It’s 2018, and while we’re enjoying the crap out of our Mustang GTs and Shelby GT350s, Ford is rumored to be planning to discontinue production of the Fiesta and Taurus, according to our sources at AutoBlog. What? Things are better than ever for car enthusiasts—or so it may seem. Unfortunately, while we’re enjoying our niche cars with huge power-to-weight ratios, the manufacturers are steadily scrutinizing every penny that comes through the door. Like it or not, auto manufacturers are out to make a profit, period. True, they love it when we love their cars, but they’re also watching trends, and right now, consumers aren’t buying cars like they used to.
For those of you who remember, it was pretty much the Taurus (along with the Escort) that brought Ford back from the brink of bankruptcy. It was the #1 selling car for decades until the early 2000’s when it began to show its age. Ford cancelled it in ’06 and brought back a completely redesigned version for ’08. The Fiesta made a brief debut here in the states during the 1970s, was replaced by the Focus in the 80s. However, it has been a staple in Europe this entire time; it’s just recently returned to the ‘States.
According to reports from the Wall Street Journal, the venerable Taurus is once again suffering from poor sales, as is the Fiesta. Truth be told, the car has no place to fit, and has gone stale. Plus, it seems that customers are more prone to purchase SUVs, crossovers, and pickup trucks—leaving the cars we know and love to fade away into obscurity. The WSJ also reports that Sales of sedans, coupes and other car segments represented just 37 percent of U.S. sales in 2017, down from 51 percent in 2012.
If this is true, that means that other manufacturers like Chevy and Chrysler are considering cutting other models we all know and love, like the Impala, the 300, and the Charger. At the moment, these are mere rumors, With the Trump administration repealing many of the Obama-era fuel-efficiency mandates, people are more prone to pick up the larger vehicles.
Mustang sales, however are still as strong as ever, and while the loss of the Fiesta and Taurus wouldn’t be a huge loss, it’s a definite sign that the SUV and truck market is slowly taking over.
Living in Richmond, Tx, PJ Rentie has been in the automotive industry for more than 30 years. This former Assistant Editor at Vette Magazine also spent time with companies like NOS, Edelbrock, Hillbank Motorsports, Classic Industries, and was an automotive instructor for Cypress College for ten years. In his spare time, PJ hopes to one day bring his Fox Body Mustang out of the back yard and back onto the street!
