Ford Saying So Long to the Likes of the Fusion and the Fiesta

(Bloomberg) -- Ford Motor Co. said it will no longer invest in traditional sedans for its namesake brand, spelling the eventual demise of models including a long-ago best-seller, the Taurus.

“Given declining consumer demand and product profitability, the company will not invest in next generations of traditional Ford sedans for North America,” the automaker said in a statement announcing its first-quarter earnings. “Over the next few years, the Ford car portfolio in North America will transition to two vehicles -- the best-selling Mustang and the all-new Focus Active crossover coming out next year.”

The statement put the Fusion family car, Fiesta subcompact, Taurus sedan and C-Max hybrid on death watch in Ford's biggest and most profitable market. Ford conspicuously left out any information about the fate of the Lincoln luxury brand's MKZ and Continental, which are mechanically similar to the Fusion and Taurus.

In the 1990s, the Taurus was America's best-selling car for five straight years. The Taurus name went away when Ford named its mid-size car the Fusion, but came back under former Chief Executive Officer Alan Mulally, who invested heavily in car models when gasoline was more expensive.

To contact the reporter on this story: Keith Naughton in Southfield, Michigan at knaughton3@bloomberg.net.

To contact the editors responsible for this story: Craig Trudell at ctrudell1@bloomberg.net, Jamie Butters

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