Ford decided against the new, additional plant in San Luis Potosi but should have immediately explored the option of resurrecting the agreement for the plant once the UAW negotiations lead to the recent strike. If that site is no longer available, Ford should be exploring expansion of their existing plants in Mexico or other suitable locations in Mexico. Unfortunately, it will take years to expand an existing plant or build a new plant for expanded production of existing or new models.
Make stock orders a mid-equipped base trim (Active, XLT, etc), a mid-equipped middle trim (Limited, Lariat, etc), and a loaded top trim (Titanium, Platinum, etc) for most models. Everything else is special order.
That way you cover everyone - the less expensive buyers with a decently equipped low trim (it's unlikely most buyers would want a complete bare-bones model), the middle buyer that wants some options but doesn't need everything, and then the buyer that wants the kitchen sink. And stock them in the inevitable 50 shades of gray that is sadly common these days.
If you want any other combo, you order and wait a few weeks.
Never said they wouldn't. In fact, I'm surprised according to the video that they're only doing a two year production run. The Ford gt was what? 5-6 years? The timing around the GTD makes me scratch my head, not gonna lie. Not only is Ford giving us the hottest, fastest, most extreme model early on, which is unusual, they're also only building it for a few years.
I agree with most of your comments and Ford could have introduced a Mustang 4-Door Sedan years ago and did nothing, even with the excess capacity at the Flat Rock plant. I do have to disagree with your comment about it being tougher to make a car unique compared to trucks and utilities. Agree on the trucks but as far as SUV's and Crossovers, but other than front end treatments, they all look alike basically.
But in the grand scheme of things, would they be able to fill another 250K+ of C or CD sized products in a plant if they did that? At least in North America or South America.
I think Ford has figured out that they rather sell all what they can make vs increasing market share by building another plant to add another 200K or so of capacity.
I'd expect in the future some plants get realigned with new plants that are being built now for EVs.
I don't have the latest updates to the stock order specifications that Ford starting requiring Dealers to use a few years ago, but the last I saw, there were still far too many order and option combinations available for stock orders. As @akirby stated, it's not rocket science!
Is there a way to set the rear doors to stay unlocked? When I stop the car, I have to open the Driver's door before someone in the back seat can open the door either from the outside or inside.
Yes, I have set the little twist things to unlock, and I have set the child switch thing on the driver's door not to be locked.
But when I stop the car and my wife gets out, when she trys to open the rear door from the outside, it is still locked.
I have to open the Driver's Door in order for the rear doors to be unlocked.
And she has long finger nails and those stupid squeeze to open handles (I liked the handles on the 2020 Navagator better) and the door is locked, it often breaks her finger nails.
Steve in Denver
Pretty much.
Ford recently started production of the right-hand drive c-segment Territory; it replaces the more expensive Escape/Kuga in some markets.
Ford needs smaller more affordable models below it. Many rest-of-the-world markets rely on C-segment and smaller vehicles.
I still think they could leverage the Evos (Mondeo Sport now) and offer that as their "sedan" offering while offering the added utility of the hatch.....the work is already done, why not use it? And/or do a Mustang sedan that can target a different buyer/higher price and be more profitable.
I also think they should've brought Zephyr over.
And follow the Toyota path of keeping the same platform and making minor tweaks, not expensive massive redos.