Ford's "Way Forward" to leave behind GT, Sport Trac Adrenaline, and Lincoln LS
Ford’s race to find The Way Forward will take the green flag for wont of a pace car. Ford informed employees earlier this week that as part of its restructuring plan, the GT supercar will be euthanized. With the announcement that the automaker will shutter its Wixom birthplace, the handwriting had been on the wall for the gorgeous LeMans throwback once dubbed “The Pace Car For An Entire Company.”
Ford spokesman Jim McCain maintains that the car isn’t being cancelled, instead offering that the GT has “just run its race,” noting that Dearborn was only ever planning a two-year run. And while the end of the road for the GT likely won’t have much of an impact on the company’s coffers (it is unclear whether the small-volume brawler ever made money), it does call into question the future of various spinoffs floated in recent years, like the bewitching Shelby GR-1. It, along with the questionably-received Shelby Roadster had been exhibited on the auto show circuit as possible ways to amortize the cost of the GT’s tooling, while continuing to give the manufacturer a “halo car.”
Also failing to make the cut, Lincoln’s LS, the would-be 3-Series fighter that came out of the gate strong but never managed to find the entry-level luxury ‘sweet spot;’ and the planned SVT-fettled Sport Trac Adrenaline. The former was expected (as it had been left to wither on the vine with no replacement in sight), particularly in light of the Ford Fusion-based Zephyr and pending MKS. The latter stillborn “high performance sport utility truck” likely wouldn’t have been a volume player, but had the makings of an interesting proposition regardless.
[Source: The Detroit News]
Reader Comments (Page 2 of 3)
nastinupe 1:25PM (2/03/2006)
Ford is a stupid company that fails to make real outlooks on future automotive trends. Why make a car that wouldn't pass 2007 standards in 2005. STUPID!!!
Why put all your hopes and dreams into a vehichle (Explorer) that is no longer a leader in the crowded not to mention shrinking SUV market?
Why not offer European verions of the Focus in the USA since the small car market is growing here as a result of increasing gas prices?
Why only offer hybrids on SUV's?
STUPID STUPID STUPID!!!
Reply
nastinupe 1:29PM (2/03/2006)
And to #2. The GT was ugly anyway. It sucked. In 1991 the NSX was twice the car for half the price!!! It may be outdated now, but in 1991, it was an automotive marvel that rivaled Ferrari's. In 1991 the 348 was its' competitor and the 348 couldn't handle it.
Acura just sat on their ass and didn't improve on the NSX, but wait until the new V10 version comes out in 2008... And I bet Honda will make sure that it will be made to be in the market for another decade or so.
Reply
KT 1:34PM (2/03/2006)
As the article said, the upcoming Shelby GT500 will fill the void of the GT. Also, they said from the beginning that the GT was a limited production vehicle. This guarantees it's place in automotive collector-dom.
Reply
Mark Lewis 1:49PM (2/03/2006)
A: The original GT40 was built for only one purpose, to beat Ferrari. The few that were sold to the public were thinly civilized race cars with absolutely no road manners. The new GT is not only faster than the original, but comes with A/C and a stereo, not to mention all the safety inovations of modern autos. It was never meant to be a mass produced vehicle.
B: The biggest problem with the LS was the fact that some idiot at Ford decided that the Jaguar that it shared a platform with, would get the higher powered motor, instead of offering it as an option on the LS.
Reply
Michael Moulton 1:53PM (2/03/2006)
The LS is supposedly replaced by the Zephyr? Umm, the Zephyr is front wheel drive.
The reason GM and Ford are in such dire straits is that they don't understand the market. A sports sedan MUST be rear wheel drive. No matter how much they try, a FWD Lincoln is never going to compete with the 3-series, CTS, G35, or IS300. Chrysler finally learned this lesson and developed the 300.
Reply
nono 2:13PM (2/03/2006)
The GT will not make or break Ford.... but all the other mistakes???
fortunatly, they are in better shape than GM.
Reply
JP 2:55PM (2/03/2006)
Armchair CEOs....
If you read this blog your views on cars are not inline with most car buyers. Look at the some of the industries top-sellers.... Toyota Corolla, Chevrolet Impala, Chevrolet Malibu, Pontiac G6, are all in the top 20. Not one of the cars on that list fills the hearts of enthusiasts with lust. To be successful you have to appeal to the bulk of car buyers, and that isn't us.
