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These cars are headed to the Great Crusher In The Sky

It happens every year. We bid adieu to some cars and trucks that will be missed, and say good riddance to others wondering how they stayed around so long. Whether they're being killed off for slow sales or due to a new product coming along to replace them, the list of vehicles being discontinued after 2012 is surprisingly long and diverse.
CNN Money has compiled a list of departing vehicles, to which we've added a few more of our own. In the slow sales column, cars like the Lexus HS 250h, Mercedes-Benz R-Class and the full Maybach lineup appear, while the Ford Escape Hybrid, Mazda CX-7 and Hyundai Veracruz are all having their gaps filled with more modern and more fuel-efficient alternatives. Obvious exceptions to the rule include models that still sell in decent numbers like the Jeep Liberty and the Chrysler Town & Country (which will eventually be replaced by a crossover-like vehicle).
Check out our gallery of discontinued cars above, then scroll down for more information.

Ford to kick off F-150 campaign during College Football Playoff

The long-awaited inaugural College Football Playoff will feature the nation's best college teams, with the Oregon Ducks taking on the Florida State Seminoles, and Alabama Crimson Tide facing some team from Ohio. On top of that, though, it'll also see the launch of the very first advertising campaign for the 2015 Ford F-150. Viewers from across the country will see a trio of ads featuring the all-aluminum truck, with two half-minute spots and a full 60-second commercial, all voiced by Denis Leary, touting the F-150's feature set and towing capacity, but passing on mentioning the new truck's class-leading fuel economy. That, Automotive News reports, isn't a miscue by Ford. The company simply didn't have enough time between the EPA's fuel economy announcement and the 2014-2015 Bowl Season to prepare a spot. Expect plenty on the F-150's fuel efficiency in future spots. Interestingly, though, AN is reporting future F-150 advertising won't include a Super Bowl appearance. Ford has made the decision to focus its new truck ads on college football rather than during the NFL championship. "From our point of view, there's no bigger stage to debut the F-150 creative than the College Football Playoff," Keith Koeppen, Ford's US marketing communications boss, told AN. "It's so closely aligned with the passions of our customer." It's those passions that are pushing Ford to kick off its ad campaign for a new truck so much earlier. Speaking to AN, Doug Scott, Ford's truck marketing manager, said that the automaker typically doesn't begin ad campaigns until its dealers have at least a fifty-fifty mix of old and new models, but that it's pushing the 2015 F-150's ads to fit with the college football playoffs. While Ford's focus is on the two semifinal playoff games on New Year's Day and the National Championship Game on January 12, the ads will actually air for the first time on New Year's Eve, when the TCU Horned Frogs face off against the Ole Miss Rebels in the Peach Bowl. The three spots will also be shown during other bowl games, as well. Featured Gallery 2015 Ford F-150 2.7L EcoBoost at Davis Dam News Source: Automotive News - sub. req.Image Credit: Ford Marketing/Advertising Ford Truck ncaa

Will Ford's SUV blitz include the Bronco?

Ford announced this week it will add four sport-utility vehicles in the next four years, an ambitious bet on a segment the industry once shunned. This led to wild speculation about what form these utes will take. Here's what we know: They will be new nameplates, and Ford is thinking globally. That means at least one might not be a product with US intent. They will also be in segments where the company does not currently compete, Ford said. The Blue Oval isn't specifying exactly what's it's doing, so here are some of our theories. We think one will be called the Bronco, which is great news for enthusiasts. We hope it follows the Mustang playbook with some heritage styling, but a thoroughly modern execution. Ford needs an off-road Jeep Wrangler-fighter. Fuel prices are low and it's been 22 years since the infamous O.J. Simpson white Bronco chase. This is the best chance Ford will ever have to bring back this iconic name. Our man on the ground at the Chicago Auto show, Sebastian Blanco, reported that Ford sales and marketing vice president Mark LaNeve said a "mini utility" will also be one of the utes. This could be primarily an overseas play. We've also seen lots of spy shots of the EcoSport, a small crossover that Ford sells in India and other overseas markets, being tested on American roads. That is an existing nameplate. Maybe Ford adds a small ute related to the EcoSport in the United States, but calls it something else. We think Lincoln gets a three-row SUV out of the deal. It could slot between the MKX, which was new last year, and the Navigator. Lincoln is leaving money on the table by not being in this segment. The platform could be used for a Ford at some point, too. The Blue Oval brand does actually have a tweener three-row vehicle, the Flex, but this chassis might underpin a replacement. Or maybe Ford makes one of these a hybrid. The company laid out ambitious plans in December to ramp up its electrification strategy, something that could mean a dedicated hybrid SUV (Kia unveiled one of those right after LaNeve's speech in Chicago). It's also possible hybrid technology will be integrated into this new portfolio. The Escape used to have a hybrid sibling. Whatever form they ultimately take, Ford is betting heavily on SUVs. The company thinks they are what Baby Boomers and Millenials want and expects the segment will continue to grow. It's important to note: this will be a diversified strategy.