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One of the most well known names in autodom is poised to get its first major overhaul in nearly thirty years. Fords Crown Victoria, introduced in 1979, has had only minor changes since its introduction, but a new plan by Ford to overhaul the crown jewel of its fleet is apparently in the offing. Thanks to government assistance Australian to be exact the new Crown Victoria will be a clean break from the current model and will help to spawn additional models for siblings Mercury and Lincoln. Yes, you may not have considered a Crown Victoria up to this point, but the coming new Crown Vic may just change your mind about that.

You have to go back all the way to the late 1970s to when downsizing was a term used by the auto industry to describe a shell game where large cars were dropped down a notch in size to sit on a platform slightly smaller than the previous model. Indeed, throughout the 1970s Fords full size offerings the LTD/Galaxie 500 were huge beasts of burden. By the time the then new Galaxie 500 Crown Victoria was released at the end of the decade, Ford was playing catch up to General Motors who had earlier mastered the whole downsizing strategy.

Initially, the Crown Victoria had a broad appeal for drivers wanting a big car with all of the trappings. As time went buy the car grew less and less desirable as consumer tastes changed, but the Crown Victorias style did not. As a pursuit, government, or fleet vehicle the Crown Victoria has done very well, but Ford has only made modest improvements to the car over the years. Indeed, Americas #2 automaker has invested heavily in trucks, vans, SUVS and select cars, but the Crown Victoria quickly began to show its age. Todays model is terribly outdated and it hasnt had a thorough refreshing in more than a decade, so an overhaul is warranted.

Fords impetus for change is coming from an unlikely source: a foreign government. According to news sources, Fords Australian operation has received a $1.4 billion grant from Australia to build a production and research facility that will be used to design and build several new models. One of the Australian cars slated to benefit from this move will be the Ford Falcon, a full sized car that will become the basis of the all-new Crown Victoria.

While some have theorized that the new Crown Victoria will be built in Australia and imported to the U.S., this is unlikely to happen. Instead, Ford will expand the Falcons production to at least one U.S. plant, make some technical refinements, and sell the car as a Crown Victoria. It will be targeted to police departments and fleet buyers primarily with some residual sales for personal buyers. In addition, the Crown Victoria will spawn a new Mercury Gran Marquis while a slightly stretched and much more elegant version of the car will become the replacement for the current Lincoln Town Car.

Yes, the Crown Victoria is well past its useful age. Thanks to some help from down under, the 2010 model should be a refreshing change. At least Ford hopes you will think so.

Tags: Auto Industry, Autodom, Automaker, Beasts Of Burden, Big Car, Clean Break, Crown Jewel, Crown Vic, Crown Victorias, Downsizing, Fleet Vehicle, Ford Crown Victoria, Fords, Galaxie 500, Government Assistance, Large Cars, Minor Changes, New Crown, Shell Game, Trappings

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All the car blogs lately have been speculating on the direction that the Ford Motor Company is going to take in the wake of declining sales and stiff competition. We know that Ford has too much capacity and we know that the company will be closing some key plants and laying off an as yet to be determined number of employees. What hadnt been clear is which models would be cut from the line up. Now, it appears that Ford will exit the lucrative minivan market. Thats right, Ford apparently will stick with building cars, trucks, and SUVs, and leave the minivan market to the other players.

Ever since the Chrysler Corporation invented the minivan market back in the early 1980s with its line of K-car derived minivans the Dodge Caravan, Plymouth Voyager, and the Chrysler Town & Country Ford has been playing catch up. Indeed, a series of forgettable star named minivans were served up by Ford and summarily rejected by consumers: the Aerostar, Windstar, and the Freestar. Later, both Honda and Toyota brought out their own entries and Ford, along with Chevrolet found themselves trailing badly in an overcrowded segment. Indeed, several GM divisions sell minivans, as does Kia and Nissan, making the market especially tight.

Should Ford decide to go ahead with plans to ditch the minivan market, it wouldnt be a complete retreat. For one, many consumers prefer the automakers popular Ford Explorer SUV while its all wheel drive Freestyle wagon/crossover competes well too. Finally, another vehicle the Edge will soon make its debut and likely pull many minivan customers over. The Edge will be yet another crossover vehicle somewhat of a SUV/wagon hybrid and fill the need for consumers.

Yes, Ford appears ready to ditch the minivan market. No loss to consumers and probably a smart move for the beleaguered automaker.

Tags: Aerostar, Automaker, Automakers, Building Cars, Chrysler Corporation, Chrysler Minivan, Chrysler Town, Country Ford, Crossover Vehicle, Dodge Caravan, Ford Explorer, Ford Motor, Ford Motor Company, Freestar, Gm Divisions, Minivan Market, Minivans, Plymouth Voyager, Smart Move, Stiff Competition

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It is a close race, one that likely will not result in deep price cutting to move models, but is certain nevertheless to be on the minds of executives employed by two automakers until the clock strikes midnight for the final time this year. What the race is all about is this: the perennial sales battle between two German automakers, BMW and Mercedes, with BMW expected to pass Mercedes in world sales totals for 2005. The ramifications are strong for each automaker and will set the tone for the way each company produces and markets vehicles from 2006 forward.

Mercedes finishing second to BMW is not a comfortable taste for DaimlerChrysler, parent of Mercedes and now owner of The Chrysler Group, maker of Jeeps, Dodges, and Chryslers. Only Volkswagen sells more cars than either make, but when it comes to a predominately luxury line up Mercedes and BMW battle alone amongst German makes with Audi a distant third.

