Ford plans Explorer shutdowns [View All]

[UpInArms]

http://www.courier-journal.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050521/BUSINESS/505210327/1003

excerpt:

Explorer sales were down nearly 23 percent through April compared to the same period of 2004. Ford has been trying to match production with reduced sales, said company sales analyst George Pipas.

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At the beginning of this year, there were more than 100,000 unsold Explorers on dealer lots. The number has dropped to 84,000, but the company wants a further decrease, he said.

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"Just a year and a half ago, we were working overtime in Louisville" to build enough SUVs to meet demand, Pipas said. "But at the beginning of 2004, gas was $1.50 a gallon."

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The Louisville plant will begin building the 2006 Explorer on July 18, Pipas said. The new model will offer a more powerful V-8 engine and a six-speed transmission.

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