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02-25-2007, 11:57 PM
Ford Edge Crossovers Slow to Arrive
The Daily Auto Insider
Friday, February 23, 2007
Last-minute quality issues, supplier concerns, and inclement weather have delayed Ford Edge shipments to dealers, The Detroit News reported.
The launch of Ford's two new crossovers, the Edge and Lincoln MKX, is seen as very important to the company's revival in the marketplace. The Edge's original rollout was supposed to begin last November but problems prompted Ford to delay that until late December, the News said.
Nevertheless, according to Ford, about 10 percent of Ford dealers still have not received their first Edges, though the company says all of them will receive their initial allotment by the end of this month. Smaller Lincoln dealers will have to wait longer for their MKXs because Ford has decided to build up inventories at high-volume dealers in major metropolitan areas first.
Among the problems affecting the Edge's launch:
A "minor quality issue" with the ball bearings in the rear axle that prompted a last-minute redesign, which delayed delivery to some customers who had pre-ordered their vehicles.
Ice storms in Texas and other parts of the southwest in January delayed shipments to some states.
Ford discovered that most buyers wanted premium 18-inch rims instead of the 17-inch wheels that ship on the entry-level model, further delaying the launch because of a shortage of the more desirable wheels.
Edge shipments are also being slowed by a rail strike in Canada.
"It's never easy to launch anything in the middle of winter, but we've been working real hard to get units out with the right quality," Ford spokesman Jim Cain told the News.
The Daily Auto Insider
Friday, February 23, 2007
Last-minute quality issues, supplier concerns, and inclement weather have delayed Ford Edge shipments to dealers, The Detroit News reported.
The launch of Ford's two new crossovers, the Edge and Lincoln MKX, is seen as very important to the company's revival in the marketplace. The Edge's original rollout was supposed to begin last November but problems prompted Ford to delay that until late December, the News said.
Nevertheless, according to Ford, about 10 percent of Ford dealers still have not received their first Edges, though the company says all of them will receive their initial allotment by the end of this month. Smaller Lincoln dealers will have to wait longer for their MKXs because Ford has decided to build up inventories at high-volume dealers in major metropolitan areas first.
Among the problems affecting the Edge's launch:
A "minor quality issue" with the ball bearings in the rear axle that prompted a last-minute redesign, which delayed delivery to some customers who had pre-ordered their vehicles.
Ice storms in Texas and other parts of the southwest in January delayed shipments to some states.
Ford discovered that most buyers wanted premium 18-inch rims instead of the 17-inch wheels that ship on the entry-level model, further delaying the launch because of a shortage of the more desirable wheels.
Edge shipments are also being slowed by a rail strike in Canada.
"It's never easy to launch anything in the middle of winter, but we've been working real hard to get units out with the right quality," Ford spokesman Jim Cain told the News.
I was the only member on this board with a Yellow Focus Sedan, and a 2002+ Euro Facelift on a sedan.