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All the car blogs lately have been speculating on the direction that the Ford Motor Company is going to take in the wake of declining sales and stiff competition. We know that Ford has too much capacity and we know that the company will be closing some key plants and laying off an as yet to be determined number of employees. What hadnt been clear is which models would be cut from the line up. Now, it appears that Ford will exit the lucrative minivan market. Thats right, Ford apparently will stick with building cars, trucks, and SUVs, and leave the minivan market to the other players.

Ever since the Chrysler Corporation invented the minivan market back in the early 1980s with its line of K-car derived minivans the Dodge Caravan, Plymouth Voyager, and the Chrysler Town & Country Ford has been playing catch up. Indeed, a series of forgettable star named minivans were served up by Ford and summarily rejected by consumers: the Aerostar, Windstar, and the Freestar. Later, both Honda and Toyota brought out their own entries and Ford, along with Chevrolet found themselves trailing badly in an overcrowded segment. Indeed, several GM divisions sell minivans, as does Kia and Nissan, making the market especially tight.

Should Ford decide to go ahead with plans to ditch the minivan market, it wouldnt be a complete retreat. For one, many consumers prefer the automakers popular Ford Explorer SUV while its all wheel drive Freestyle wagon/crossover competes well too. Finally, another vehicle the Edge will soon make its debut and likely pull many minivan customers over. The Edge will be yet another crossover vehicle somewhat of a SUV/wagon hybrid and fill the need for consumers.

Yes, Ford appears ready to ditch the minivan market. No loss to consumers and probably a smart move for the beleaguered automaker.

Tags: Aerostar, Automaker, Automakers, Building Cars, Chrysler Corporation, Chrysler Minivan, Chrysler Town, Country Ford, Crossover Vehicle, Dodge Caravan, Ford Explorer, Ford Motor, Ford Motor Company, Freestar, Gm Divisions, Minivan Market, Minivans, Plymouth Voyager, Smart Move, Stiff Competition

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German cars have long been recognized as some of the best engineered and most luxurious cars in the world. Two manufacturers, BMW and Mercedes, rule the roost with offerings from Audi, Porsche, and even Volkswagen getting some attention. Lets take a look at some current offerings from these Bavarian giants and see how they are impacting the auto industry.

BMW Give BMW credit for moving outside of the box by building a plant in South Carolina. Opened in 1994, the Spartanburg, SC plant has produced the Z3 now Z4 roadster as well as the X5 SAV. Seeking to become more of a world player, BMW has also purchased controlling interest in other automakers including Rolls-Royce and Rover during the 1990s. Later, BMW sold off the Rover and MG portions of Rover, but has kept the Mini brand.

BMW vehicles are well represented in the US. Coupes, sedans, convertibles, roadsters, and SUVs make up the American fleet with new cars at various stages of development being prepared for release.

Mercedes Benz As part of the Daimler Chrysler fold, Mercedes Benz has been producing high quality automobiles for over a century. In 1998, seeking to expand its reach, Daimler Chrysler [DCX] bought out the Chrysler Corporation. Names such as Chrysler, Dodge, Plymouth, Jeep, and Mopar became part of the DCX fold, although Plymouth was discontinued a few years later.

The Mercedes Benz name is synonymous with luxury vehicles and in the US the company is well represented by a host of sedans, coupes, convertibles, tall wagons, SUVs, roadsters, and other fine vehicles.

Owners of BMWs and Mercedes Benz do have some things in common: vehicle maintenance. As high end vehicles, the automakers are noted for equipping their cars with only the finest OEM parts. Well represented manufacturers used by both companies include: Bosch, Hella, Mahle, Textar, Brembo, Bilstein, Febi, SKF, and others. Most are German born and bred and are recognized the world over for producing the highest quality parts for auto manufacturers.

Replacement auto parts purchased through dealer parts departments are priced at a premium. When you take into consideration any tariffs, import fees, and third party mark ups, consumers can expect to pay a mint for each part. The growing internet wholesale market has been changing the paradigm lately as companies such as Car Parts Stuff are selling direct to consumers. The better online wholesalers have lowered costs significantly as overhead is low and they buy direct from leading manufacturers. This translates into real savings for you, the consumer.

When purchasing any parts for your luxury car, always determine that the parts you order meet or exceed OEM specifications. There are a lot of counterfeit parts on the market; shop wisely and you will get premium parts at low prices.

Tags: American Fleet, Audi Porsche, Bmw Vehicles, Chrysler Corporation, Chrysler Dodge, Corporation Names, Current Offerings, Daimler Benz, Daimler Chrysler, Febi, German Cars, German Vehicles, Luxurious Cars, Mercedes Benz, Mercedes Rule, Oem Parts, Plymouth Jeep, Quality Automobiles, Rule The Roost, Sedans Coupes

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