Given the quality of the competition, many auto analysts believe, that's a long time to wait.

Auto analysts say the company would almost surely lose money during the last three months of 1990.

But most experienced auto analysts were still cool toward the stock.

But some auto analysts worried that those gains were not coming quickly enough.

A large decline in car orders may not mean much for future production, auto analysts said.

Ideas that might seem on the fringe today could be considered conventional in 2007, auto analysts say.

Still, most auto analysts applauded the moves for the long term.

Ford has not yet set a price for the Excursion, but auto analysts expect it to cost close to $50,000.

Auto analysts, however, said Ford was still suffering from waste in its programs to develop new vehicles.

Some auto analysts were cautious about the company's prospects in the fourth quarter.