Keep in mind when Ford used to promote common automobiles? Technically, it nonetheless does, however the Mustang is a distinct segment mannequin, and the Taurus pictured right here is restricted to only a handful of markets. Nonetheless, the Blue Oval plans to launch new merchandise that aren’t vans, SUVs, or vans. That promise comes from William Clay Ford Jr., great-grandson of firm founder Henry Ford, and the manager chairman since 2006.
In an interview with Autocar, “Invoice” Ford admitted the corporate is significantly missing in common automobile choices after discontinuing the Ka, Fiesta, Focus, Fusion, and so on: “On the passenger automobile facet, we notice we’re not as sturdy as we should be.” He added there’s a plan to repair that hole within the lineup: “We’re engaged on our future technique proper now. However I feel you’ll be stunned—pleasantly stunned—by what’s coming.”
Photograph by: Ford
It’s too quickly to say if any of those new automobiles will attain North America. Rumors as soon as swirled a couple of four-door Mustang sedan, internally nicknamed “Mach 4,” however Ford by no means confirmed it. In Europe, nevertheless, a current Automobilwoche report claimed sellers have already been advised new automobiles are coming. With Ford backtracking on its plan to go electric-only on the continent by 2030, the brand new fashions will possible use combustion engines. It might be a logical transfer given how the Explorer and Capri EVs have struggled in gross sales.
Talking of VW-based merchandise, extra may very well be within the works. Martin Sanders, VW’s gross sales and advertising and marketing boss (and Ford of Europe’s chief till final yr), hinted at additional collaboration: “[We] don’t need to rule out that there are future alternatives right here to share know-how once more.” It’s unclear whether or not he was referring to extra electrical automobiles on VW’s MEB platform or gas-powered automobiles on the MQB structure.
Both method, Ford’s resolution to deliver again passenger automobiles marks a shift from CEO Jim Farley’s assertion final yr. On the time, he mentioned Ford was “getting out of the boring-car enterprise and into the iconic-vehicle enterprise.” The “boring” record was made up of automobiles that Farley admitted have been “beloved by a variety of clients, however they might by no means justify extra capital allocation—in contrast to business automobiles.”
In brief, Ford wasn’t making sufficient cash on them, so it lower them to double down on high-margin vans and different worthwhile segments. For the brand new fashions, the mathematics will presumably work in Ford’s favor. Whether or not they’ll take a shortcut by way of the VW route stays to be seen, however one factor is obvious: automobiles are coming again.
