[ZTWsquared]

OAC_Sparky,Aug 24 2008, 02:19 PM Wrote:The Flex is a polarizing design. Just like the Magnum, Avalanche, PT Cruiser, etc.

It's ok having a product that doesn't sell 200,000 a year of as long as that's not the only thing that is being built in the plant. It's not. Some people hated the Edge when it came out, predicted it would flop too. It didn't.  Word is that they're not pushing the Flex as hard yet because they're trying to purge the SUV stock sitting on the lot.
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Yeah I understand the manufacturing benefits of building a lower-volume, higher profit niche vehicle on the same line as a core product ... but that doesn't change the reality of the need to identify the target market, create a vehicle that meets the psychographics and demographics of that market, and then communicate appropriately with the identified market in such a way as to properly position the vehicle and create demand.

I'm in the business and I don't know who Ford is targetting for the Flex ... maybe its not at all appropriate for Canada ... maybe it's some strange subset of American society that venerates both Chip Foose and Funkmaster Flex .. all I know is that everyone I ask about it (both in the business and not) say "I don't know who might want a Flex ... but I know I'm not one of them."

If there's a target market out there for the Flex, it's not apparent who they are or what they want based on Ford's advertising and marketing.

IMO you should be able to sum up the market for a vehicle in one concise statement that says it all ... it's easy for Mustang, F-150, Ranger and Ford SUVs ... sort of easy for Focus, Edge, Fusion and Taurus X ... maybe it's just me ... but I just don't see it for Flex.