Unlike American automakers, Mercedes is not likely to engage in deep price cuts to attract customers and steal sales that they would have made in 2006 for 2005 to stave off BMW. Still, purchasers of Mercedes vehicles should find an even friendlier showroom in which to shop when they negotiate the price on their C, E, or M Classes of vehicles.

So, exactly what has caused the shift in sales? Well, published reports indicate that Mercedes sales continue to rise, but slowly. On the other hand, BMW sales increases are in the double digit category which is what has pushed BMW ahead of Mercedes so far this year. Oddly, it isnt the luxury cars in each automakers’ fold that is spelling the difference. Unknown to many Americans, both BMW and Mercedes sell cars that are smaller and less luxurious than the cars that appear in the states. Cars that compete squarely against Volkswagens Golf and offerings from GM, Ford, several Japanese automakers, and others.

Yes, it is true. Not all BMW or Mercedes models are luxury cars. Unlike in the US where a Cadillac is exclusively a luxury car, both German brands produce cars for the rank and file driver too. It is these types of cars that have fueled both automakers growth and is likely behind BMW jumping ahead of Mercedes.

To counter BMWs surge, Mercedes does have an ace up its sleeve: the introduction of one or two smaller lines of cars to the U.S. market by 2007. If you havent figured it out yet, Mercedes has A and B Class cars that are smaller and less expensive than the current baby Mercedes, what we call the C Class. Mercedes hopes that the US market is ready for less pricey cars sporting the venerable Mercedes name and that these sales will propel Mercedes back into the lead.

Of course, what is good for Mercedes is good for BMW as the automaker explores bringing its 1 and 2 series cars to the US to compete for sales. Both lines of cars are positioned against Mercedes A and B class cars and are the same cars that have bumped BMWs sales figures up.

Now if only Mercedes would consider importing its SMART car to the US market

Tags: American Automakers, Automaker, Bmw Cars, Bmw Models, Bmw Sales, Chrysler Group, Clock Strikes Midnight, Dodges, German Automakers, Gm Ford, Japanese Automakers, Jeeps, Luxury Cars, Luxury Line, Mercedes Cars, Mercedes Models, Mercedes Sales, Mercedes Vehicles, Sales Increases, Volkswagens

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American automakers sometimes take the brunt of the criticism for producing models that are ugly, useless, or even downright dangerous. Ford has had its share of beasts through the years in addition to several winners including the current Mustang for which demand cannot be met. For the fun of it lets take a look at some of the Ford models that have been derided down through the years.

Model T What?! How can the car that introduced mass production make the list? Well, the car was fine, but Mr. Henry Fords statement, you can have any color you want as long as it is black has been attributed with the rise of General Motors [who gave its customers a choice in colors] which eventually dethroned Ford as the top automaker in the world. No, the Model T was fine, but Mr. Fords marketing strategy was not.

Edsel In September 1957, Ford launched a new division Edsel and introduced to America one of the weirdest looking cars. Sporting a horse-collar shaped grille some equated it with a toilet seat the Edsel line was hyped by Ford and rejected by consumers wholeheartedly. Expecting to build 200,000 Edsels in its first year of production, only 63,000 were built. Other radical aspects of the Edsel included a floating speedometer that glowed upon reaching a particular speed and an awkward push button transmission with controls attached to the hub of the steering wheel. Even with a quick makeover completed in time for the next model year, the Edsel limped along only to be pulled one month after the third model year vehicles were released.

Pinto Hey, even I owned one! With a 2.3L inline four cylinder paired with a 4 speed manny tranny, the Pinto was Fords answer during the 1970s to the onslaught of Japanese cars flooding the market. The compact rear wheel drive coupe, three door hatchback, or wagon sold fairly well until disaster hit: the revelation that the Pintos gas tank was capable of exploding during a rear impact scared buyers away. Mercifully pulled after the 1980 model year; replaced by the popular Escort.

Mustang II Ford tarnished the Mustang name during the 1970s with this forgettable and ugly model. Resembling a bloated and stretched Pinto, the Mustang II was weak, poorly made, and a terrible competitor against its arch rival, the Camaro. All was forgiven by the early 1980s with the return of a newly designed Mustang. Todays Mustang, on the other hand, is a sold-out success story as it took its styling cues from a Mustang of another era: the fastback cars of the late 1960s and early 1970s.

Before you point your finger at Ford, dont forget to recall some truly forgettable models, foreign and domestic. The Toyota Van was panned for its ugly styling and for having an engine that had to be dropped from the engine bay in order to do a tune up; the Chevy Vega a Pinto wannabe; AMCs Pacer the Jetsons car; the Suzuki Samurai and Isuzu Rodeo flip over specialists; the Yugo a thinly redone 1960s era Fiat; and countless other cars not worth the mention. You hope that automakers learn from their mistakes, but dont count on it. Maybe in another generation we will see a truly forgettable Ford show up, but for now there isnt one in the line up…hooray for that!

Tags: 3l, America One, American Automakers, Automaker, Brunt, Edsel, Edsels, Ford Models, Gas Tank, Henry Fords, Inline Four, Japanese Cars, Marketing Strategy, Mass Production, Mr Henry, Onslaught, Rear Wheel Drive, Speedometer, Steering Wheel, Toilet Seat

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