Ford knows that a lot of car enthusiasts would like to see the euro Focus here (myself included) but they have to think about a lot of things, like the ability of their suppliers to provide parts for 150,000 additional units a year, What effect exchange rates will have on profitability, the cost of setting up a another assembly line for the US (all new tooling). The current Focus, for all it's flaws, is still a strong seller. Ford doesn't want to alienate it's current customers.
Think it through before you call company's Stupid for not doing things that seem like a no brainier to you.
As for the GT it was never intended to be anything but a limited production "halo car". Why worry about 2007 regs if your only selling through 2006?
Reply
Chris 4:06PM (2/03/2006)
The GT doesn't meet minimal side impact regulations for 2010 or maybe sooner. It requires cars have in minimum door sill height of around 36 inches which would leave windows about an 8" tall window. It was NEVER meant to be a ong production car.
Reply
Michael Moulton 5:02PM (2/03/2006)
JP,
You're right, and that's why cars like the Fusion, Focus, and Five Hundred exist.
But cars like the LS were not meant for that market. The LS was meant to be a BMW-killer, and Lincoln was never shy about that.
Being a successful car company means more than just building a top 20 car. If that was all it took, Toyota would make nothing but the Camry and they wouldn't have created Lexus.
Reply
JP 5:54PM (2/03/2006)
Michael Moulton,
Your absolutely right, it's not all about making top sellers, but they need those bread and butter models to get the company healthy. I was mostly responding to several posts that blasted Ford (in this case) for not having a model lineup comprised fully of cars with appeal to enthusiasts.
The LS is one that should have been given more enthusiast appeal (especially given all their "3 series fighter" rhetoric). It could have been a very viable competitor to the 3 series if they had continued to refine it and build up a reputation rather than let it stagnate.
Reply
Amit 6:45PM (2/03/2006)
#26, You and Ford Motor Company might be satisfied with the Focus, but it is this attitude that has lead to the troubles that Ford is facing. Once they have a reasonably good vehicle, they continue selling it without significant improvements until the sales go down to zero. I believe the "new" Ford Focus was introduced as a 2005 model. So, in the first month of the second year of the product cycle, sales of the Corolla(an older model) are double that of the Focus and the sales of the Cobalt(also introduced as a 2005 model) are about 40% higher. These numbers will only get worse as the Focus gets more and more outdated. Sure, the Fusion and other newer cars will bring people into the showroom, but the Focus has to be able to sell on its merits. But Ford doesn't realize that or maybe doesn't care. They are happy with having the 4th or the 5th best selling car in the small car segment. I think that tells volumes about what type of company Ford is and wants to be.
Reply
David W. 6:54PM (2/03/2006)
The GT may have been Ford's halo car, but the Mustang has always been Fords baby, and it's an amazing car, especially the GT500
Reply
Thom B 7:43PM (2/03/2006)
Ford needs a car salesman don't have to lie to for a sale. If they made cars like the Chrysler 300 that goes for thousands above MSRP - people wouold flock to them like they do the 300.
They can't keep making excuses - their cars are boring and mechanically don't stand up to the Japanese. Ford is lucky to have Mazda.
I don't think Ford can survive which is their own doing.
Fords lieing salesman got me into my Chrysler LHS, 300M and I am even considering the Crossfire to add to my collection. My LHS has 130,000 miles without any real problems. My Fords never get beyond 60,000 if that far before blowing an engine or worse. My 1992 T-Bird that I grew up dreaming of owning needed FIVE engines before 80,000 miles. And that was their best V8.
I can never ever go back to anything Ford makes. I'll either be lied to or it will simply self distruct.
Forgive any mispellings.
Reply
JP 7:55PM (2/03/2006)
Amit,
I never said that the Focus shouldn't be redesigned, it's time to. But "simply" bringing over the euro version (as much as us auto bloggers may like that) may not be the best answer for Ford's broader business.
Reply
Pinkerton 8:21PM (2/03/2006)
Staying Power, it's not just a smooth Barry White song. The Mustang has it, the F150 has it, even the bland Taurus had it. It's introducing a product that evolves over time and retains the good things that made you design it in the first place, name included (Ford's renaming of their cars is a shell game at best).
If Ford wants to aspire to something, they should try to be the American version of Toyota... tame yet modern design, innovation, and a reliable product.
