get your facts straight

Ford will not sell their 65-mpg Fiesta because it runs on diesel and they don’t think they could get enough money for it.

First of all, the engines are built in Britain, so labor costs are high. Plus the pound remains stronger than the greenback. At prevailing exchange rates, the Fiesta ECOnetic would sell for about $25,700 in the U.S. By contrast, the Prius typically goes for about $24,000. A $1,300 tax deduction available to buyers of new diesel cars could bring the price of the Fiesta to around $24,400. But Ford doesn’t believe it could charge enough to make money on an imported ECOnetic.

Okay, here’s something I learned in July: despite list prices, new Priuses sell for $27,000 – $32,000, and new Camry or Escape Hybrids can cost as much as $40,000. So trust me, Ford Motor Group, this would sell just fine in the U.S., even with $4/gallon diesel.