• News
  • Guides
  • Reviews
  • Media
  • About
  • News
  • Guides
  • Reviews
  • Media
  • About
Sign up Now (For Free)

Sign up for our newsletter and receive the latest automotive news in your inbox!

Invalid email address
We promise not to spam you. You can unsubscribe at any time.
Thanks for subscribing!
News
Read Now
  • All News
  • Automakers
  • Automobiles
  • Auto Shows
  • Business
  • EVs & Environment
  • Guides
  • Lawsuits/Legal
  • Regulatory
  • Ride-Sharing
  • Safety & Recalls
  • Technology
Recent
  • South Korean Brands Get Bigger Share of January Sales
  • Investors Unfazed as Tesla Reveals New SEC Probe
  • GM and Lithium Americas Partner for U.S.-Sourced Lithium
  • First Look: 2024 Range Rover Velar
  • Q&A: Mazda North America’s CEO Jeff Guyton
  • Tesla Owners Stung by Capitalism
  • Mercedes Updates GLE Models for 2024 Model Year
  • First Look: Mazda’s Bigger, More Luxurious New CX-90
  • GM Net Income Rises for Q4 But Falls for Full Year 2022
  • GMC Launches Production of Hummer SUV; Needs Until 2024 to Fill Outstanding Orders
Editor’s Choice
    Reviews
    Read Now
    • All Reviews
      • Feeder
    • Classic Cars
    • Concept Cars
    • Convertibles
    • Coupes
    • Crossovers/CUVs
    • Diesel
    • Hot hatches
    • Hybrids
    • Luxury Vehicles
    • Minivans
    • Muscle Cars
    • Pickups
    • Sedans
    • Sports Cars
    • Super Cars
    • SUVs
    Recent Reviews
    • A Week With: 2023 Kia Niro EV
    • A Week With: 2023 Hyundai Palisade Calligraphy
    • A Week With: 2023 Ford F-150 Raptor R 4x4 Super Crew
    • A Week With: 2023 Genesis Electrified G80 AWD
    • A Week With: 2023 Land Rover Defender 110 V-8
    • First Drive: 2023 Honda Pilot TrailSport
    • A Week With: 2023 Jaguar F-Type R Coupe
    • A Week With: 2023 GMC Yukon Denali Ultimate
    • A Week With: 2023 Genesis GV60 Performance
    • A Week With: 2023 Chevrolet Suburban Z71
    Editor’s Choice
      Guides
      Car Warranty
      • Endurance Warranty Reviews
      • BMW Extended Warranty
      • Extended Warranty For Cars Over 100k Miles
      • Extended Car Warranty Cost
      • Subaru Extended Warranty
      • CarShield Reviews
      • CarShield Cost
      • Aftermarket Car Warranty
      • CARCHEX Warranty Reviews
      • Reputable Extended Car Warranty Companies
      • Used Car Warranty Companies
      • Best Car Warranty
      • Is CarShield A Scam?
      • Mercedes Extended Warranty
      • CarShield Plans
      Insurance
      • How To Identify A Car Insurance Company
      • Geico Mechanical Breakdown Insurance
      • How Far Back Does A Car Insurance Company Look
      • Mechanical Breakdown Insurance For Used Cars
      • State Farm Mechanical Breakdown Insurance
      • Mechanical Breakdown Insurance From Progressive
      • Dollar A Day Insurance
      • Auto Insurance For SSI Recipients
      • Car Insurance Rates After A Suspended License
      • Auto Insurance For Salvage Vehicles
      • Average Cost of Dodge Ram 1500 Car Insurance
      • Car Insurance Florida
      • Full Coverage Auto Insurance
      • GrubHub Insurance
      • Amazon Delivery Auto Insurance
      Shipping
      • Car Shipping Companies
      • uShip Reviews
      • Auto Shipping From California To Hawaii
      • Montway Auto Transport Reviews
      • Cheap Car Shipping
      • Easy Auto Ship Reviews
      • Auto Shipping Miami
      • Auto Shipping To Alaska
      • Car Shipping Cost
      • Auto Shipping Hawaii
      • Auto Shipping Puerto Rico
      • Sherpa Auto Transport Reviews
      • Auto Shipping Atlanta
      • Auto Shipping Boston
      • Auto Shipping. Chicago
      About
      • About Us
      • Contact Us
      • Terms of Use
      • Privacy Policy
      • Affiliate Disclosure
      • Sitemap
      TheDetroitBureau.com

      More than just “another” place to find news, reviews, spy shots, commentary, features, and guides about the auto industry. TheDetroitBureau doesn’t stop with the press releases or confuse a few lines of opinion with insightful, in-depth reporting.

      Contact Us

      Like what you see? Have some ideas for making The Detroit Bureau.com even better? Let us know, we’d love to hear your voice.

