As the only American automaker to avoid a direct government bailout during the 2008 economic meltdown, Ford suddenly found itself in a strong position to go after a long-coveted consumer. We are referring to the customers who are willing to pay a premium for higher-quality products, and while the Ford of 20 years ago certainly has some quality issues, today’s Ford products are consistently praised as among the best on the market.
So a new report from Automotive News that the next generation of Ford products will be moving decidedly upmarket comes as no surprise to us. But what does this mean for our favorite American sports car, the Ford Mustang?
Well there is little doubt that the next Mustang will debut with some form of EcoBoost power, most likely in the form of a 2.0 or 2.3 liter 4-cylinder motor. We’re also pretty sure the next Mustang will look a lot like the Ford Evos concept. But what does the Blue Oval have in mind for the rest of its lineup?
Well according to the report, the Ford Taurus sedan could move to a lengthened version of the soon-to-debut Ford Fusion. The languishing sales of the subcompact Fiesta may soon be livened up by the availability of a 1.0 liter, three-cylinder EcoBoost engine and a 2014 styling refresh. A Ford Focus refresh will likely come a year later, and it could also utilize the 1.0 liter EcoBoost engine here in the U.S.
Other changes include the use of more aluminum in the next Ford F-150, while the Ford Expedition will soldier on with an EcoBoost V6 engine under the hood when it is redesigned in 2014. These measures could drastically improve the fuel economy of Ford’s best-selling vehicles.
In other words, expect lots more turbocharging and high-tech gizmos from Ford as they push premium products. Sounds like a good way to pad profits, but will consumers respond in kind?