FoMoCo Announces Plans to Shrink, Strengthen Lineups

Ford Motor Company may have been the only domestic automaker not to receive federal bailout loans, but that doesn’t mean the automaker was running efficiently either. Product overlapping and vehicle rebadging were two of the biggest problems Ford, Lincoln and Mercury models suffered from, and now Ford is making sure that the problem goes away for good. In addition to killing off a few redundant or outdated models, Ford is also looking to revamp the lineup for all three divisions to make them more competitive and keep the good momentum from this year carried into the future.

The most unsurprising news for Ford’s future is a report saying that Ford plans to end production of bulkier, slow-selling models such as the Mercury Mountaineer and the Ford Escape Sport Trac. With an all-new unibody Explorer on the way, Ford has no plans to redesign the Mountaineer or the Sport Trac. Ford’s goal is to improve its average fuel economy across the board, so eliminating a pair of SUVs would be a great way to do that as well as keeping the next-generation Explorer fresh and unique. Based on the same underpinnings as the current Flex and Taurus, the all-new Explorer will begin production next fall at Ford’s Chicago Assembly Plant as a 2011 model. At its peak, Ford was selling about 400,000 Explorers annually (including about 60,000 units of the pickup truck Sport Trac), but that number has since dropped to fewer than 80,000 total units last year – this year’s Sport Trac tally isn’t expected to break 10,000.

For Lincoln, the days of oversized land yachts are over as the luxury division aims to trim some of the excess fat from its models. Besides finally killing off the Town Car to allow the MKS to assume its role as the brand’s flagship, Lincoln is also planning a new sedan as previewed by the quirky-looking Concept C as well as a new compact crossover based on the next-generation Ford Escape. The Concept C is said to share its underpinnings with the European-spec Focus which should give it impressive handling capabilities. The MKZ (along with the Fusion and the Milan) will receive a major redesign in 2013 and are most likely to be based off the European Ford Mondeo. No word yet on what is in store for the fate of the Lincoln Navigator.

As for Mercury, many once believed that this brand was headed for the same fate as Plymouth and Oldsmobile, but now Ford confirms that Mercury fans can expect a new model. In addition to the deaths of the Mountaineer and the Sable (there are no plans to make a new Sable based on the 2010 Taurus), the Grand Marquis will also meet its maker leaving Mercury with just two vehicles heading into the 2011 model year. Good news for the brand is that Ford has finally confirmed a new model that will probably debut as a 2012 model year vehicle. The new model will be based on the new Focus, which is finally going to use the European model - much to the delight of Focus fans. Following the cancellation of the Mountaineer, there is also a chance that Ford is looking into creating a Mercury version of the Ford Edge and Lincoln MKX. With the growing popularity of the compact crossover segment, if Mercury offered a mid-range competitor in this market with a unique, stylish design similar to the current Milan, chances are that vehicle would be a great compliment to its lineup.

Time and again, Ford has stated that it also will spread the fuel-efficient EcoBoost engine lineup across 90 percent of its total vehicle lineup by 2013 which it refers to as the EcoBoost Revolution. With a pair of direct-injected, turbocharged engines being offered, Ford is able to reduce CO2 emissions and increase fuel economy without sacrificing performance. The 3.5-liter EcoBoost V-6 is rated at 355 horsepower and 350 lb-ft of torque, while the upcoming 2.0-liter EcoBoost inline-4 is estimated to produce around 240 horsepower and 250 lb-ft of torque. The torque curve, or plateau in this case, for both engines spans from 1,500 rpm to over 5,000 rpm.