10 Discontinued Ford Fashions That Deserve A Second Likelihood

There is not a single main automaker that obtained to the place it’s at this time with out continuous innovation, and a part of that innovation entails removing underperforming fashions in its lineup and changing them. Ford is a main instance, with the model’s again catalog containing an extended record of discontinued nameplates that stretch again to its earliest days. A few of these nameplates are nonetheless revered by lovers regardless of being out of manufacturing for many years, whereas others have been largely misplaced to time.

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Ford’s current choice to resurrect its Capri nameplate as a crossover is a controversial one, nevertheless it proves that the corporate is not afraid to dig into its heritage to generate some additional buzz round its newest automobiles. If it caught to the technique, it could have loads of traditional names to select from, and there are additionally a number of extra not too long ago discontinued fashions that arguably need to be introduced again for a second shot at success. There are too many candidates to make a definitive record of each deserving nameplate, so SlashGear rounded the editors’ favorites from the North American market and past.

The sedan market has misplaced its shine in recent times, trailing in recognition behind SUVs and crossovers. Nonetheless, purchaser tastes are consistently altering, and if the physique fashion does see a return to recognition within the close to future, Ford could be caught off guard. The model does not at the moment produce a sedan for North America, but when it did resolve to develop one, selecting a traditional title just like the Galaxie could be a great place to begin.

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The Galaxie title has loads of heritage, being initially launched within the ’50s and surviving via 1974. It was each commercially profitable and boasted a racing pedigree, most famously in America but additionally in abroad competitions just like the British Saloon Automotive Championship. It was conceived as a rival to the Chevrolet Impala, a nameplate that proved for much longer lasting than the Galaxie, having solely been axed in 2020.

With shrinking home and international competitors within the section, a brand new Galaxie could be working in a distinct segment of its personal as certainly one of only a few surviving American-made sedans. Nonetheless, with Ford firmly dedicated to its SUV plan, a resurrection appears unlikely to occur for the foreseeable future.

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The Ford Tour was not a success when it was new, with considerations raised about its extreme measurement and poor fuel mileage. The SUV was discontinued in 2005, however virtually 20 years later, the time is arguably proper for it to be given a second probability. Enormous SUVs are not the outlier they as soon as have been, actually they’re now an more and more frequent sight on the roads and provided by a variety of producers.

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The mannequin’s poor fuel mileage would possibly nonetheless delay some patrons, however trendy powertrains are normally considerably extra environment friendly than these of 20 years in the past. The introduction of a hybrid powertrain would enhance these numbers additional nonetheless. The current day Expedition covers an identical space of the market, however the Chevy Suburban and Tahoe show that there is room in a producer’s lineup for a couple of full-size SUV. Excursions proceed to commerce on the resale marketplace for surprisingly excessive costs, and so Ford is arguably lacking a trick by not capitalizing on the goodwill for its nameplate whereas it stays in demand with patrons.

On the other finish of the dimensions spectrum to the Tour sits the Ford Ka, a small however widespread automobile that was by no means offered in America. It was launched in Europe in 1996 as an entry level into the Ford vary, slotting beneath the Fiesta. Its styling was not like anything in Ford’s lineup on the time, and its low asking value and zippy dealing with made it a preferred alternative for patrons on a price range. Its 1.3L four-cylinder engine meant that it was a great distance from quick, and future generations of the automobile by no means improved a lot by way of efficiency.

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Arguably, these later generations by no means managed to match the styling of the primary technology both. Ford finally discontinued the Ka, which was later marketed because the Ka+, in 2019. As a price range mannequin, the Ka was by no means notably profitable for Ford, and with the model’s pivot in direction of bigger SUVs and crossovers, it was at all times destined for the chopping block. The most affordable Ford accessible within the U.Okay. as of this writing is the Puma crossover, which begins from £25,650 (round $33,700). That leaves a niche beneath the present lineup for an entry-level mannequin equivalent to a brand new Ka, nevertheless it appears unlikely that one might be unveiled anytime quickly.

Whereas the Falcon nameplate has a fanbase in North America, it is most legendary in Australia. Lengthy after the American market Falcon was discontinued, Ford’s Aussie division continued to design and manufacture new variations of the automobile, proper up till the final one rolled off the manufacturing line in 2016. It marked the top of an period for Australian car-making, which has since disappeared altogether after the 2017 withdrawal of GM’s Holden from home manufacturing.

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Aussie-made Fords merely weren’t promoting in excessive sufficient numbers to justify the manufacturing facility’s continued operation, and after shutting down its vegetation for good, it appears unlikely that the model will make a return sooner or later. If it did, the Falcon appears a pure candidate to steer an Australian car-making revival given the native reverence for the title.

What type a contemporary Falcon might take is one other matter — the normal components of a rear-drive sedan with a strong engine proved to be financially unviable, and it is unlikely that may change sooner or later. So, a revived Falcon would essentially be topic to some drastic adjustments, but when that was the case, whether or not it could be accepted by followers of the nameplate is one other potential sticking level.

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By the point the Crown Victoria was discontinued in 2011, it was archaic in comparison with the remainder of the model’s lineup. Its platform might hint its roots again to the ’70s, and its dealing with and fuel mileage mirrored that. Nonetheless, its tried and examined nature meant that it remained a preferred police car proper up till its discontinuation. Growing a brand new platform for the automobile would have doubtlessly been an costly activity, and given Ford’s tight funds on the time, it merely wasn’t an possibility.

