Photo: Ford Motor Company
"The world is changing" is a tagline that has seen so many uses it became mundane. The auto world is abundantly making use of it, and modern times have seen increased popularity of anything crossover, SUV or truck based. The counterpoint is that certain segments have settled the balance by continuously losing market share. Sedans and minivans are the first to come to mind, but these are just two in a sea of examples.
More specifically, we are here to deal with a couple of once successful representatives of the sedan segment. The Buick Regal nameplate has been with General Motors’ subsidiary since way back in 1973 when it was considered something of a luxury model and even had a coupe flavor. The latter was ousted from the range back in 1997 and the Regal remained a sedan-only affair afterward.
Ford’s Fusion, on the other hand, was a recent addition to the Blue Oval’s roster as the five-passenger mid-size model came out in North America as a successor to both the Contour compact and the iconic Taurus. The latter was reworked into a full-size model, but the reinvention was short lived – and the Blue Oval ultimately ended production last year in March.
And now both the Ford Fusion and Buick Regal are taking a hit for their respective teams. Of course, we already knew it was just a matter of time before the two sedans would get discontinued. But it is still sad to see both getting the retirement ticket with little to no recognition for their once successful careers.
The Detroit Bureau has found out the last of the Blue Oval sedans was manufactured on July 31st at the company’s production facility Hermosillo, Mexico. This marks the end of an era in North America – Ford has already retired the Fiesta, Focus and Taurus models from the range. Ironically, the boss who ordered the cuts – previous CEO Jim Hackett – has also announced his own decision to leave the company.
According to GM Authority, who cited unofficial sources, the Buick Regal production has also ended – in both Sportback and TourX form. The model was confirmed for discontinuation for some time and ailing sales might not have been the main reason. Another reason for the demise might have to do with the GM – PSA relationship, the latter making their own version for the European market (Opel’s Insignia).
Ford’s Fusion, on the other hand, was a recent addition to the Blue Oval’s roster as the five-passenger mid-size model came out in North America as a successor to both the Contour compact and the iconic Taurus. The latter was reworked into a full-size model, but the reinvention was short lived – and the Blue Oval ultimately ended production last year in March.
And now both the Ford Fusion and Buick Regal are taking a hit for their respective teams. Of course, we already knew it was just a matter of time before the two sedans would get discontinued. But it is still sad to see both getting the retirement ticket with little to no recognition for their once successful careers.
The Detroit Bureau has found out the last of the Blue Oval sedans was manufactured on July 31st at the company’s production facility Hermosillo, Mexico. This marks the end of an era in North America – Ford has already retired the Fiesta, Focus and Taurus models from the range. Ironically, the boss who ordered the cuts – previous CEO Jim Hackett – has also announced his own decision to leave the company.
According to GM Authority, who cited unofficial sources, the Buick Regal production has also ended – in both Sportback and TourX form. The model was confirmed for discontinuation for some time and ailing sales might not have been the main reason. Another reason for the demise might have to do with the GM – PSA relationship, the latter making their own version for the European market (Opel’s Insignia).
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