Joeychgo
July 17th, 2004, 01:14 PM
Ford Develops LS, Town Car Replacements
By Amy Wilson
Automotive News
Ford Motor Co. is developing two sedans to freshen the tired Lincoln lineup, say suppliers familiar with the company’s plans.
The new Lincolns will be based on the platform that underpins the Ford Five Hundred sedan and Freestyle sport wagon, which debut this summer. Suppliers expect the new Lincolns to replace the rear-wheel-drive LS and aging Town Car, the top-selling Lincoln, though that plan is not firm. The cars would go into production in 2007 and 2008.
http://www.lincolnvscadillac.com/joey/ford500.jpg
The two Lincoln sedans likely will be built on the platform of the
Ford Five Hundred, which debuts this summer.
The increased use of front-drive platforms shared with Ford Division contrasts with the strategy of Lincoln’s archrival, Cadillac. General Motors spent about $4 billion on a dedicated RWD platform and new assembly plant for Cadillac.
To assemble the new Lincolns, Ford is preparing to redevelop its Atlanta assembly plant, which makes the Ford Taurus and Mercury Sable. That plant had been scrambling for future products. The plan adds more uncertainty to the underused Lincoln car plant in Wixom, Mich.
Ford has not completed the details, but it is working closely with suppliers and the UAW.
Ford declined to confirm the plan for Atlanta and the new cars. A spokesman said Lincoln has five new vehicles planned during the next four years.
As part of the plant redevelopment, Ford would invest in a new body shop and upgraded paint and general assembly areas at its plant in Hapeville, Ga. Ford could announce the Atlanta redevelopment as soon as August, said one source close to the project.
The redevelopment project replaces a plan to build a new greenfield plant in Georgia. That greenfield project was put on hold last year and deemed too costly. The price tag for an all-new plant likely would have been at least $1 billion, while redeveloping the existing plant probably will run about $750 million, sources said.
Gerald Bantom, the UAW vice president for the Ford department, wouldn’t reveal details of the plans. But he expressed optimism for Atlanta’s future in an interview.
I feel pretty good about Atlanta, Bantom said. I think Atlanta is going to get a new product.
A supplier park is being negotiated, Bantom said. The Hapeville plant sits on a small site tucked between Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport and Interstate 75.
Bantom said the plan being considered for Atlanta would have the plant producing new product during the first quarter of 2006.
The early 2006 timing doesn’t quite fit plans for the new Lincolns that the company shared with suppliers.
One supplier says the smaller Lincoln sedan, code-named d385, would go into production in July 2007 for the 2008 model year. The larger vehicle was described as an extended-wheelbase sedan code-named e386. It would launch in January 2008 as an early 2009 model-year vehicle.
The sedans, built on the front-drive D3 platform used for the Ford Five Hundred, likely would feature all-wheel drive. The D3 platform is derived largely from Volvo technology.
In addition to the two Lincolns, the Atlanta plant also would become a second plant assembling the Ford Five Hundred, suppliers said. The Five Hundred, which launches this summer at Ford’s Chicago assembly plant, would go to Atlanta in early 2007.
See the rest of the article here: http://www.cars.com/news/stories/071304_storya_an.jhtml?page=newsstory&aff=national (http://www.cars.com/news/stories/071304_storya_an.jhtml?page=newsstory&aff=national)
By Amy Wilson
Automotive News
Ford Motor Co. is developing two sedans to freshen the tired Lincoln lineup, say suppliers familiar with the company’s plans.
The new Lincolns will be based on the platform that underpins the Ford Five Hundred sedan and Freestyle sport wagon, which debut this summer. Suppliers expect the new Lincolns to replace the rear-wheel-drive LS and aging Town Car, the top-selling Lincoln, though that plan is not firm. The cars would go into production in 2007 and 2008.
http://www.lincolnvscadillac.com/joey/ford500.jpg
The two Lincoln sedans likely will be built on the platform of the
Ford Five Hundred, which debuts this summer.
The increased use of front-drive platforms shared with Ford Division contrasts with the strategy of Lincoln’s archrival, Cadillac. General Motors spent about $4 billion on a dedicated RWD platform and new assembly plant for Cadillac.
To assemble the new Lincolns, Ford is preparing to redevelop its Atlanta assembly plant, which makes the Ford Taurus and Mercury Sable. That plant had been scrambling for future products. The plan adds more uncertainty to the underused Lincoln car plant in Wixom, Mich.
Ford has not completed the details, but it is working closely with suppliers and the UAW.
Ford declined to confirm the plan for Atlanta and the new cars. A spokesman said Lincoln has five new vehicles planned during the next four years.
As part of the plant redevelopment, Ford would invest in a new body shop and upgraded paint and general assembly areas at its plant in Hapeville, Ga. Ford could announce the Atlanta redevelopment as soon as August, said one source close to the project.
The redevelopment project replaces a plan to build a new greenfield plant in Georgia. That greenfield project was put on hold last year and deemed too costly. The price tag for an all-new plant likely would have been at least $1 billion, while redeveloping the existing plant probably will run about $750 million, sources said.
Gerald Bantom, the UAW vice president for the Ford department, wouldn’t reveal details of the plans. But he expressed optimism for Atlanta’s future in an interview.
I feel pretty good about Atlanta, Bantom said. I think Atlanta is going to get a new product.
A supplier park is being negotiated, Bantom said. The Hapeville plant sits on a small site tucked between Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport and Interstate 75.
Bantom said the plan being considered for Atlanta would have the plant producing new product during the first quarter of 2006.
The early 2006 timing doesn’t quite fit plans for the new Lincolns that the company shared with suppliers.
One supplier says the smaller Lincoln sedan, code-named d385, would go into production in July 2007 for the 2008 model year. The larger vehicle was described as an extended-wheelbase sedan code-named e386. It would launch in January 2008 as an early 2009 model-year vehicle.
The sedans, built on the front-drive D3 platform used for the Ford Five Hundred, likely would feature all-wheel drive. The D3 platform is derived largely from Volvo technology.
In addition to the two Lincolns, the Atlanta plant also would become a second plant assembling the Ford Five Hundred, suppliers said. The Five Hundred, which launches this summer at Ford’s Chicago assembly plant, would go to Atlanta in early 2007.
See the rest of the article here: http://www.cars.com/news/stories/071304_storya_an.jhtml?page=newsstory&aff=national (http://www.cars.com/news/stories/071304_storya_an.jhtml?page=newsstory&aff=national)