Ford expects U.S. shift to smaller cars to last for years

Ford Motor has seen the future, and it's dominated by crossovers and small cars, according to the company's sales analyst George Pipas. Crossover sales are expected to hit 2.4 million units this year, and pass the 3 million mark by 2010.

Pipas expects crossovers and small cars to dominate the market by the end of the decade, with crossovers, a big hit with baby boomers, likely to grab a narrow lead.

While Ford is well-positioned in the crossover market with its new Edge, its small car situation is pretty grim, with the venerable Focus carrying the flag while the company thrashes to come up with a competitive new subcompact model, not expected to hit the U.S. market until at least 2009.

[Source: Reuters]