks Americans WANT trucks, but won't buy them now because of gas prices. This makes them years too late for repositioning themselves in the market.

The way Ford has made small cars previously, all the US manufacturers, in fact, was as a cheat for their fleet CAFE standards. The small cars have been the cheapest, crappiest constuction economy cars they could make. (see Geo Metro). That why American never bought them to any large extent. To get a decent American car you had to get a bigger car.

In Europe, the small cars have been well constructed, well appointed, good cars. Will Ford make their small cars in the US like that now? We'll see.

I used to roll around in a Ford Festiva...ahh, the heady days of yore.

Dane owned a Ford Focus when I met him.

I married him anyway.

I hear you. Ford thinks Americans want Magnums. But they're so 2002.

I believe that pint-sized prowler could be my batman.

However, not funny. Next!