Ford to discontinue production of most US car models

[LithiumCobalt]

Fake news? I dunno. Seems like a strategy of possible bad consequences if tastes evolve and there is nothing in the pipeline to transition to....

https://techcrunch.com/2018/04/25/ford- ... us-active/

[action]

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/04/25/busi ... collection

>>>>>>>>>>>>Action

[Dan Szwarc]

It's not fake news (which is now the catch-all phrase for "I choose not to believe something because I disagree with it"). The moon landing was faked. The earth is flat. Thanks, idiots.

Ford is no longer investing in new car designs. Their current models will die on the vine.

The shift to electric has begun. Ford is maximizing profit with the trucks and SUVs because the sale of a sedan or coupe no longer is worth the sale compared to losing it altogether.
By eliminating the cars, and milking the profitable trucks and SUVs while they can, they can raise the funds needed to invest heavily in electric vehicles. China is driving this trend because of their 50s Los Angeles-like air quality.

This strategy is not described as such, but can be inferred from their press release.

The next Continental will have Continental Doors, too. And it will not be cheap.

[LithiumCobalt]

I am really indifferent what Ford does with their current car lineup because I wouldn’t buy any of them new or used anyways, save for the Mustang. The strategy seems quite bold for a company like Ford. What happens when/if preferences change abruptly and the truck market tanks for some reason? Sounds like they are betting big without contingency plans.

[Dan Szwarc]

From Ford's Press Release:

I am interested only is what Ford will have to offer that is a pure electric. 2020 to 2022 will be a fun time.

Also from the first link:

It’s likely Lincoln’s sedans will also disappear, though this was not explicitly stated in today’s press release. Lincoln currently sells the mid-size MKZ and full-size Continental — both share platforms with Ford counterparts. If Ford is phasing out development of sedan platforms, Lincoln will likely suffer, too.

[Dan Szwarc]

What happens when/if preferences change abruptly and the truck market tanks for some reason?

They are banking that gas prices will not skyrocket. No investment in smaller, more economic cars. Maximize profit now.

[papawayne]

I don't get it. I live in an area where there are lots and lots of Ford "cars" from the tiny little ones that I can't remember the names of them except for "Focus" to semi ancient TCs, CVs and GMs in various states of repair or disrepair (I personally own an 03 TC and a 97 GM, and an 01 Sable station wagon, two Priuses and an 84 Ranger, and probably something else, too. Oh yeah, an F150 yard truck of indeterminate year) I also see SUVs and the like on the road from time to time, but most of them are much newer. Maine has never been a wealthy state, it only attracts wealthy summer people (Some are people some are not). What will we buy to get to the grocery store to spend our EBT cards? We've always depended on the lower end of car prices around here, new or used. Wayne

[Dan Szwarc]

There will be small cars, just not as many to choose from.


Plus, used cars will always exist.

[badwf]

So according to the latest news, Ford is ceasing car production for North America to concentrate on SUVs and trucks by 2020, Exceptions to the decision will be the Mustang and Ford Focus which will continue to be sold in the North American market.

So does anyone know how the decision will affect Lincoln? Does that mean the Continental (and the announced suicide door version) is dead?

[ContiFan]

That remains to be seen. Back in 2014, Lincoln (in conjunction with Ford) announced the development of a new modular FWD/RWD/AWD "D6" platform to underpin future Lincoln models so the discontinuations of the U.S. Fusion and Taurus (latest generation Taurus wasn't even being sold here anyway) don't necessarily impact the MKZ or Continental. It really comes down to whether or not Ford feels that LINCOLN sedans have a future right now. Although a Ford spokesman recently stated (claimed) that the MKZ and Continental remain an "important part" of the Lincoln lineup, you can't be sure. The Continental is doing fairly well in China (nearly twice the sales of the U.S. so far this year) so I'd be surprised, although not shocked, if they decided to axe it. Even the MKZ has higher sales in China than here.

[Dan Szwarc]

Merged.

I have heard more that the Continental Doored version of the Continental is coming. They are going to lengthen the wheelbase by 3 inches (maybe to make room for the door hinges), and it is coming. It will not be cheap. Probably only in super-premium levels and trims.

I welcome this.

[TonyC]

So do I.

Personally, I think that they have been deliberately dumbing down cars for a while, to make room for the station wagons on truck platforms. I've seen an industry-wide dumbing down of a product for decades: Vinyl records that skip from the factory to promote CDs, video cassettes with half their length taken up with commercials to promote DVDs, DVDs with zero special features to promote BLU-RAY...

...now cars to promote truck-wagons. But, as long as they still hold onto the Continental at least for a bit longer...

---Tony

[elcad70]

My grandmother was born in 1892 and grew up with the advent of the horseless carriage. Before her death most families were using the family sedan for local and extended travel on well-designed roads and highways. My youngest grandson was born in 2008 and is now watching the advanced testing of “driverless” cars using GPS technology on our existing transport systems via his mobile phone.
Do you think his grandson will be looking to buy an “automobile”?

[papawayne]

The automobile, and particularly the internal combustion engine is about the only 100 plus year old technology that we still use on a daily basis. just about everything else has changed significantly or fairly significantly. Back in the 50s Popular Mechanics reported some dreaming, but sixty plus years have intervened. We are an intelligent species, we should have figured this out by now. Wayne

[linc64]

Lincoln is committed to sedans.

https://www.carscoops.com/2018/04/linco ... sion-drop/