(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this column are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of The Augusta Press.)
When the Ford Motor Company announced in 2018 that it was phasing out traditional cars in favor of trucks, SUVs and crossovers, the automotive world was stunned and, at first, the automotive press sneered.
A car company that doesn’t make cars?
Fast forward five years to 2023, the Focus, Fiesta and Taurus are now history and Ford is thriving with only one traditional motorcar, the Mustang.
Kumar Galhotra, president of Ford North America and VP of Ford Motor Company, explained to Ford Authority that the decision boiled down to basic economics.
“Our industry is very resource-intensive – we have to create a particular product, and the factory to build it, and all the tooling and our suppliers – that can run into billions of dollars. The question then became, in that environment, of a finite amount of capital, where do we want to invest that capital?” Galhotra was quoted as saying.
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The Big Three American automakers traditionally have tried to cater to every possible auto buyer by offering coupes, sedans, station wagons, compacts, subcompacts, vans, minivans, trucks, muscle cars, personal luxury vehicles, luxury land yachts and now SUVs and crossovers. Each segment requires a team of engineers and designers.
Doug DeMuro, an auto columnist who runs a YouTube channel with over four million followers, correctly explained in his video “Ford Was Right” that Ford literally found itself spread too thin and the decision was made to focus on what the majority of consumers wanted rather than attempt to cater to every niche possible.
The decision to streamline the brand really was a huge change in direction for Ford. It was a long time coming, but it was necessary.
Ford’s past attempts to be everything to everybody in the 1950s led to the disaster known as the Edsel. In the 1970s, Ford reacted to foreign competition by rushing the Pinto into production and that led to fiery deaths because the gas tank wasn’t shielded properly when a $2.50 part could have fixed the problem.
Other manufacturers made the same mistakes, only at less costly levels. The automotive graveyard is full of Cimarrons, Versailles, Citations, Monzas, Daytonas and Prowlers.
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According to Demuro, by focusing its engineering might on only a few segments rather than the entire vehicle universe, Ford has created new versions of the Bronco that are state of the art and leaving Chrysler’s Jeep brand in the dust.
The new Mustang Mach E is giving Tesla a run for its money and the new F-150 Lightning EV is the product of the use of “excellent resources” by Ford, according to Demuro.
Other domestic car makers are taking note and following Ford’s lead.
Chevrolet only offers the Camaro and Corvette as passenger cars and the Chrysler 300 sedan is entering its final year of production as Mopar is now focusing on a new lineup of SUVs and electric vehicles including the much anticipated new Airflow.
Sadly, the sedan, once the pinnacle of American status, seems to have reached the end of its lifespan.
For me personally, I am one of those who likes a good four-door-low-to-the-ground land yacht that has the boulevard ride, but I am in the minority. Most people these days want a utilitarian vehicle that either gets good gas mileage or requires no gas at all.
Sigh.
See you on the road!
Scott Hudson is the senior reporter for The Augusta Press. Reach him at scott@theaugustapress.com