Reply
That One Person 11:43PM (2/03/2006)
This is sad. The GT is an amazing car. I see them all the time (Ford's test track and offices are about a block away) and the thing makes me drool. The LS is a great car. I had the opportunity to drive one once and it handled great. The Sport Trac is a great disappointment. I was looking forward to that thing coming out. It would have done well.
I like Ford. It is a good company but they have the wrong idea. I had the chance to do an internship there in my senior year of high school. I worked on the Hybrid Escape program. I had a few chances to walk around the different departments and meet people (engineers, designers, etc.) and they all mentioned how limited things are there. They basically were told what to do and how to do it. I think if certain people at Ford would take their heads out of their asses and let those people produce great products, Ford would do very well. But who knows...
I will always support the company no matter what. It is a part of this city and I would hate to see it die.
Reply
Thom B 12:16PM (2/04/2006)
I do not understand why anyone would support a FAILING company. If Ford wanted to stay in the business they should not only make what Americans want, but they also need to keep control of its salespeople. Ford trains everyone to sya whatever it takes to make a sale. How do they sleep at night, or are they so accustomed to doing whatever they feel like thinking Americans will simply flock to their cars. I used to be a Ford supporter - no matter what - even though the cars ar real crap. I got tired of lieing salesmen and Ford claiming they cannot do anything about lieing salepeople - Ford actually claimed to me they do not make/sell cars - dealers sell cars - therefore I'm on my own.
Chrysler does not treat me this way and they make Kick-Ass vehicles.
Ford is definately finished because as they screw each buyer -the buyer will do as I did - Say to Hell with Ford. They get just what they deserve - a company in turmoil - a company destined to failure.
Like they say - Ford didn't plan to fail - They FAILED to Plan.
Personally I will be one of the masses that cheers on the end of ripping off American car buyers.
I was raped in 1992 by Galpin Motors in Los Angeles. I left Ford and started buying Chrysler - Thank You Galpin. 15 years later as Ford continued its decline - like a sucker I felt sorry for them and purcahsed the Montego (the only one ever sold) and by God they raped me again (lies lies lies) and thats Ford's #1 dealer. What does that say about Ford supporting its customers.
Ford's demise will be a 2 fold celebration. A useless company will finally close it's doors and in the process Galpin Motors in Los Angeles will get their just desert. They will be out of work too!
Thank You Jesus!!!!!
Reply
Thom B 12:31PM (2/04/2006)
The biggest shock I got from Galpin Motors in Los Angels was when I complained about Ed Hartoonian lieing to me - doing the old bate and switch - I was actually told by the Galpin Top Dog that Ed was their best salesman, and Ed would never lie - it was the financial dept. So there is one more way the play the buyer like a fool. It's OK for the Financila dept to lie, but their salespeople never would.
It was only when I told them I was torching the Montego on Roscoe Blvd. in front of Galpin on a Friday during Rush Hour - I immediately started getting calls from Galpin singing a different tune. I told them after 14 months of daily emails to Ford and Galpin in Los Angeles - to now say can we make it right - to little to late - I would rather spend 24/7/365 making sure every American knows Fords sales techniques. Rape and Ravage.
Just remeber what FORD stands for "Fix or Repair Daily"
Reply
Chrysler Buyer 12:33PM (2/04/2006)
Why do I see so many complaints about Ford and their sales techniques.
Doesn't Ford know what word of mouth is.
Look what they did to other people in this blog.
No wonder they can't sell cars, except to illegals.
Why don't they call themselves Formex - then the Illegals will have a car company they can call their own.
And since the Illegals don't speak English - Galpin can say whatever they want - if the Illegal complains -they simply have Immigration send them back to Mexico.
Please make them take the cars with them. Get the Ford hazzards off the road.
Reply
Jim 10:48AM (2/05/2006)
Sadly it was always Ford's plan to produce the GT for only 2 or 3 years, a production run of appx. 4000 cars. It certanly isn't stopping production due to poor sales. It may be the best selling true exotic in the world right now; it even out sold the Hummer H1 and the Infinity Q45 in 2005. Although priced at over $150k the car is in demand and Ford will sell every one it can build. It served the company well as a Halo car for the Centennial.
Sooner or later I will get my hands on one!
It's also sad that Ford is letting the LS die, a good car that could have been a great car had they taken the time and expence to develop it.
Reply