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Fairlane and LTD in danger
The Ford Fairlane and LTD have been added to the endangered species list. Ford Australia says it is assessing the future of the long-wheelbase models, which have suffered a sales slide.
The company admits the future of the locally made luxury models is in doubt because of reduced demand for the stretched sedans. "We are evaluating what we do with long wheelbase, there is no question," Ford Australia president Tom Gorman says. Ford has sold an average of just four LTDs and 96 Fairlanes a month this year, compared with an average of 13 LTDs and 152 Fairlanes a month last year. Back in 1999, Ford was selling a monthly average of 25 LTDs and 374 Fairlanes at a time Ford Australia was struggling with the AU Falcon. Link |
it would be a shame if ford was to axe one of the best luxury cars that they build. Even know they are a large vehicle they still offer the best comfort for the price you pay. i can see why ford is looking at axing the car since fuel prices a surging thrugh the roof. and customers only want a small car. i work at a ford dealership and since ine been there not one failane has been sold. but we seem to sell moire small cars then anything. even the falcons are getting slow in the monthly sales.
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It is a shame that the fairlane and ltd will no longer be made MY 1999 fairlane with its tickford engine is by far the best ive ever had I would not swap it for a brand new benz or any other import you could name . And for those so called economy cars Mine gets 9.8 liters /100 kms not even on freeways only Those jap crap omports with their 2 litre smoke blowing windup ruberbands can hardly with a tailwind do better :dance:
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It would certainly be a sad day if it were to happen, when the BA was released I sensed there was a problem, LTD's and Fairlanes with Falcon tail lamps and styling that was not far removed from the falcon smacked of cost rationalisation, the crazy thing is that it could (apart from fuel prices) have contributed to the problem. I have owned LTD's for many many years now (currently driving an AU) I found the BA quite uninspiring almost pedestrian in it's looks, so I am in no hurry to update, I liked the AU's styling, it set it apart from the falcon - Fairmont which is what the buyers of these vehicles (myself included) seek in the marque. Unfortunently with declining sales if the LWD ford sedans manage to survive they are unlikely to get the restyling that they'd need to capture their lost market share.
end result? More clunky benz's, over rated BMW's and idiot's in 4X4 Toorak Tractors on the roads |
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