Can Ford Afford NOT to Be Boring?

Issue #222

​Today, we’re explaining how Ford plans to wow the world with exciting, cheap cars, and how it’s a hard goal to achieve.

Or, you can continue to read by scrolling down.

Market News

• In light of GM’s data debacle, Ford launches a privacy pledge, which you can read here.

• Here’s how Mercedes lost 31% in sales in China, but it’s all part of the plan to push into the US market.

• Reports have surfaced that GM plans to ax the electric Corvette, and we couldn’t be happier.

• After a massive hacking incident caused chaos in Europe, there’s fear of EV hacking in the US, including this cheap truck.

• Used EVs were cheap. Now, they’re not. Here’s why.

Safety and Recalls

• Toyota recalls 228,000 Sienna minivans because of this issue with the second-row seats.

• Ford recalls more than 100,000 F-150 and Super Duty trucks as they might show the incorrect speed.

Car Culture

• The bird on the hood of the Pontiac Trans Am has a name. Can you think of it? Here’s the answer.

• Is the Mazda Miata the ONLY car you won’t regret buying? This article makes a case for it.

• This Nissan Jungle Patrol is a crazy concept, but one we’d love.

• The Mercedes-AMG GT63 V8 sounds brutally savage. Except there’s no V8. Here’s what we mean.

• This long-read article explains why it’s hard to make EVs fun. It’s actually pretty spot on.

Video Of The Week

What happens when you pit the Land Cruiser vs. the Bronco vs. the Wrangler? A cool video.

In The Know

Can Ford Afford NOT to be Boring?

Ford’s 2010 lineup was as varied as you could imagine. You could choose from 20 different vehicles, including the legendary Crown Vic, the Mustang, the Transit Connect, and the Escape. Here’s the entire lineup if you want to reminisce. 

Some of these cars were not boring at all. I mean, a V8 RWD sedan? That’s money, right there.

But then, the lineup dwindled. Expensive manufacturing costs, the world’s obsession with SUVs, and the push for profit led to Ford’s lineup today: 12 vehicles, mostly SUVs, with electric variants and a Mustang.

Granted, the Raptor lineup is exciting, but I can’t say that Ford raises the hairs on the back of your neck.

That’s all going to change, according to CEO Jim Farley. As this article highlights: Ford won’t give us boring cars.

The problem is that his comments don’t necessarily match the company’s goals. Here’s what I mean: Ford has been promising a sub-$40,000 car (which could be the Escape) plus a cheap electric truck, which we now know is the Fathom. As you can read here, it’s all part of Ford’s goal to increase affordability, and that’s great! The US needs a cheap car.

If you’re into cars (and you are, because you read this newsletter), you’d know that neither of these two vehicles scream excitement. Some might debate me and say it’s more fun to drive a slow car fast than a fast car slow.

However, we’re leaving out a key part: there’s Farley’s promise to sell 5 million cars by the end of 2032. Globally, Ford sold around 3 million vehicles in 2025. That means that Farley is aiming for 20%, as you can read here.

As the previous article states, it’s not impossible. Ford did so in 2019, and the key is affordable cars and luring buyers back. On that last note, the Blue Oval has made strides in breaking away from the awful reliability reputation it had a couple of years back. While recalls are still frequent with Ford, the brand still ranks 6th in satisfaction ratings for 2026, as highlighted here.

Other automotive media also rank it among the best on the market.

On that front, the company has some leverage, and, of course, Farley has to say they won’t make boring cars, because otherwise nobody would buy them. However, jumping from that to actually producing a 12-car or 15-car lineup of only exciting and different vehicles is impossible.

That’s not to say there aren't automakers whose vehicles all follow one trait. I think about Mazda. Its lineup is all-around elegant, with a hint of excitement and a lot of safety features, at a price. They’ve managed to create a brand message, but it comes at a cost. They won’t get to 5 million with that equation.

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