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Ford Edge, Lincoln Nautilus to die in 2023

Last summer saw two separate reports that Ford killed the next-gen Edge due in 2023, the move leading to the death of the Lincoln Nautilus in 2024 since the Lincoln is based on the Ford. As part of its future product roundup, Automotive News looked into the futures of a range of Ford Motor Company products, reporting that the Edge and Nautilus will both die in 2023. The Edge is said to be dead for good, thanks to Ford having four two-row crossovers in the lineup with the arrival of the hugely popular Bronco line, and a three-row Explorer that's only $175 more expensive at the moment. The Nautilus, however, could get a second act. When Ford came to an agreement with Canada's Unifor union about the Oakville Assembly Plant, which builds the Edge and Nautilus, the automaker pledged to turn Oakville into an EV production facility. Lincoln's big on battery-electric vehicles in the near-term, Unifor mentioning Oakville product plans that would have at least one EV coming off the line by 2025 and four more by 2028. Automotive News says Lincoln's got a small crossover and a midsize crossover due in 2025, and the small one could come from Canada and slot into the space left empty by the departed Nautilus, perhaps carrying on the name, perhaps not. One step up in size, the Ford Explorer and its Lincoln Aviator platform mate will soon welcome two battery-electric cousins into the family. These will both probably debut in 2022 and go on sale in 2023, the Ford produced in the Cuautitlan, Mexico, facility that now builds the Mustang Mach-E. As for which platform they'll ride on, it's not clear yet. Ford has four dedicated EV architectures planned for the company fold: GE2, the evolution of the Mach-E's GE1 platform; TE1 for trucks, coming in 2025; the Rivian platform that will contribute a dedicated Ford vehicle; and a version of Volkswagen's MEB platform for European offerings, with Ford planning to have an all-EV lineup across the Atlantic by 2030. The Explorer and Aviator EVs could get the GE2, or if Ford wants to showcase extra-rugged chops for both, the TE1. Related video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.

Biden's tariffs likely won't impact Americans already driving Chinese-built cars

A 2024 Buick Envision Sport TouringGM-DESIGN Chinese car brands are missing from the US market, but Chinese-made cars are still sold in the US.  Americans bought more than 104,000 Chinese-made cars in 2023 and nearly 28,000 in Q1 2024. Buick, Lincoln, Polestar, and Volvo all sell cars in the US that are made in China.  Of the more than 15 million cars sold in the US last year, none wore the badge of a Chinese car brand. Chinese EV heavy hitters like BYD and SAIC are conspicuously missing from US showrooms. With the government's existing 27.5% tariffs on Chinese-made cars and Tuesday's new 100% tariffs on Chinese-made EVs imported to the US, the situation isn't likely to change anytime soon. What some people might not realize, however, is that tens of thousands of cars manufactured in China are sold in the US every year. Volvo's S60L sedan was one of the first Chinese-made cars to be sold in the US starting in 2016, followed by Buick's Envision SUV and Cadillac's CT6 Hybrid. According to Automotive News data, US consumers purchased more than 104,000 Chinese-made vehicles in 2023, up 45% from 2022. Americans bought another 28,000 Chinese-made cars during the first quarter of 2024. Currently, Buick, Lincoln, Polestar, and Volvo sell Chinese-made vehicles in the US. Of those, the only Chinese-made EVs come from Polestar, a brand co-owned by Volvo and its parent company, Geely Automotive. The EV brand imported just 2,217 cars in the first three months of 2024. It is unclear how the new tariffs will affect Polestar's future production plans. The company eventually plans to move some of its car production to South Carolina in 2024. In a statement to Business Insider, a Polestar spokesperson said the company is evaluating the Biden Administration's announcement. Here's a closer look at the Chinese-made cars on sale in the US. Buick Envision A 2024 Buick Envision AvenirGM When it launched in 2016, the Buick Envision compact SUV was one of the first Chinese-made vehicles sold in the US. The second generation Envision, which arrived in 2021, continues to be made in China at one of the plants GM operates in a joint venture with SAIC. The Envision was Buick's second-best-selling model in 2023, with more than 44,000 vehicles sold. Last year, Buick sold 167,000 vehicles across its entire lineup in the US, an impressive 61% increase over the previous year. However, this number pales in comparison to Buick's sales in China, which totaled 517,000 units last year.

Ford rethinking vehicle launch strategy

With a new boss at the helm, Ford is looking at new ways to improve its vehicle launches in North America to prevent recent issues that have popped up with models like the Lincoln MKZ, Ford Escape and Ford Fusion. Speaking with Automotive News, Ford's new president of the Americas, Joe Hinrichs, revealed a few ways the automaker plans to avoid early build issues such as the engine fires on certain 2013 Escape and Fusion models and months-long delays for customers to receive their MKZs.
It sounds like the root of the problems may have been Ford's relationship with suppliers compounded by the fact that the product surge came on the heels of the recent industry-crippling recession, and in the AN article, Hinrichs says improvements are being made to reduce problems during the launch of new or redesigned models. Three such improvements that were implemented during the first quarter of this year including more rigorous quality comparisons, better use of computer technology to catch major problems sooner and hiring engineers to work closer with suppliers.