Ford is currently rethinking its global lineup in big ways, moving from an aggressive EV-centric strategy to a more balanced approach. This shift comes after the automaker discontinued the Ford Fiesta in 2023 and will wind down Ford Focus production in 2025. However, based on recent comments from Ford CEO Jim Farley, it’s possible the company may course correct and introduce at least one entry level vehicle that can be sold at regions where Ford has regained its footing.
Speaking at the 2024 Bernstein Strategic Decisions Conference, Ford’s head honcho says the company is thinking about expanding in regions that the company has financially turned around in recent years, and that those vehicles would most likely be on the cheaper end of the spectrum. “I’d say the real interesting question is, in South America, Africa and South Africa specifically for us, in Thailand where we have 2 plants and growing Ranger business, all those places we’ve restructured dramatically to be profitable. Which we are now very profitable. And yet the Chinese competitors are coming in with ICE vehicles too there. And we have a choice between do we grow and how profitable is that growth? Or do we stay where we are?,” said Farley.
“We think we have to futureproof that business. We think that just staying where we are with Ranger and Everest could be a risk. We believe that the competitors that we’re seeing there in all those markets now are very fit and we don’t want to do what happened in many markets for Ford, so we need to compete in the low end and we need to futureproof the electrification of those products. And we’ll do it smartly where we can make money and we’ll be thoughtful about partnerships,” he added.
Farley made his comments not long after Ford Europe’s outgoing head of passenger vehicles suggested that the company is considering working on a new generation of small cars. The automaker has retreated from smaller segments in recent years as it rationalized in its global manufacturing footprint. In its place, Ford switched to an export-oriented strategy for South America, where the Ford Bronco and Ford Maverick now compete. At the moment, it isn’t clear if the company is thinking about a spiritual successor to the Ford Ka, which was an entry vehicle sold in global markets, but it sure sounds like Ford is evaluating the feasibility of products with a similar mission statement.
Ford may be essentially forced to compete in less expensive segments due to the proliferation of cheap Chinese EVs across the globe. As Ford Authority previously reported, the company is planning on introducing a $26K EV for the North American market by 2027 that is also being designed to compete globally. Ford is also considering reentering India to establish a new manufacturing presence in the company as well. In Europe, the Ford Focus was among the top 50 best selling vehicles on the continent in 2023 despite facing cancellation.
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Comments
Duh!
Ignoring the USA? Wake up! Can they be any more tone deaf? Lower price vehicles.
Agreed. They can’t sell Fords and Chevys to the wealth or even the upper middle class.
Since Ford discontinued the Fusion , which was an affordable auto; other manufacturers are selling autos in that void ! Wake up and sell autos that people can afford , rather than that Ford can make the most profit ! Wake up !
I have been writing about this since Ford discontinued the Fusion. Our 2017 Ford Fusion Sport is a great car with decent performance and room. The Ford echelon just can’t relate to normal people.
You are on target the managers at Ford and GM are,nt street smart , everyone does,nt want or can,t afford $75 to $125,000 vehicles. We need a $15,000 to $20,000 dependable economical vehicle that can seat 4 or 5 people. Korean and Japanese companies are still doing it. I am old school I won,t Ford nameplate on my auto and made in America,not looking for a world car.
Bring back some low entry price vehicles even if it is sedans for low and middle class buyers. Some of these buyers cannot afford a new vehicle and forced to buy older vehicles with many miles and costly to repair. Where are the days when a average person could purchase a new vehicle and not go/be broke. I will be 90 years in November and remember those days.
So many of us “ordinary” people tried to tell Ford but they would not listen.
Yes, exactly.
Please please please bring the fiesta back ,i would order a new one now , it’s still got a place in the market and always will be ,I’ve been in the motor industry for 45 years and this little car will always sell its trusted and all ages buy it ,it’s a humble car with a big heart.cheap to run and well built and lasts for ever .kind Regards, Ian from the uk
Not having an affordable sedan/hatchback/wagon in the lineup is a major mistake. It’s not like someone looking for an entry level sedan throws up their hands and instead buys an F-150. No, they buy a Toyota Corolla or something like it instead. Ford is losing customers by not offering this. And today’s WSJ article should be required reading for the automotive industry, “No One Wants a New Car Now. Here’s Why. Why are so many Americans forgoing new vehicles? Used cars are not just a better bargain, they retain designs and features more coveted than their high-tech replacements.” Build the vehicles customers actually want and are willing to buy!
I’m a Ford owner. It just seems like Ford doesn’t care for the average American anymore. I have a 90 Thunderbird SC, a 2016 F150, and a 2022 Escape. Just hoping I will be able to buy a new Escape in 2026, and NOT an EV.
There is a segment of our society that can not afford even the entry-level vehicles. I wonder if offering basic vehicles without all the bells and whistles that would outsell foreign makes and would be profitable. A vehicle for in-city short trips much like vehicles from the 40’s.
Affordable vehicles. It sounds like something Henry Ford would build.
Ford made biunder stopping the Fusion. They need at least 1 sedan in the lineup. Fusion was a nice car.
Look at the Chevy Trax. Lower 20s and good luck finding one.. Buick envista selling fast too. Its mid 20s..
my point is we’ll build content at the right price
Now picture the right sedan selling at or below this.
Oh and let not forget the Ford Maverick..
Think people wa ny a small pickup.. yes but people love the price point just as much ..
it’s based off the escape .. so take the escape and make a fwd and awd drive car from it.
Plus you now getting people to buy a cheaper car that one day might want a more expensive car truck or SUV.. right now Kia is selling cars and those people will trade up to a bigger car or suv.. won’t look else where if they had a good one and loved their car
Ford doesn’t cover this price zone.. even the Maverick is mid 20,”’s now..
but there are cars still under 23k and a few 21 and under.. interest rates high cost of living goinng up daily.. I think the market is going down o shift to these lower priced cars..
I’m 57 make a decent living and looking at 30 and under market.. might no a Nissan Sentra .. nicely optimized at about 22-24k
When will the board members and stock holders realize Farley is incompetent. Every time he makes a bold business statement it fails…. Listen to the people that buy the vehicles.
We switched to Honda, leaving Ford after 40 years. Ford no longer makes sedans and has disturbing quality and recall issues with the 2020 Explorer redesign. The Edge is too small and the Expedition is too big, and we don’t trust the new Explorer. Our 2013 Explorer was amazing.
We will see…so far the changes are for Ford International NOT the US. Farley and the Ford family are afraid they may upset our present politcal dictators (quacks) in DC., who do not listen to consumers and citizens.
I bought a 2000 Focus in 04 and a 2015 Focus in 2017. Still have both of them. We used the 15 twice for 4500 mile round trip visit our son and his family. Great car for just the two of us. I don’t need to spend big bucks for something I don’t need. Disappointed in Ford when they dropped the small cars. I’ve bought Ford for the past 50 years and was not looking forward to switching.
Bring back the Mercury Marquis, best car I ever owned, Over 200,000 miles still runs good. 2004 model V8.