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Ford Insists It’s Not Giving Up on Cars

Ford Motor Co. Chairman Bill Ford tells shareholders the company’s decision to cut sedans from its U.S. lineup is intended to help the company reinvent the American car, not retreat from the car market.
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Ford Motor Co. Chairman Bill Ford tells shareholders the company’s decision to cut sedans from its U.S. lineup is intended to help the company reinvent the American car, not retreat from the car market.

Last month Ford announced plans to shed virtually all conventional cars in North America, eventually leaving only the Mustang sport coupe. At the same time, the company said it will beef up its selection of crossovers, pickup trucks and vans.

The company’s dramatic shift in product mix aims to give consumers “what they’re telling us they really want,” says CEO Jim Hackett. Conventional cars have declined from a 48% share of the U.S. market five years ago to 33% in the first quarter of 2018, according to Autodata Corp.

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