        Media
        Listen Now
        • Headlight News: All Episodes
        More from TheDetroitBureau
        • Guides
        • Latest News
        • Auto Reviews
        • Podcasts
        Headlight News

        TheDetroitBureau.com’s Headlight News offers a look at the past week’s top automotive news stories, as well as what’s coming up in the week ahead. Check out the week’s top story and our latest review…along with a dive into the past with this week in automotive history.

        home > news > Automakers > Ford Denies Plans to Slash European Car Line-Up

        Ford Denies Plans to Slash European Car Line-Up

        Mondeo to get upgrades, no plans to eliminate other car models.

        Paul A. Eisenstein
        Paul A. Eisenstein , Publisher & Editor-in-Chief
        Sept. 04, 2018
        Ford says it will update, rather than eliminate its European midsize sedan, the Mondeo.

        Ford Motor Co. is denying a report by the British newspaper, The Times, that it plans to radically cut back its European line-up and shift focus to more profitable SUVs – echoing steps it plans to take in the U.S. market.

        The Times reports that Ford would eliminate production of the Mondeo – the global name for what, in the U.S., is known as the Fusion – as well as its Galaxy and S-Max people-movers. The paper said Ford also wants to reduce the number of dealerships its products are sold through in Europe.

        Global News Now!

        A cutback in passenger car models abroad would follow plans for the U.S. outlined by Ford CEO Jim Hackett earlier this year. Reflecting a dramatic market shift from sedans and coupes to SUVs, CUVs and pickups, Ford will eliminate virtually all of the passenger car models sold in the States, with the exception of the Mustang “pony car.”

        (Why is Ford killing off the Focus Active crossover before it even goes on sale? Click Here to find out.)

        Reshaping the European line-up would also fit into Ford’s efforts to stem mounting losses in Europe, according to industry analysts. The automaker went $73 million into the red there during the second quarter and, in July, CEO Hackett said Ford would spend around $11 billion to restructure its European operations, though he provided few details at the time.

        The Times report suggested Ford would eliminate several other models, including the Galaxy minivan.

        Ford’s British operations, where a number of European models are produced, could take a hit because of the potential impact of Brexit, Britain set to finalize its departure from the European Union next spring.

        But the impact of the restructuring could be felt across the continent. An advisory from Morgan Stanley estimated as much as 12% of Ford’s global workforce may be eliminated as part of broader cuts, with much of the layoffs to focus on Europe.

        Ford is facing significant problems worldwide. Its sales and earnings have been sliding this year, along with its stock price which closed before the long Labor Day weekend at $9.48 a share, down from a 52-week high of $13.48. Some analysts are forecasting it could continue to dip to a six-year low.

        Ford’s problems have resulted in a sharp downgrade of its debt, as well, Moody’s Investor Service last week dropping it from Baa2 to Baa3, one step above a junk rating.

        (For more on the debt cut and other Ford financial problems, Click Here.)

        Moody’s cited an “erosion in the company’s global business position and the challenges it will face implementing its Fitness Redesign program.”

        Ford last week said it would kill the U.S. version of the Focus Active because of the Chinese trade war.

        As part of the program, Ford is eliminating from its U.S. showrooms models such as the Fusion sedan and compact Fiesta. It was planning to drop the Focus sedan in favor of a new crossover version, dubbed the Focus Active, but that model is also being killed off because of the trade war initiated by Pres. Donald Trump with China, where the Active is built.

        Ford also is looking at potentially radical solutions to deal with its European problems, according to The Times which said it is even considering the possibility of pairing up those operations with a rival. Ford isn’t the only Detroit-based automaker struggling to address European problems. General Motors last year sold off its German-based Opel/Vauxhall subsidiary to France’s PSA Group, though it continues to sell a handful of Chevrolet and Cadillac markets in Europe.

        For its part, Ford said it is not killing off the Galaxy, S-Max and Mondeo models, noting in a statement, “We have upgrades coming for Mondeo later this year, which will see new powertrains as well as exterior and interior updates as well as enhancements to the Mondeo Hybrid range.”

        Ford did not, however, address questions related to European job cuts and other possible moves to rein in losses on the Continent.

        (Ford charges ahead with new autonomous vehicle unit. Click Here for the story.)

        How to Care for Your Car

        Cheap Car Warranty

        Editor's Choice

        Best Extended Car Warranty

        Editor's Choice
        Recently Published
        2023 Toyota Corolla Hatchback SE front REL

        South Korean Brands Get Bigger Share of January Sales

        Today
        Tesla Gigafactory Austin_01

        Investors Unfazed as Tesla Reveals New SEC Probe

        Today
        GM and Lithium Americas

        GM and Lithium Americas Partner for U.S.-Sourced Lithium

        Today

        Leave a Reply Cancel reply

        Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

        Share this article:
        © The Detroit Bureau 2023
        • Guides
        • Privacy Policy
        • Terms of Use
        • Affiliate Disclosure
        • Contact Us
        • Sitemap
        Follow Us: