Mustang-based SEDAN for Lincoln? Fairlane a go? New plan to be unveiled Monday

[nadepalma]

Source: http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/a...601200344/1014

Ford to reinvent sluggish minivans/New models are key to rescue plan
January 20, 2006


The Ford Fairlane concept vehicle debuted at the 2005 North American International Auto

The dramatic rescue plan Ford Motor Co. is to announce Monday is expected to include a number of new vehicles to fix its flagging brands, including a radical new direction for its minivans.

Ford is likely to move away from the traditional minivan look epitomized by its slow-selling Ford Freestar and Mercury Monterey minivans, according to company and industry experts familiar with the plan.

It will replace them with one or more new vehicles similar to the Fairlane concept wagon that won wide praise at the 2005 North American International Auto Show in Detroit.

The Fairlane could go into production at Ford's assembly plant in Oakville, Ontario, as soon as next year.

The Fairlane won praise for its combination of car-like looks with the practical three-row seating that has made minivans the vehicle of choice for a generation of U.S. families.

Ford expects the production Fairlane to match a minivan's interior space and kid-hauling capability in a stylish package that will appeal to more buyers.

The concept vehicle featured a large and luxurious interior and was clearly destined for production.

The Fairlane will probably share its structure with a new family of full-size vehicles in the works for several of Ford's brands, including Volvo and Lincoln.

Ford also is developing at least one new full-size luxury sedan for its Lincoln brand, and a smaller Lincoln sport sedan is likely.

In addition, Ford has five new midsize vehicles coming from the program that produced its new Fusion sedan and the Edge SUV the company unveiled last week at the auto show in Detroit.

Ford executives have repeatedly said that the Way Forward plan will present a wide-ranging strategy that not only includes cost-cutting measures, such as closing plants, but initiatives to improve the automaker's products.

"I think it'll be a little bigger than most people expect," David Cole, an industry expert who runs the Center for Automotive Research in Ann Arbor, said Thursday. "I think this is a very important time, and maybe the most important time at Ford Motor Co. in the past 50 years. They have to get this right."

Although most of the discussion about Ford's plans have focused on which plants it will close, ending production of slow-selling models -- like the Freestar and Monterey -- would also be a big step in the right direction. But even at this late date, not all decisions have been made.

"The situation is still fluid" as to which plants and vehicles will go, a source familiar with the discussions said Thursday.

Ford executives have said they believe a vehicle like the Fairlane could become the defining entry in the fast-growing market for family transportation that combines the practicality of a minivan with the styling and upscale appeal of SUVs like the Lexus RX330.

Ford's current minivans have struggled since the Freestar and Monterey debuted in 2003. Panned for lackluster styling and a paucity of new features, the two minivans have never been as popular as the Ford Windstar model they replaced.

Combined sales of the Freestar and Monterey were a paltry 85,751 last year, making Ford virtually irrelevant in a minivan market dominated by models like the Chrysler Town & Country, Dodge Grand Caravan, Honda Odyssey and Toyota Sienna.

The minivans' failure is a particularly bitter disappointment to Ford.

The automaker regularly sold more than 200,000 Windstars annually. The Windstar won five-star crash ratings and became so successful that Chrysler Group executives privately admitted they feared it could displace their models as industry leader.

Ford squandered that strength with a number of product-planning mistakes. It missed out on the move to add dual sliding doors, which cost it sales.

In addition to the Fairlane, Ford has a new flagship luxury sedan in the works for its Lincoln brand. That car will look a lot like the MKS concept car at the current auto show and will share its basic engineering with the new Volvo S70 sedan that goes on sale in Europe later this year.

Lincoln also is reportedly developing a compact sport sedan based on the phenomenally popular Ford Mustang.

Ford, which made $1.9 billion through the first nine months of 2005, has refused to comment on speculation about which plants it might close, causing anxiety to mount in cities where tens of thousands of workers build Ford cars, trucks and auto parts.

Union workers are planning to gather in plants across the country Monday morning to learn the fate of their facilities on a telecast from Dearborn.

Analysts say they expect Ford to close four or five of its 18 assembly plants in North America as well as several plants that build parts.

While there is disagreement among the experts, most of the attention has focused on assembly plants in Wixom; St. Louis; St. Paul, Minn.; Atlanta, and Cuautitlan, Mexico.

Contact MARK PHELAN at 313-222-6731 or phelan@freepress.com. Business writer Sarah Webster contributed to this report.

[nadepalma]

Originally Posted by nadepalma

In addition to the Fairlane, Ford has a new flagship luxury sedan in the works for its Lincoln brand. That car will look a lot like the MKS concept car at the current auto show and will share its basic engineering with the new Volvo S70 sedan that goes on sale in Europe later this year.

Lincoln also is reportedly developing a compact sport sedan based on the phenomenally popular Ford Mustang.

First off, was this a misprint and they meant "S80" or is Volvo looking to rename their products now as well? I hope not since their current lineup makes sense with the S40, S60, and S80. I think that Ford can probably get away with sharing more parts with Volvo without risking any negative impact on Volvo itself. Volvo is very well regarded but also isn't as "Premium" as Jag/Benz/Bimmer/Etc. so there shouldn't be the same kind of negative out-cry as when Jag built the S-Type on the same platform as the LS. When this happend, the press in the UK and aroud the world was just about ready to crucify the folks at Ford. So this new strategy might not be a bad way to go for the forseeable future.

