US Car Makers bet that Smaller is Better

FEEL LUCKY?

Bets are on the table as General Motors and Ford revealed their comeback strategy “smaller cars” at this year’s Detroit auto show. Will cars such as the redesigned 2012 Ford Focus do the trick k is yet to be seen.

Ford and GM are offering a range of high- and low-end versions of the new cars. At the high end, Ford wants to offer consumers “inspirational” small cars that appeal to affluent buyers, says Jim Farley, Ford’s Motor Co.’s group vice president of global marketing. “If you look at small cars over $16,000, [the Honda] Civic is the market leader,” Farley says. “We intend to be deadly serious about competing for the small group of customers at the very high end of the segment by offering them features and series that they have never seen from Ford.”