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As a substitute, the model selected to focus totally on its SUV choices, the place it was seeing wholesome progress and even more healthy margins. The Crown Vic was dropped and would-be patrons have been as an alternative directed to the Taurus, which itself could be finally discontinued. A revived Crown Vic would possible need to concentrate on the identical markets that the unique did, being primarily aimed in direction of regulation enforcement and business makes use of like taxis. The market is lacking a easy, robust, American-made sedan, however that is just because, for now not less than, such a automobile would in all probability not promote in massive sufficient numbers to justify its improvement.

After 4 many years or so of manufacturing, the Thunderbird was initially discontinued in 1997. It reemerged on the flip of the century with a retro-modern look that some liked and a few hated, and which arguably hasn’t aged too nicely. Gross sales slipped quickly after its launch and it was discontinued once more in 2005. Earlier Thunderbird generations have remained widespread collectors’ automobiles within the many years since they left the manufacturing facility, and the latest technology has its justifiable share of followers too.

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Reviving the Thunderbird title as soon as once more is not solely out of the query — Ford’s web site at the moment describes the nameplate as “on hiatus” — however what a brand new Thunderbird would seem like is one other matter. The unique was a small, light-weight, reasonably priced sports activities automobile, however the latest iteration was a big novelty cruiser primarily based on the chassis of a Jaguar sedan. That evolution offers Ford some wiggle room to reinvent the automobile as soon as once more, maybe as a sporty mannequin with an electrical or hybrid powertrain. Coincidentally, the Thunderbird title would match nicely thematically with Ford’s present electrical pickup, the F-150 Lightning.

The Euro-spec Ford Fiesta has been a staple within the U.Okay. since its introduction in 1976 and remained the most typical automobile on British roads in 2023 regardless of being axed that 12 months. It was additionally the preferred automobile offered on the U.Okay.’s used market within the first quarter of 2024. Given its continued recognition, Ford’s choice to ax the mannequin looks like an odd alternative.

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As a substitute of investing in a brand new Fiesta platform, Ford has as an alternative determined to prioritize SUVs and crossovers, which boast fatter margins and normally include considerably greater value tags. It has additionally invested closely within the rollout of EVs, though in August 2024, it introduced that it was scaling again its plans in response to weak demand.

Ford’s abandonment of the reasonably priced automobile market is a dangerous technique — whereas higher-spec fashions ship shareholder pleasing revenue margins, in addition they value out first time patrons and people on tighter budgets. The fast rise of economy-focused manufacturers like Dacia and MG within the UK proves that there is nonetheless loads of demand for reasonably priced automobiles, nevertheless it appears unlikely that the Fiesta will return to manufacturing for the foreseeable future regardless of this demand.

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Ford’s choice to discontinue the Taurus within the face of slowing gross sales was not a stunning one. The final instance of the North American Taurus left the manufacturing line in 2019, though it nonetheless survives within the Center East and reportedly stays a powerful vendor. The Taurus was the sufferer of the American market’s shift to SUVs and crossovers, with curiosity within the mannequin steadily declining all through the 2010s. The nameplate had already been briefly axed a number of years prior, however was resurrected in sixth-generation type for the 2010 mannequin 12 months.

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It has been not too long ago reported that Ford is engaged on a brand new EV platform just like GM’s Ultium, which might give it flexibility to develop a variety of physique types from vans to sports activities automobiles. Sharing a platform would drastically scale back the event time and value for every new mannequin, and will make decrease quantity fashions just like the Taurus a financially viable possibility as soon as once more. Nonetheless, Ford has but to formally unveil the platform, and there isn’t any timeframe as to when such a reveal would possibly occur for now.

SlashGear has beforehand argued that the Torino is a cooler automobile than many individuals give it credit score for, and as such, it is worthy of a revival. A number of notable muscle classics have been produced all through the Torino’s time on sale, together with the uncommon Torino Talladega. Then, there was its well-known look in “Starsky & Hutch,” which spawned its personal limited-run commemorative model of the automobile. The nameplate was axed within the mid-’70s amid a lineup shakeup, and hasn’t returned since.

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Ford’s lineup would arguably be benefitted by one other sportier mannequin, with the one non-SUV efficiency mannequin it at the moment provides being the venerable Mustang. A revived Torino would provide some much-needed selection, though whether or not it could promote in massive sufficient numbers to justify its improvement prices is one other query. Very like the Taurus, the more than likely means for the nameplate to make a comeback is as an all-electric mannequin on Ford’s mooted future EV platform.

A little bit over a decade in the past, the Focus was topped the world’s finest promoting automobile mannequin, however from 2025, it is being discontinued. A compact and reasonably priced automobile in base type, the Focus has been in manufacturing for the reason that late ’90s when it changed the getting older Escort as an all-new mannequin. In newer years, hotter variations have additionally been added to the lineup, culminating with the tire-smoking Ford Focus RS. The Focus’ gross sales figures had been on the decline for years earlier than its discontinuation was introduced, with SUV and crossover gross sales consuming into its market share alongside recent competitors from upstart manufacturers.

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The choice was made to ax the Focus after the present technology’s lifespan was over, with the manufacturing facility that at the moment produces the automobile more likely to be shuttered after the final one rolls off the road. There was no indication to date that the Focus will return sooner or later as an electrical car or in any other case, despite the fact that demand for small, reasonably priced automobiles is unlikely to wane anytime quickly.