But regarding a "sedan" based on the Mustang -- this is new! I knew about a possible coupe based on the Mustang that Lincoln was supposed to get toward the end of the decade, but nothing about a possible Sedan! Is the new Mustang platform flexable enough for that?

If they DO decide to do this (and assuming the author didn't screw up and put this in there by mistake -- just as they might have mis-named the next S80 as an S70) wouldn't it be small enough to be around the Zephyr's size? What would the point be then unless the Zephyr is only an interim product? Or would it be smaller than the Zephyr and slot below it as a sporty entry-level car?

Anyone like to speculate on this last point?

[FoMoCo Fan]

Perhaps a Mustang based four door coupe is what they're talking about?

[RWD60]

Mustang based sedan.... that'd be great as an IS killer to go with the Zepyhr (ES fighter)... hopefully it will have the ponies to play with the IS (306hp), next gen G35 (300-320hp) and rumored BMW 335 (300-330hp). even if Ford has to "cheat" and use a V8.

[Perian]

A Mustang based sedan would be everything the Lincoln LS should have been.

Bring it on!

[cfch3399]

If they think that that Fairlane is going to rescue them, they are nuts.

[boblutzfan]

I do not understand Ford's management.

They had an opportunity with the Taurus to keep their spot with sedan sales - they let it grow old and outdated and sales died.

They had an opportunity with the Windstar - they let it grow old and outdated and sales died.

They had an opportunity with the Lincoln LS - they let it grow old and outdated and sales died.

They had an opportunity with the Continental - they let it grow old and outdated and sales died.

They had an opportunity with the Town Car - they let it grow old and outdated and it is now slated to die...

They had an opportunity with the Ford Focus - they are now letting it grow old and it will eventually die while Europe gets the new design.

Anyone see a trend here?

About the only thing they are doing now is thinking about new ways to remake the Mazda6 platform to sell under every brand. With new cars coming from Mazda and Volvo platforms - the only new Ford car they have to offer is the Mustang...

[New_Mexico_Sunset_on_Rt66]

hmm, a "hot rod Lincoln" to go along with LIncoln's already impressive line-up. Lincoln was impressive at the NAIAS.

[mbukukanyau]

Was Mustang not based on Lincoln LS? So whats going on here? Now the LS is going to be based again on Mustang? Thus the LS is going to be based on itself! What wonderful news?

[boblutzfan]

Originally Posted by New_Mexico_Sunset_on_Rt66

hmm, a "hot rod Lincoln" to go along with LIncoln's already impressive line-up. Lincoln was impressive at the NAIAS.

What exactly is impressive about Lincoln?

The MKX? - a rebadge job - quite frankly I think both the CX-7 and Edge look better.

The MKS? - wait until production. Yes, the concept looked good but I would bet there was more concept there than we saw in the Enclave which is 99% production.

The Zephur - A rebadge job.

The Mark LT - A rebadge job.

The Navigator - A rebadge job.

The Town Car - A great luxury sedan... in the 80's. It is destined for the garage in the sky.

The Lincoln LS - A great car that never received any significant updates to keep it competitive.

This time next year - Lincoln will have all rebadges.

[ponchoman49]

Originally Posted by cfch3399

If they think that that Fairlane is going to rescue them, they are nuts.

Putting there eggs in the ugly Fairlanes basket is insane. These weird looking silly boxes like the Scion xBox are temporary fads that will come and go and will never sell in big numbers. Cars and vans are dimishing and these stupid ugly boxes are taking there place. What are people thinking?

[darknight9]

I hope good things are happening behind the curtains at Ford. It's too bad that they have let much of their great product languish. There is just no reason that we shouldn't have the euro Focus here. The current one is getting tired in spite of the fact that it is a great driving car. The look is dated and the last refresh makes the 4 door look somewhat dowdy. I miss the SVT, what a great package Ford had there.

[Road Kill]

I think they are going to need much more than this to move forward!

[01cavalier]

Sounds odd making the Mustang into a sedan, it was already a modified Lincoln LS to begin with. Maybe there should be as much doom & gloom about Ford as there has been about GM since they have more stagnant product than GM. About the only product that seems to be doing well for Ford lately is the Mustang, F150 and the Fusion (and cars on that chassis) maybe the 500. Everything else has dropped off significantly in sales.

[GM-10]

Originally Posted by boblutzfan

I do not understand Ford's management.

They had an opportunity with the Taurus to keep their spot with sedan sales - they let it grow old and outdated and sales died.

They had an opportunity with the Windstar - they let it grow old and outdated and sales died.

They had an opportunity with the Lincoln LS - they let it grow old and outdated and sales died.

They had an opportunity with the Continental - they let it grow old and outdated and sales died.

They had an opportunity with the Town Car - they let it grow old and outdated and it is now slated to die...

They had an opportunity with the Ford Focus - they are now letting it grow old and it will eventually die while Europe gets the new design.

Anyone see a trend here?

About the only thing they are doing now is thinking about new ways to remake the Mazda6 platform to sell under every brand. With new cars coming from Mazda and Volvo platforms - the only new Ford car they have to offer is the Mustang...

GM and Ford have similar problems...we could do a similar list for GM.