Ford cancels GT and other cars
Ford will end production of the Ford GT supercar this year, after 2 years and 1,300 GT’s produced. While the car was never intended to be a long run production model, Ford’s decision to end production coincides with the company’s goal to focus on more fuel efficient vehicles. The GT became Ford’s “halo vehicle” last year, appearing in the company’s ad campaigns to showcase Ford as a technological innovator and performance leader. Priced around $150,000 the car was expensive to build, yet was profitable. It is likely that the new Shelby GT500 will take over as Ford’s performance marque vehicle.
Ford also indicated this week that 2006 will be the last year of production for the Lincoln LS, and that it will not pursue plans to build the Sport Trac Adrenaline, a high power version of the Explorer. Only 19,109 Lincoln LS’s sold in 2005. Ford is banking on the $30,000 Lincoln Zephyr to replace the LS.
The cancellation of the GT and LS leaves the Wixom, Michigan plant with only one car to produce - the Lincoln Town Car, another dinosaur in the age of sporty and fuel efficient four-door sedans. Ford has indicated the Wixom plant will go extinct in mid 2007.
