Ford has suggested it will offer smaller, lower-slung electric cars from 2026, once it has launched a family of four electric SUVs in Europe.
The firm has already retired the Fiesta and the Focus will bow out in 2025, leaving just the Mustang as its only non-SUV dedicated passenger car. Confirmed new cars on sale by the end of next year include the Explorer, ‘Capri’, electric Puma (called Gen-E) and updated Mustang Mach-E – all crossovers.
But asked if there’s a space for lower, non-SUV models in the future, the company’s boss in Europe, Martin Sander, said: “Definitely.”
As to whether Ford will still cater in the future to customers who don’t want an SUV, Sander said: “I think so.”
He told Autocar: “There are values which have made us successful over the last couple of years, like solid quality and value for money. We’re not walking away from this. These are basic fundamental values Ford has had globally for many years.
“You will see different quality in terms of design, interior, performance and equipment.”
He cited the fit and finish of the new Explorer SUV as being of “a different level than you would have seen from Ford before” and said “this is what the brand deserves”. He added: “The brand is so rich and so powerful, and we have to do a better job of building the strength of the brand into our products in Europe.”
Irrespective of the shape and size of any cars after the Explorer and Capri, Sander said Ford still has “not made a decision on future products after the two MEB products we are launching now”, referring to the Explorer and closely related Capri crossovers, which use the Volkswagen Group’s modular EV platform.
Ford’s supply deal with the German giant in theory could give it access to the new MEB Entry platform from the Volkswagen ID 2, Skoda Epiq and Cupra Raval for its own compact urban EV in the mould of the Fiesta.
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These Ford guys are so simplistic - let's use the word "Skunkworks" to project that we are doing something secretive, special, unusual ! Old 'enry did this in 1930, to solve the technical and cost problems of casting his new V8 block. John Coletti's "skunkworks" rescued the design decline of the Mustang in his 1994 Mk 4. But this car is what manufacturers do all the time, and Ford did with the "Let's call it Fiesta" Mk 1. Calling it "skunkworks" tries to hide the idiocy of Mustang Mach E, F Series Lightning and, let's wait and see, the £45k Explorer/Capri EV out of that not low-cost Cologne, Germany plant.
Why make what customers aren't buying? It's not like they stopped making the Mondeo and Focus due to record sales.
It's more subtle than that. Ford won a massive share of the C/D market for decades, but screwed when they commonised, to save money, the platford with Galaxy and S-Max - making the Mondeo just to big. After Escort, Focus 1 was a huge success, but successive models (and woeful Eco-Boost engine/Dual clutch transmissions) made it worse. Eyes wide-open, self inflicted injuries, and at a time when competition was getting better and better.
That's an interesting analysis, I wasn't aware that Mondeo was perceived as too big over there. Here in Australia, Ford does very well with the Ranger and Everest (regularly #1) - these are expensive high-margin vehicles. USA Ford has F-Series, massive profits. Europe, I understand the Transit is extremely sucessful and profitable; Puma does well? Why sell a Fiesta when people will pay much more for a Puma? Same with Ranger vs Mondeo? Unless the market demands it, I can't see Ford going back to small hatches and mid-size sedans.