Should Singapore Bring in Ford Focus ST Wagon?

[Sdf4786k]

18 minutes ago, Zxcvb said:

 

When buying continental cars, why must keep mentioning US or Europe?? No need think so far, Ford have factories all over the world, even Taiwan got 1. In South East Asia - Vietnam and Thailand have Ford production plants. We can easily source the parts from there. 

I've been researching our neighbours' automotive industry during this period. Just realised Singapore is like a zero in this field with no relevant field nor industry. What are we teaching our students in Engineering at tertiary institutions??

are you even singaporean ?

https://www.straitstimes.com/lifestyle/motoring/singapores-first-supercar-unveiled-at-geneva-motor-show

🙂

Edited July 9, 2020 by Sdf4786k

[Mkl22]

1 hour ago, Zxcvb said:

 

When buying continental cars, why must keep mentioning US or Europe?? No need think so far, Ford have factories all over the world, even Taiwan got 1. In South East Asia - Vietnam and Thailand have Ford production plants. We can easily source the parts from there. 

I've been researching our neighbours' automotive industry during this period. Just realised Singapore is like a zero in this field with no relevant field nor industry. What are we teaching our students in Engineering at tertiary institutions??

still need to ship in regardless. the point is for bread and butter cars. just buy whatever is common locally. it is meant as a transport, not a liability or cause more headaches.

Edited July 9, 2020 by Mkl22

[Lethalstrike]

5 hours ago, Zxcvb said:

 

When buying continental cars, why must keep mentioning US or Europe?? No need think so far, Ford have factories all over the world, even Taiwan got 1. In South East Asia - Vietnam and Thailand have Ford production plants. We can easily source the parts from there. 

I've been researching our neighbours' automotive industry during this period. Just realised Singapore is like a zero in this field with no relevant field nor industry. What are we teaching our students in Engineering at tertiary institutions??

Now that you mentioned about automotive industry here in Singapore, we used to have quite a number of car factories here back in our earlier days until late 1960s. Ford, Mercedes assembly line (Cycle & Carriage) etc. We even had a Bridgestone tire factory here, until its not longer viable as government removed the tariffs for imported tires.

Fast forward today, we almost had Dyson setting up their electric car factory here 2 years back. But somehow things didn't happen and I'm more inclined to think its Dyson who pulled the plug as SG is more than happy to make the necessary concessions for this to happen. 

You would be asking why no major manufacturers want to start a car factory here? On paper, we had free trade agreements (FTAs) with a lot of our neighbours and logically, it should reduce the prices of cars being manufactured and exported out from here. The answer lies in our high labour costs, land costs, infrastructure costs and the lack of a supporting supply chain (SMEs producing components to supply to the automakers). Most importantly, there isn't a big enough local market for a manufacturer to sell to domestically here, they are better off in the bigger South-East Asian countries. 

If you look at Thailand, it's clear what we're lacking in order for a mass market automaker to remain profitable by setting up a factory here. What stands out is the high % of local content within the cars manufactured in Thailand, its part of Thailand's government initiatives to grow and support their own industries, while the manufacturers enjoy government tax breaks and a certain stability in their local supply chain. 

In this day and age, I think its still viable for SG to have a auto factory here. But it has to be a niche and high end segment kind of end product, where the higher profitability makes it possible for a smaller scale of production, overlooking our cost disadvantages and to make use of the advantages of the FTAs we had with the targeted markets. Most importantly, if you had a high tech automotive product, you better be sure your intellectual property is well protected. SG has this advantage. 

Having said that, I've always like the Ford Focus, very very decent handling in its class. But a wagon body style has always been a European preference, not a South-East Asian one. 

 

 

 

 

Edited July 9, 2020 by Lethalstrike

[inlinesix]

12 hours ago, Lethalstrike said:

Now that you mentioned about automotive industry here in Singapore, we used to have quite a number of car factories here back in our earlier days until late 1960s. Ford, Mercedes assembly line (Cycle & Carriage) etc. We even had a Bridgestone tire factory here, until its not longer viable as government removed the tariffs for imported tires.

Fast forward today, we almost had Dyson setting up their electric car factory here 2 years back. But somehow things didn't happen and I'm more inclined to think its Dyson who pulled the plug as SG is more than happy to make the necessary concessions for this to happen. 

You would be asking why no major manufacturers want to start a car factory here? On paper, we had free trade agreements (FTAs) with a lot of our neighbours and logically, it should reduce the prices of cars being manufactured and exported out from here. The answer lies in our high labour costs, land costs, infrastructure costs and the lack of a supporting supply chain (SMEs producing components to supply to the automakers). Most importantly, there isn't a big enough local market for a manufacturer to sell to domestically here, they are better off in the bigger South-East Asian countries. 

If you look at Thailand, it's clear what we're lacking in order for a mass market automaker to remain profitable by setting up a factory here. What stands out is the high % of local content within the cars manufactured in Thailand, its part of Thailand's government initiatives to grow and support their own industries, while the manufacturers enjoy government tax breaks and a certain stability in their local supply chain. 

In this day and age, I think its still viable for SG to have a auto factory here. But it has to be a niche and high end segment kind of end product, where the higher profitability makes it possible for a smaller scale of production, overlooking our cost disadvantages and to make use of the advantages of the FTAs we had with the targeted markets. Most importantly, if you had a high tech automotive product, you better be sure your intellectual property is well protected. SG has this advantage. 

Having said that, I've always like the Ford Focus, very very decent handling in its class. But a wagon body style has always been a European preference, not a South-East Asian one. 

It is only possible with electric car.

Sadly, we don't have large supply of battery here.

The only reason Dyson cancel its EV dream is car sales in China is dipping.

[Brass]

2 hours ago, inlinesix said:

It is only possible with electric car.

