Ford halts plans for rwd cars

With demand uncertain for big cars in the years ahead, Ford Motor Co. has dropped plans for new rear-wheel-drive sedans.

Ford design chief J Mays told Automotive News on Sunday that plans for rwd Ford and Lincoln sedans have been shelved. "It's out of the cycle plan," he said.

Gasoline prices that soared to more than $4 a gallon in mid-2008 undermined the expected industry demand for large rwd cars.

"We've got other priorities at the moment," Mays said. "We're going down a path right now that is all about fuel efficiency, and we've got a lot to do about that. So we're not talking about rear-wheel drive." AutoWeek