Ford will stop producing the Ka+ in Europe

The oval-badged brand will stop producing the Ford Ka+ in Europe. This measure has been planned as part of the car manufacturer’s push to improve profitability in the region. City cars have become problematic for car brands in Europe because, given their low market price, it is not profitable to equip them with the latest and costly emissions-reduction technology required.

These software systems must be included in all vehicles because the European Union is introducing much tougher CO2 targets with the aim of combating climate change.

A spokesperson for the oval-badged brand has said that the Ford Ka+ would be subject to CO2 penalties in 2020, “making it less attractive to customers in a competitive segment.” For its part, Opel, part of the PSA Group, has confirmed that it will launch its Opel Karl and Opel Adam.

PSA has also hinted that the Peugeot 108 and the Citroën C1 could be dropped after the current generation. The Volkswagen Group is not expected to directly replace its Volkswagen Up, Skoda Citigo and SEAT Mii and is instead working on how to sell affordable, zero-emission city cars with batteries.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xUr-4DyRhJA

Ford Ka+ will stop being produced and sold in Europe

The blue oval brand began importing the Ford Ka+ to Europe from India in 2016 as a replacement for the smaller Ford Ka built at the Fiat factory in Tychy, Poland, alongside the Fiat 500, whose platform it shared. The manufacturer sold 22,406 units of the Ford Ka+ up to May, 13% fewer than the previous year, according to market analysts JATO Dynamics.

Last year, Ford sold just over 50,000 units of the Ford Ka+ in Europe. In early April, dealers were told that Ford would drop the Ka+, the smallest car in its range. Shipments will officially stop in September, as the brand’s spokesperson has confirmed.

Ford has also added that it will remove the Ford C-Max and the Ford Grand C-Max from its range. In January, the manufacturer unveiled a plan to fix its poor profitability in Europe, which includes cutting 12,000 jobs by the end of 2020. The cost reductions also include closing a T-engine plant in Bridgend, Wales, and exiting the passenger car market in Russia.

The brand posted a profit of $53 million in Europe in the second quarter, reversing a $73 million loss in the same quarter of 2018. Restructuring measures in Europe and South America cost the car manufacturer $1.2 billion in special charges during the quarter. In addition, Ford is reviewing its product line in Europe to focus on more profitable vehicle lines, such as SUVs and commercial vehicles, including the launch of the Ford Puma at the end of this year.

“We will soon present interesting vehicles that will better suit customer demand in Europe,” the spokesperson said. Ford also said in July that it would launch a fully electric car in 2023 based on the MEB platform for electrified cars of the Volkswagen Group, following an electric SUV arriving in 2020. These new models will be accompanied by two new SUVs in Europe over the next five years.