Detroiter here - I'm off of Adams Ave. downtown, next to Grand Circus Park/Comerica.
Ford needs -
1) Better styling. I just bought a Grand Cherokee, and despite the 2020 Ford Explorer being RWD, I would never consider a Ford vehicle. Their exterior/interior styling is bland.
2) An off-road sub brand to compete against Jeep. The upcoming Bronco/baby Bronco/Ranger is a start, but Jeep is making a killing with the brand image despite 95% of people only taking their Wranglers over curbs in a mall parking lot. The 'dream' sells. They need to compete with Jeep in off-road prowess to sell the dream.
3) High performance trim levels for 2020+ vehicles high margin vehicles (Nautilus, Explorer, Aviator, F150, Mustang, Navigator) with hybrid/electric options that have a sub 10.5 second quarter mile.
>Jeep is making a killing with the brand image despite 95% of people only taking their Wranglers over curbs in a mall parking lot
Jeep is making a killing because mom wants a convertible with a second row for little Jimmy and dad knows she'll spend a lot of time going sideways if she doesn't have AWD then they once they're on the lot they realize that it's grossly overpriced for what it is and not a very practical SUV. At that point any half-competent salesman can get them to sign a lease on a Compass or GC.
I think for 1/2 the Bronco could be a very, very good start if they get it right. There's a lot of nostalgia for the Bronco and if they can make a Raptor/SVT Bronco they'll move them. I'd like to see a "Bronco Overland" to be honest, as I think that sort of aesthetic would sell bucket loads.
Not sure about 3 with the F150. People are still wary about the turbos over the coyote (including a lot of misinformation and paranoia), much less electric. Maybe it'll be a boon for fleet trucks.
I'm on an older Fiesta. If I were buying a new car today, depending on priorities (for me, manual, hatchback, sat radio, safety), I'd be looking at an Impreza (only model that currently hits every checkbox for me), Corolla Hatch, or Elantra GT. (Possibly Mazda 3 hatch or Audi A4 if I'm willing to make more compromises.)
They really are running out of ideas for turning the stock around. The funny thing is their current product lineup isn't too bad. And of course, they decided they will ditch ALL cars (except the Mustang) and just got with crossovers and trucks instead. The F-series is a money printer, keeping the entire company afloat.