Sadly, we don't have large supply of battery here.

The only reason Dyson cancel its EV dream is car sales in China is dipping.

R&D is still very possible.

Of all companies, CCS mentioned in his address to Singaporeans that HMC has R&D and  design operations in Singapore, which is certainly a good thing.

Local assembly is only possible if Government impose heavy taxes on CBU vehicles.

So like if HMC will establish a production plant, a 45k Elantra is possible, being locally assembled, while a Corolla will be priced at 100k for being CBU.

 

[inlinesix]

36 minutes ago, Brass said:

R&D is still very possible.

Of all companies, CCS mentioned in his address to Singaporeans that HMC has R&D and  design operations in Singapore, which is certainly a good thing.

Local assembly is only possible if Government impose heavy taxes on CBU vehicles.

So like if HMC will establish a production plant, a 45k Elantra is possible, being locally assembled, while a Corolla will be priced at 100k for being CBU.

No point ICE assembly here.  Too late to develop the necessary workforce.

If tariff protection is required, just forget about.

 

[Volvobrick]

21 hours ago, Zxcvb said:

 

When buying continental cars, why must keep mentioning US or Europe?? No need think so far, Ford have factories all over the world, even Taiwan got 1. In South East Asia - Vietnam and Thailand have Ford production plants. We can easily source the parts from there. 

I've been researching our neighbours' automotive industry during this period. Just realised Singapore is like a zero in this field with no relevant field nor industry. What are we teaching our students in Engineering at tertiary institutions??

Cos govt realised, making cars only 4, 5% profits. Manufacture COE 100% profits and 100% of the market! 

In schools, just need to teach how to take care of their Grab cars suffice. 

 

 

[Sdf4786k]

7 hours ago, Brass said:

R&D is still very possible.

Of all companies, CCS mentioned in his address to Singaporeans that HMC has R&D and  design operations in Singapore, which is certainly a good thing.

Local assembly is only possible if Government impose heavy taxes on CBU vehicles.

So like if HMC will establish a production plant, a 45k Elantra is possible, being locally assembled, while a Corolla will be priced at 100k for being CBU.

 

I heard sunny dale also setup shop in HMC

[Brass]

10 minutes ago, Sdf4786k said:

I heard sunny dale also setup shop in HMC

What Sunny Dale?

[Brass]

7 hours ago, inlinesix said:

No point ICE assembly here.  Too late to develop the necessary workforce.

If tariff protection is required, just forget about.

 

Tariffs are necessary. There is almost no country with a successful car industry which did not practice protectionism in the budding stages.

South Korea and Japan were notorious for this. Of course Europe also, but not that bad, considering the only opponent is the US in their early stages of building cars.

Malaysia is considered lax for such protectionism.

Edited July 10, 2020 by Brass

[Soya]

16 hours ago, Brass said:

Malaysia is considered lax for such protectionism

During laoma's reign last time, tariffs were high to protect Proton which landed up looking artificially cheap n as a result, had no incentive to improve as it simply sold on price

After ah jib kor came to power, then the tariffs were significantly reduced probably becoz the cronies damn sian everyday drive Proton

 

 

[inlinesix]

1 hour ago, Soya said:

During laoma's reign last time, tariffs were high to protect Proton which landed up looking artificially cheap n as a result, had no incentive to improve as it simply sold on price

After ah jib kor came to power, then the tariffs were significantly reduced probably becoz the cronies damn sian everyday drive Proton

Perodua is better than Proton

[BanCoe]

Ford Sg is losing lustre .... the showroom dingy n dated n many salesperson left , my friend even sold off his 4 year old Kuga ( scared later got parts issue back up  ) Bought 130K sold at 60K and bought a Jap car .......... I think, principal is not supportive becos of small market here ..... only Mustangs selling a little 

[Brass]

2 hours ago, BanCoe said:

Ford Sg is losing lustre .... the showroom dingy n dated n many salesperson left , my friend even sold off his 4 year old Kuga ( scared later got parts issue back up  ) Bought 130K sold at 60K and bought a Jap car .......... I think, principal is not supportive becos of small market here ..... only Mustangs selling a little 

Why your friend made such a decision is out of the world to me.

I think he took this chance to get a new car, above everything else.

But 130k is not really a good deal given that there were also Korean and Japs to buy at that price in 2016.

[BanCoe]

6 hours ago, Brass said:

Why your friend made such a decision is out of the world to me.

I think he took this chance to get a new car, above everything else.

But 130k is not really a good deal given that there were also Korean and Japs to buy at that price in 2016.

I did not ask him the nitty gritty As to why he is selling at such a loss ( he told me his COE is was 56k back then and his ex car was a Ford too and prior to that again a Ford , likely a Ford die hard fan 

[Sdf4786k]

On 7/12/2020 at 5:21 AM, BanCoe said:

I did not ask him the nitty gritty As to why he is selling at such a loss ( he told me his COE is was 56k back then and his ex car was a Ford too and prior to that again a Ford , likely a Ford die hard fan 

If his ex and him are still together, wont the wife be upset when she read this forum?🤣

 

Edited July 17, 2020 by Sdf4786k

[Gz0707]

On 7/9/2020 at 12:22 PM, Sdf4786k said:

The Hyundai i30 wagon seems to be good and is DCT. But if you go to the service center, many still compliant of glitch after software update

Not really ... I had a software upgrade once and everything runs fine on my 2 year old i30 wagon now.  I drove a ford focus MK 2 for full 10 years, very nice handling car. But no, this new wagon is not very well designed, but would love to handle a Ford again ... 

[BanCoe]

1 hour ago, Sdf4786k said:

If his ex and him are still together, wont the wife be upset when she read this forum?🤣

 

In Singapore 🇸🇬 context you can have 2 wives one of which can be a car 🤣🤣