ford could return to the US market with a sedan after ditching the traditional body style in 2020.
With the average transaction price for a new car in the U.S. now topping $50,000 and an ongoing cost of living problem, Ford Chairman Bill Ford was asked about affordability at the recent Detroit Motor Show.
In response, Mr. Ford said: “Can you design vehicles that are fundamentally more cost-effective so that you can pass that on to the consumer? And that’s what we’re working on.”
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Jim Farley, Ford’s CEO, noted: “One of the main reasons we achieved our best sales this decade is the Maverick. Affordable versions of our vehicles are a real seller.”
Asked whether the brand might consider re-entering the American sedan market, Mr. Farley said: “Never say never. The sedan market is very dynamic. It’s not that there isn’t a market there. We just couldn’t find a way to compete and be profitable. Well, maybe we’ll find a way to do it.”
The company is currently developing a new universal EV platform that incorporates new assembly techniques to significantly reduce the price. So far, the only model whose architecture has been confirmed is a Ranger-sized pickup truck, which will start at around US$30,000 (A$44,500).
Ford sold its last sedan in the U.S. when the Fusion, a bootleg version of the Mondeo sold in Europe and Australia, ended production in 2020. Until 2019, the Focus sedan was also built and sold in America.
The Maverick is the cheapest model in Ford’s American range, with a starting price of US$28,145 (A$42,000). In contrast, Toyota USA’s offering starts at US$22,925 (A$34,000) for the Corolla sedan and Honda America starts at US$24,695 (A$36,500) for the Civic sedan.
Last year, the Maverick (141,873) was Ford’s fourth best-selling model in the U.S. and 19th overall. The Corolla (224,571) came in seventh overall, while the Civic (220,485) was one spot behind.
Rumors about a four-door Mustang have been around for a long time. The current Mustang coupe starts at $32,640, which is about $4,200 more than the base Honda Accord.
While midsize sedans are no longer Middle America’s most popular form of transportation, the Camry (288,673) and Accord (134,686) still sell in reasonable numbers.
The last Ford sedan sold in Australia was the Focus, which left the stage in 2018. The locally manufactured Falcon left the stage in 2016 when the company closed its factories in Broadmeadows and Geelong.
Although Ford no longer offers a sedan in Europe, Latin America, North America and Australia, the company is producing a fifth generation of the Mondeo in China, which is also exported to the Middle East as the Taurus.
MORE: Explore the Ford showroom
