Posted on 04/25/2018 6:52:04 PM PDT by 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.
(Excerpt) Read more at yahoo.com ...
So, it's no wonder self-driving cars are the future. Few people enjoy driving anymore. They'd rather be texting and watching two-minute YouTube videos.
But, me, I'm a dinosaur. I intend to keep on driving manual-transmission sedans to my grave.
It seems like a short term plan but in the long term, how do they regain any market share if cars make a comeback.
I also wonder if they will keep making Lincolns MKZ and Continental.
They sell a ton of Fusions. Maybe they are hoping people transition to the Lincoln MKZ
If they don’t make money on Fusions while the Camry-Accord-Altima do make money, Ford wisely may not want to compete.
It does look like mid- to large sedans will all be luxury status symbols with lower production volume and higher margins.
I had an Infiniti and now have an Acura. There is definitely a difference. I wanted an AWD MKZ but I couldn’t find one I liked. My wife had a Fusion and I thought it was a tad tawdry
I read your story once in another thread.
good thinking on your part.
:)
This story specifically talks about North America. If today’s Ford is anything like the Ford of old, they’ll still be making sedans for Europe. Then, if/when the market shifts, they should be able to change production over here, too.
Lincoln barely has a pulse. The Continental isn’t the hit they were hoping for. I would be surprised if they don’t get out of the sedan business, too. The all-new Navigator could make or break the brand.
I think I saw someone say you can get a basic, fairly bare truck if you go to the Fleet Services manager. They will sell you one.
You will probably know around the third year. It happens mostly around the edges of panels. Like the hood edge, quarter panel edges, hatch edges, etc. Looks a lot like the regular cancer you see on metal panels with the paint blistering and bubling. It goes on underneath the paint though.
*** “But, me, I’m a dinosaur. I intend to keep on driving manual-transmission sedans to my grave” ***
Tough to find Manual Rear Wheel Drive these days...
May have to build my own
It sure is.
THE ENDANGERED MANUAL TRANSMISSION – 2018 COMPREHENSIVE LIST OF MANUAL CARS AND SUVS
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