Ford will look to build more on its American heritage with its future European line-up, according to the firm’s European boss.
The company is the only mainstream American-owned manufacturer still operating in the European market, and European boss Stuart Rowley said that gave it a point of differentiation from rivals. Major rival GM quit the UK market after selling Vauxhall. US brand Jeep does sell vehicles in the UK, but it only has a limited range of off-roaders and is now part of the Dutch-based Italian-French Stellantis group.
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Ford has long had a bespoke UK and Europe line-up developed locally. Its product range has changed substantially in recent years, with the new Puma crossover now outselling the perennially best-selling Fiesta, and the firm recently announcing it was axing the Mondeo saloon.
“You’re seeing the Ford portfolio change in Europe as we make the shift and grow further in utilities [SUVs],” said Rowley during the FT Future of the Car conference. “Going forward we’ll have a more differentiated, more opinionated portfolio of passenger vehicles, that will all be electrified and we’ll build experiences around them.”
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Rowley highlights the success of the Ford Mustang, which Ford reintroduced to the UK market a decade ago, and which has now been expanded into a sub-brand encompassing the muscle car and the Mustang Mach-E electric SUV.
Ford will also offer the latest plug-in hybrid version of the Explorer large SUV, which has long been one of its most popular US vehicles, in certain European markets.
Rowley added: “We launched the Ford Explorer [in select markets], and it’s selling well. It’s a different product; it’s not for everybody but there are consumers who love that.
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Great!
As UK roads get narrower Ford might be selling US inspired models here, just what we want.
So a decade ago the World car concept failed Ford, so now the American car concept for the world.
Ingenious !
If they sold their stuff here for anything like the price they do in the US they may have a chance, but the longer Ford Europe think they are above mainstream and delude themselves they are premium the longer the slow demise will continue.
No, Ford, Europe is not interested in over-sized gas-guzzling SUVs and pick-ups that the Americans lap up. For a start they are totally unsuited to European ciites roads and car parks. I would have thought that having produced perfectly decent Europe-suitable cars for decades, you might have realised this...