Postscript to Experiment 004

Yes, I was surprised that Ford kept Mercury alive this long; they only have two models for 2010, two: the Milan is just a Fusion and the ... Mariner is just an Escape. You see, like your girlfriend, Mercury is so forgettable that I could not entirely remember the names of both models!

The most-successful automaker in the world has only two divisions or sub-brands: one full-line brand (offering a vehicle for every market segment), and one luxury brand, i.e., Toyota is the full-line brand and Lexus is the luxury brand. The Volkswagen Group currently has the most divisions of any automaker, as they own brands in many countries and many luxury brands.

Besides a perception of being lower quality and too much reliance on profits from trucks and SUVs, the Big Three (Chrysler, Ford, and General Motors) had an over-saturation of products and competition among their sub-brands.

For instance, the fifth-generation Chevrolet Malibu, which my sister drives, is N platform, which was shared with the Pontiac Grand Am and the Oldsmobile Alero. Now trying to spread development costs by selling a car under multiple brands does make some sense, but GM simply had too many brands, brands that competed against each other and did not differentiate the product enough, which is why GM dissolved Oldsmobile in 2002.

Yeah, they were basically selling the same car as three different models, which often overlapped in the market! GM tried to make each of divisions, except Cadillac, Hummer, and Saab, into a full-line brand, which hastened the demise of Pontiac and Saturn.

With Ford these problems existed as well, but they managed to stave off bankruptcy. No, the problem with Mercury is largely with brand identity: what distinguishes Mercury. Thus Mercury will be folded.

Okay, I have not defined the experiment and I only discussed the USDM, I concede. But I believe that the experiment is self-evident. I will not attempt to force every post into a previously used series, but I wanted to speak about more than just Mercury.

I had wanted to follow up with some status updates:

About 11 hours ago

Christopher Hurt is still waiting for The Daily Show to be funny... yeah... at least the interview should be worthwhile, correct?

One of my friends responded, “The Daily Show is always funny,” a statement with which I obviously disagree. I should have qualified that I meant that specific episode.

About 11 hours ago Christopher Hurt

Incorrect, “Top Gear” is always funny, chiefly because the car show is British — WOW, they just used the LF-A in a Lexus ad!

However, the interview with Morgan Freeman was worthwhile after all.

About 9 hours ago David

Are British cars funny?

About an hour ago Christopher Hurt

Well, the right-hand drive (RHD) is different, but the Japanese also use RHD, as opposed to left-hand drive in this country. The car show is British, not necessarily the cars, although often the cars are British, but almost any marketed car can be engineered for RHD and must be in order to be sold in the U.K.. Laws in the U.K. do permit for LHD cars to be driven, but most cars are RHD.

How was I able to mention Top Gear and funny British cars and to forget the Morris Marina?

About 10 hours ago

Christopher Hurt should remember more than one version of a joke exists.

About 9 hours ago David

Knock-Knock
Whose there?
What do you mean who's there, you jerk off! You know me!
I...uhh...I thought you were telling a joke.

That status actually followed up with some comments I made in response to a status:

About 10 hours ago

Christopher Hurt is going to laugh at that and not attempt to argue about physics or about the psychological— IMPACT!

Okay, okay, okay, the last thing through a bug’s mind is actually its arse.

Okay, Okay, okay, there are different versions...
(slides back, under rock)

About 9 hours ago David

You’re going 70 or so mph down the highway and your windshild hits a bug. No matter where the bug keeps it’s brain, the rest of it’s body can and might actually will touch it during the impact. Hopefully for the bug’s sake, it’s dead by that time so it doesn’t have to think about the mess left all over it’s body. It can think about more important matters...like reincarnations/or bug after life. Or maybe not getting eaten by a bird tonigOUCH!
You know, something like that

That was what I was thinking. After the heavy rains of Tropical Storm Agatha, Guatemala City had a large, deep sink hole. I responded to Hannah, who wondered if anyone had been injured or why she had not heard on the news:

Yesterday at 2:52 p.m. Christopher Hurt

Fry: “What do we care? We live in the United States.”
Leela: “The United States is part of the world.”
Fry: “Wow, I have been gone a long time.”

http://www.gotfuturama.com/Multimedia/EpisodeSounds/2ACV03/

(slides back, under rock, yet above ground)

I have yet to follow Twitter today or to look at any blogs. I would like to see a book titled Statistics, but about a loft.