Final Expedition from Michigan
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It’s not the last Expedition produced.
The Kentucky Truck Plant will take care of that now.
But this is the last Expedition coming out of the Michigan Truck Plant. A.K.A the old Wayne Station Wagon plant.
It will be retooling to produce all new 2011 “Euro Ford” models.
The Mexican plant at Cuautitlan, now producing the F150 is also preparing for the production of the new Fiesta for 2010.
And a year later, the Louisville plant, now making Explorers, will also be producing yet another model based on the C-car platform.
Sounds like Ford is doing everything they can…
You just know that in that last expedition Revenge Quality was Job 1.
How can they make money on cars when they build them in the USA?
it seems for the first time in while Ford is making wiser decisions than GM and is sticking to its current plans.
While it was a gas hog, the Expedition was a really nice vehicle. One of our companies sales reps has a 1998 with over 500,000 miles and it still looks great and has only needed regular maintenance. It gets detailed twice a year and the paint is still fantastic.
At least they making an honest effort to do something. Unlike GM who approach the government with no plan with both hands out.
Ford needs to lose:
-Excursion (if they haven’t already)
-Expedition
-new Taurus (even though it’s in the pipeline…the design is years behind the 2003 Accord)
-Ford GT (sorry enthusiasts)
-American Focus
-American Escape/Mariner (build the Kuga in the C-Max and S-Max factory in the US)
…and they should bring back the Think city. Use the old design. It’s an electric car. People will line up. It won’t matter if gas is $1.18 a gallon if the Dow Jones is at 5000. Think about it.
…except for bringing us that new Ranger!
Great if these new vehicles are for the USA.
Anonymous said…
While it was a gas hog, the Expedition was a really nice vehicle. One of our companies sales reps has a 1998 with over 500,000 miles and it still looks great and has only needed regular maintenance. It gets detailed twice a year and the paint is still fantastic.
November 30, 2008 11:44 AM
And the QE2 was a really nice ship.
Things look like this on a tier:
Ford
GM
Everyone Else
Chrysler.
I was at the Orlando International Auto Show yesterday and Ford won (And Deserved) every award they earned. They had 5 vechicles on rotating platforms (although 3 of them were the 2010 Fusion, Milan, and MKZ) and announcers. GM had nothing but mostly their current joke batch of cars. ONE Camaro behind glass (which I heard from a friend of mine who’s father is the General Magager for a few dealerships in South Florida that the car will be a limited release for a year or more…which is a brainless move) and a CTS Wagon on a platform. Chrysler was more sad, but at least they had someone talking about the Town and Country. Suzuki had the WORST representation. They showcase all their current vehicles MINUS the Forenza…infact I forgot about it’s existance until I stated typing thsi sentence, they had no sign, a little table with nothing on it and no one behind it, and they were spread out to just take up the floor space they rented…it was really empty and gave the CARPET attention. There wasn’t any showing from VW, Audi, Volvo, Porsche, Aston Martin, Mercedes, and a few other I can’t remember. It was the weakest showing I’ve ever seen at an Auto Show, but at least GM and Hyundai added a ride and drive section in addition to Toyota’s 4×4 drive from previous years. I was kinda dissapointed that it rained and they packed up the ride and drives early….I’m glad I had free tickets and free parking! I REALLY wanted to drive the Genesis and Elantra Touring. They a Genesis to sit in and it was Heaven, just like I imagined. The only Elantra Touring was on a platform (even though there was one at the test drive) and was ghettoed out. I was still happy to see it upclose in some sort of form.
I was MOST impressed with the Ford (merc/linc) display. I was shown how Sync 2.0 works in the Focus….all of a sudden, the car wasn’t as ugly anymore. The new Fusion is VERY nice as well. I was never attracted to Fusions before yesterday. If I owned one, I’d have my door keypad activated. A freidn that was with me knows the lock code and locked the car from the outside (one of the rare cars that was powered up). He was an A-hole and wouldn’t unlock it, so I unlocked it from the inside and natrually the alarm started going off. Good thing the horn was disconnected. Only the lights were flashing.
About the Orlando Show: I forgot to include that Chysler had not one but 3 Challengers to touch and sit in…
The Expedition isn’t big – Your mind is small.
Ah, will not be sad to see these thing go. Are highways are going to look like Europe and Asia very soon. I hope these temporary low gas prices do not deter people from buying the on slaught of great small cars coming our way.
Sounds like Ford is doing everything they can…
In less than two years, the auto industry has spent $120 million lobbying Congress – much of which was used to fight legislative proposals to boost fuel economy requirements.
In the first nine months of this year, they've spent almost $50 million, with more than $20 million of that from the Big Three:
GM: $9.8 million
Ford: $5.7 million
Chrysler: $4.6 million
And in 2007, the industry spent $70 million on lobbyists. The Big Three spent more than $28 million:
GM: $14.2 million
Ford: $7.1 million
Chrysler: $7.1 million
GM was the fifth largest corporate spender behind General Electric Co., ExxonMobil, AT&T and Amgen in 2007, according to the Center for Responsive Politics.
Among the contentious issues battled by automobile lobbyists were proposals to boost fuel economy requirements though they weren't entirely successful – last December, Congress passed a bill that increases fuel efficiency standards 40 percent to 35 mpg by 2020.
Starting in the 1980s, the industry successfully lobbied to classify SUVs as "light trucks," making them subject to less stringent fuel economy standards.