Ford Fusion, Buick Regal to End Production
There may not be another segment of our economy that fluctuates more with the buying habits of its consumers than the automobile industry.
Over the years, sports cars have been the rage, then more family-friendly vehicles took over, only to be replaced by more fuel-efficient options, and now it seems like SUVs and crossovers are in high demand.
That latest buying trend is bad news for the sedan market, and it looks it will mark the end of the line for two of the stalwarts in that category.
Motor1.com is citing reports from The Detroit Bureau and GM Authority that both the Ford Fusion and Buick Regal are ceasing production in 2020.
A look at the most recent history tells the complete story.
Two years ago, Ford made the announcement that it was changing its focus to crossovers, SUVs, and trucks, while last year Buick revealed that 90 percent of its sales were coming from crossovers.
The Fusion first arrived on the market in 2006 and was manufactured at Ford's plant in Sonora, Mexico.
The Regal's history goes back much further. Buick first introduced the sedan back in 1973 and the vehicle is currently in its fifth incarnation (1973-'77, '78-'87, '88-'96, '96-'04, '08-'20). Since 2008, the Regal has been manufactured in Rüsselsheim, Germany.
Ford and Buick aren't the only companies moving away from sedans. Earlier this summer, Honda said it was pulling the plug on the Fit and Civic Coupe.