SHOPSMART AUTOS – CUSTOMER INFORMATION – AUGUST 2, 2021
NOT DEAD YET – THE CASE FOR SEDANS (PT.1) From behind a shiny desk, Henry Ford II shared his vision for the Edsel prior to its 1958 launch. “We have drawn upon the top talents of our company; we have put in back of the Edsel, a team of men of long experience and high competence in the fields of management, marketing, engineering, styling, and production,” he said on camera. Hank the Deuce would later explain how the Edsel would net Ford a larger share of the medium price market. In so many words, the former Ford President and CEO believed the Edsel represented the pinnacle of automotive success.“The eyes of the American people will be on Edsel,” he famously said. We know how the Edsel ends, but in the late 50s, Ford saw the need for a next-generation vehicle; something to capture and command the market’s attention. The Edsel wasn’t that car, rather the Mustang and the other Detroit hot rods that followed; or the Beetle at the other end of the spectrum. These cars, be it the ill-fated Edsel or the beloved Beetle, held great promise. Automakers set their compass to things like this, and have done so since the days of the Model T. Always looking for that unicorn; always believing it leads to gold at the end of the rainbow. That unicorn became the minivan, became the sport utility vehicle, became the crossover. Today, the latter two carry the torch like never before. Automakers have responded in kind, releasing a plethora of SUVs and crossovers in recent years. According to a Bank of America study, as reported on by the Wall Street Journal, there are 96 different SUVs and crossovers on the market today, up from 70 in 2014. That same study finds we can expect nearly 150 models by 2023. The pattern suggests once that unicorn is found, the rest of the farm is put out to pasture. That’s why we hear things now like “SUVs killed sedans” or “crossovers were the death of cars.” But is that true? Have sedans really gone the way of the dodo? Well kinda but not exactly. “Cars as a percentage of all new vehicle sales likely will continue to decline,” explained Michelle Krebs, Cox Automotive Senior Director of Automotive Relations and Executive Analyst for AutoTrader. She notes that while sedan sales hit record lows last year, compact and midsize cars are still on consumers’ radar. “They continue to be in the top five of segments for shopping and purchase, still significant volumes.”Tags: 2019 Subaru Forester Touring, 2020 BMW iX3, 2020 Chevrolet Suburban, 2020 dodge charger, 2020 EQC, 2020 Ford Super Duty, 2020 Honda Pilot, 2020 Kia Optima, 2020 Mercedes Benz, 2020 Nissan Versa, 2020 Subaru WRX STI, Audi SUV, BMW, Brandon K. Hardison, Chevrolet Car, Chevrolet Sonic, Dodge charger, electric vehicles, honda, Honda Pilot, Hyundai SUV, Mercedes Benz, Nissan Rogue, SUV, upcoming car, Volkswagen, Volkswagen Tiguan SEL Premium R-Line, Volvo Car
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