Ford Kills E-Series/Econoline Vans

[CrypticQuery]

Ford, as of 2013, will stop producing the iconic E-Series/Econoline vans and will instead bring the Ford Transit (not to be confused with the transit-connect) to US Shores. Though technology is rapidly changing and the Ford Transit is more efficient, there's just something I loved about the E-Series vans, whether it was their barely changing aesthetics or just the overall American-like design and reliability.

Leave it to Ford to kill both of my favorite vehicles in their lineup within the same time period >.<

[i'm sure we all know the first ]

ARTICLE: http://jalopnik.com/...ith-transit-van

[Wes]

Those Ford Transits look cool. Ford also is discontinuing production of the Ford Rangers in North America entirely. :/

[CrypticQuery]

Those Ford Transits look cool. Ford also is discontinuing production of the Ford Rangers in North America entirely.

I knew it was happening, though I wasn't entirely sure when. That's definitely a shame >.<; it will cease production on December 22nd of 2011.

Now we have three vehicles to mourn;

Ford Crown Victoria (Mercury Grand Marquis & Town Car as well)

Ford E-Series Vans

Ford Ranger

It's a shame; American cars are losing their originality and specific styling when compared to the rest of the world's vehicles; while that may be better in the long run I'll always miss the true definition of an American automobile. RIP.

Here's a video on an E-Series tour;

[Wes]

I watch a lot of this guy's videos. The inside of that van looks a lot like my dad's F150. That van would be a bitch to work on. But that's to be expected of a Ford. ;)

[DZComposer]

That's globalism for you. Why produce a different product in each market with different supply chains when you can streamline it into one and save money.

The question is are they going to build these new vans in the US or build them elsewhere and import them? What about suppliers?

What happened to Detroit is sad. The soul of an entire city sacrificed on the altar of globalism. Good for the stockholders? Yes. Good for the people that made the US auto industry one bolt and weld at a time? Not so much.

[CrypticQuery]

The question is are they going to build these new vans in the US or build them elsewhere and import them? What about suppliers?

What happened to Detroit is sad. The soul of an entire city sacrificed on the altar of globalism. Good for the stockholders? Yes. Good for the people that made the US auto industry one bolt and weld at a time? Not so much.

I believe they are re-tooling a Michigan plant to produce the new Transit, at a steep cost no doubt.

And the fall of Detroit is a sad event to look upon; what made the American automobile industry what it was is now starting to disappear, and I fear that we will lose what was once cherished. They'll call it integration, keeping up with the times, and efficiency, though I'll always find sadness and annoyance.

[DZComposer]

I wouldn't exactly call closing US plants and re-opening them in Mexico or Canada or switching to foreign suppliers efficiency.

The problem is twofold: One is the "MORE MORE MORE" attitude of investors. These days, it isn't good enough to just make a profit. To satisfy them, you have to make more profit than in the previous fiscal quarter or year. That is NOT sustainable, as it leads to an inevitable cycle of layoffs and downsizing. Eventually you get to the point where if you cut anymore, it negatively effects the product.

The second is healthcare costs. The current solution to this problem is to dump the costs on the individual workers as premiums go up. This isn't sustainable, either, especially if the former problem makes giving workers raises impossible. Pensions are a bit of a problem too, but the problem with cutting pensions is that employees pay into them. If you pay into a pension fund for 30 years and then get told you aren't going to get what you were paying for, you're gonna be pretty pissed. Unions get a bad rap because they fight for these things, and their contracts protect them to a degree.

The real solution to this industry's problems lies with trade policy and healthcare policy.

[Rik McCloud]

Ford have always believed in a one product for the world philosophy. They did it with the Model T and more recently tried to do it with the Mondeo/Contour. The Focus has been the first real modern Ford in my memory that has managed to achieve success, followed by the Fiesta. It's a sign of the times that companies are trying to shrink resources in order to save money. Look at the way that the Ram Vans were discontinued and replaced with the still very good Sprinter vans. Chrysler are re-badging Italian Lancia Deltas and selling them in the UK. I think the 300C is being sold as a Lancia in Italy. GM have been platform sharing for years with different brands with different badges. It makes financial sense.

The Transit is to Britain what the pick up is to the US. In the 70's, 90% of all bank robbery jobs in the UK involved a Transit van. The modern day equivalent is like a Swiss army knife, being able to adapt to whatever the customer's needs are with millions of combinations. It's a good workhorse but it is a real shame to see the E-Series and Econoline vans disappearing. Being from the UK, when I think of the US, Crown Vics and Econo vans are what pop into my head a lot. I was sad to see the demise of the Crown Vic as I do have a soft spot for it, especially after getting to drive it in Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit. I figure that crazyfooinc might like this pic I snapped.

[CrypticQuery]

I was sad to see the demise of the Crown Vic as I do have a soft spot for it, especially after getting to drive it in Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit. I figure that crazyfooinc might like this pic I snapped.

Ha, you definitely figured right! . And while I agree the Transit Van is adaptable, globalized, and quite popular abroad, I'll always have that love for the Econolines! :P