Winston
Lorenzo von Matterhorn
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Ford to stop selling every car in North America but the Mustang and Focus Active
https://techcrunch.com/2018/04/25/f...rth-america-but-the-mustang-and-focus-active/
Ford today announced it will phase out most cars it sells in North America. According to its latest financial release, the auto giant will transition to two vehicles the Mustang and an unannounced vehicle, the Focus Active, being 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 in the next generation of sedans. The Taurus is no more.
The press release also talks about a new type of vehicle, though it sounds like a crossover. This so-called white space vehicle will combine the best attributes of cars and utilities, such as higher ride height, space and versatility.
Currently, Ford sells six sedans and coupes in North America: the Fiesta, Focus, Fusion, C-Max, Mustang and Taurus. This lineup hits multiple segments, from the compact Fiesta to the mid-size Focus, C-Max and Fusion to the full-size Taurus. The Mustang stands alone as the lone coupe.
Its likely Lincolns sedans will also disappear, though this was not explicitly stated in todays 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.
This reduction in traditional cars was a long time coming. North America consumers have increasingly turned to crossovers, trucks and SUVs over sedans and small cars. A trip to any parking lot will likely produce more evidence to this movement. There are several factors involved, from more fuel-efficient and better-equipped trucks and SUVs to improved safety ratings and ride qualities of these vehicles.
Carmageddon for Cars: Cars Are Scheduled to Die
The end of an era in the US Auto industry until $7 gas arrives...
https://wolfstreet.com/2018/04/25/carmageddon-for-cars-cars-are-scheduled-to-die/
Industry-wide, car sales have been a nightmare: During the first three months of the year, truck sales jumped 10%, and car sales plunged 11%. In 2017, truck sales rose 4.3%, and car sales plunged 11%. And so on. This divergence of dropping car sales and rising truck sales started in 2015, and since then, car sales have gotten relentlessly crushed.
Part of the problem is that the industrys division between cars and trucks is peculiar. Trucks include pickups, vans, SUVs, and compact SUVs (crossovers). But some SUVs and all crossovers are based on a unibody car chassis (instead of body-on-frame, which is the case with trucks). Theyre stubbier versions of station wagons. For consumers, the switch from cars to crossovers is natural.
And part of the problem is that consumers have fallen out of love with cars. Gas is cheap (though getting more expensive), SUVs and crossovers are cool and immensely popular. And in parts of the country, pickups have for decades been the most popular US-branded vehicle type, and that love affair has only increased in recent years.
https://techcrunch.com/2018/04/25/f...rth-america-but-the-mustang-and-focus-active/
Ford today announced it will phase out most cars it sells in North America. According to its latest financial release, the auto giant will transition to two vehicles the Mustang and an unannounced vehicle, the Focus Active, being 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 in the next generation of sedans. The Taurus is no more.
The press release also talks about a new type of vehicle, though it sounds like a crossover. This so-called white space vehicle will combine the best attributes of cars and utilities, such as higher ride height, space and versatility.
Currently, Ford sells six sedans and coupes in North America: the Fiesta, Focus, Fusion, C-Max, Mustang and Taurus. This lineup hits multiple segments, from the compact Fiesta to the mid-size Focus, C-Max and Fusion to the full-size Taurus. The Mustang stands alone as the lone coupe.
Its likely Lincolns sedans will also disappear, though this was not explicitly stated in todays 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.
This reduction in traditional cars was a long time coming. North America consumers have increasingly turned to crossovers, trucks and SUVs over sedans and small cars. A trip to any parking lot will likely produce more evidence to this movement. There are several factors involved, from more fuel-efficient and better-equipped trucks and SUVs to improved safety ratings and ride qualities of these vehicles.
Carmageddon for Cars: Cars Are Scheduled to Die
The end of an era in the US Auto industry until $7 gas arrives...
https://wolfstreet.com/2018/04/25/carmageddon-for-cars-cars-are-scheduled-to-die/
Industry-wide, car sales have been a nightmare: During the first three months of the year, truck sales jumped 10%, and car sales plunged 11%. In 2017, truck sales rose 4.3%, and car sales plunged 11%. And so on. This divergence of dropping car sales and rising truck sales started in 2015, and since then, car sales have gotten relentlessly crushed.
Part of the problem is that the industrys division between cars and trucks is peculiar. Trucks include pickups, vans, SUVs, and compact SUVs (crossovers). But some SUVs and all crossovers are based on a unibody car chassis (instead of body-on-frame, which is the case with trucks). Theyre stubbier versions of station wagons. For consumers, the switch from cars to crossovers is natural.
And part of the problem is that consumers have fallen out of love with cars. Gas is cheap (though getting more expensive), SUVs and crossovers are cool and immensely popular. And in parts of the country, pickups have for decades been the most popular US-branded vehicle type, and that love affair has only increased in recent years.
etc..) But I get the trend. Something big & beefy to plow thru an accident, something to get you out of 'stuck' (Not that anyone rally goes off-roading with these things, and the overall added sense of safety due to all this, and the AWD / 4WD (which few know how to use / understand)..
