Business Ford to stop selling every car in North America but the Mustang and Focus Active

yahoo business ^ | 4.25.18 | Matt Burns

[central_va]

Ford today announced it will phase out most cars it sells in North America. According to its latest financial release, the auto giant will "will transition to two vehicles" being the Mustang and an unannounced vehicle, the Focus Active, as the only traditional cars it sells in the region. Ford sees 90 percent of its North America portfolio in trucks, utilities and commercial vehicles. Citing a reduction in consumer demand and product profitability, Ford is in turn not investing into the next generation sedans. The Taurus is no more.

[Noumenon]

“I own the F150 too as my “piss of liberals with my gas guzzler” vehicle.”

My Yukon XL Denali serves nicely in that capacity. A up raised digitus impudicus in their general direction.

[Sybeck1]

So Dodge gets the LEO market?

[grey_whiskers]

Ford Trabant

+1

[roadcat]

Didn’t they get rid of station wagons and replace them with minivans and SUVs?

http://www.autos.com/car-buying/understanding-luxury-car-tax-and-why-the-rate-is-different

The luxury auto tax of the 1990s put an extra 10 percent tax on autos over $30,000. Station wagons often cost 20 percent more than sedans and were priced higher, making them luxury items.

"However, the tax was applicable only to cars and was not levied on pickup trucks, vans or SUVs as these were considered to be primarily business vehicles for tax purposes."

Lots of people switched to the cheaper SUVs and trucks. That luxury tax is gone now, but the damage was done to station wagons.

[grey_whiskers]

That car looks like it ought to belong to the police force for Port Asbestos, near Possum Lodge. /Red Green>

[jjotto]

Wagons are making a small comeback!

See Buick Regal TourX. Also VW and Audi, and Volvo, and even a Jaguar Sportbrake.

[A Formerly Proud Canadian]

That is an honest to goodness 'Sûreté du Québec' (Quebec Provincial Police) cruiser, circa 1980s. Overall, I don't think they would have done well as a pursuit vehicle. They might have been OK as pursuit vehicle in the winter, being FWD, when most other vehicles were RWD.

Here is a funny advert from Midas Muffler concerning a winter 'Canadian police chase' that kinda ties to my comment: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=n6pzDrxxROQ. Enjoy!

[Myrddin]

Since moving to Idaho, I switched from Saturn cars that were perfect in San Diego to F150 4x4 SuperCab/CrewCab that are perfect for Idaho. My 1999 F150 SuperCab has 64000 miles on the odometer. I purchased it used in 2003 with 20,000 miles on the odometer. The only serious work since purchase was replacement of a fuel pump damage by -28F temperatures. The 2015 F150 4x4 SuperCrew meets my needs for 5 passengers or my dogs. It replaces a 2003 Escape 4x4 V6 and 2008 Mercury Mariner Hybrid. The new Escapes were too small, so we opted for the 4 door F150 with EcoBoost engine. 15 to 25 MPG depending on conditions.

[avenir]

Will a 3 series wagon do?

[Kartographer]

The wife and I like watch old reruns of the original Hawaii 5 O, Some times I can help but crack a smile we I see Steve squealing off in his big Merc!

[Myrddin]

My F150 trucks meet my 4 wheel needs. I don't have long distance travel requirements. I have 9 motorcycles. Every one of them delivers better than 40 MPG. The recent Yamaha SR400 gets 66 MPG on 87 octane gas. I'm still breaking in the new engine. Top speed of 95 MPH. It's a fine little commuter. Perfect for city streets and country roads. For freeways, I have a Yamaha Roadliner, Harley Fat Bob, Kawasaki Versys, Harley Sportster and Kawasaki VN900 in order of preference for long haul trips. My wife has a Honda CTX700 that yield 61 MPG. Her Piaggio BV500 yields near 66 MPG too. I keep a Yamaha TW200 dual sport bike for street/offroad. Top speed is only 59 MPH, but it is very fine on the dirt. Suffice to say, 2 wheels for economy travel, 4 wheels for necessary hauling.

[HANG THE EXPENSE]

The state patrol mustangs in georgia had cages in the back seat so they could transport the offender.I have a neighbor who bought one from the GSP years ago and still drives it cage and all.She wont sell it and believe me I have tried.

[glock rocks]

We buy Focus interceptors, and Camrys. Guess which the agents prefer. Duh.

[Secret Agent Man]

Nota real big fan of the aluminum panels. The one panel on my truck got screwed up because some metal flakes contaminated it and dissimilar metals cause paint bubbling/oxidation. It happened at the factory and it was not comsidered a defect despite Ford knowing for years of this manufacturing problem.

Not all body shops do aluminum repair either.

[Secret Agent Man]

Nope. They are not. Most models you can adjust exactly where you want the pedals.

[Secret Agent Man]

Explorer is a big truck suv, its a strong seller and its staying long term. bigger than edge, smaller than excursion, its just right.

[Secret Agent Man]

The reason the new ranger is bigger is: quad cab.

Nw if they make a verson with just 1 row of seats, it could be back to what we regard as clasic ranger sizes.

[Secret Agent Man]

These new escapes, since 2011, are built on the focus platform. Killed us as escape owners.

[Pontiac]

I have a neighbor who bought one from the GSP years ago and still drives it cage and all.

Interesting.

Usually when the state auctions off police cars the state requires the auction house to remove all police equipment and decals that identify the car as LEO.

Maybe the cage was exempted or overlooked because it was difficult to remove.

[Secret Agent Man]

I think the turn radius for that aircraft carrier was such that it could only be driven safely on the bg island.