Ford off-roaders, EVs on way as cars depart

It's go time for Ford.

After years of promising new and redesigned nameplates, the brand is amid a product blitz that will test its ability to launch vehicles on time and free of problems.

The rollout started this year with the new Ranger midsize pickup and redesigned Explorer and Escape crossovers. It continues next year with two of the most anticipated debuts in recent memory: the Bronco SUV and a Mustang-inspired battery-electric crossover.

Fusion: Ford's last traditional sedan is not long for this world. Production of the Fusion Sport trim was phased out this year. And despite relatively healthy sales, the midsize sedan is expected to be killed in 2021, freeing space at Ford's Hermosillo, Mexico, plant for more profitable vehicles.

Mustang: The high-performance Shelby GT500 variant will launch this year, and a hybrid will come in 2020. The next-generation pony car is expected in 2022. It could move to the same rear-wheel-drive/all-wheel-drive platform shared by the Ford Explorer and Lincoln Aviator, which could mean a slightly larger silhouette.

GT: Ford's supercar will last longer than originally expected. Ford said late last year it would extend production by two years and build 350 more than first planned. That will result in a total of 1,350 GTs through the 2022 model year, or until supplier Multimatic Inc. can complete the $450,000 machines. It builds about one per day in Canada.

EcoSport: With the phaseout of the Fiesta and Focus small cars, the EcoSport is Ford's entry-level vehicle. The subcompact crossover is expected to be redesigned in late 2021 with production remaining in India. A hybrid variant is anticipated, as Ford has promised to electrify its utilities when they're redesigned.

Mach E: After years of ceding the electric vehicle market to the likes of Tesla and General Motors, Ford will enter the ring next year with a Mustang-inspired EV crossover that has a 300-mile range. The automaker will build the vehicle in Hermosillo after toying with producing it in Flat Rock, Mich. After floating the Mach 1 name early in its development — and irking Mustang faithful — Ford likely will opt for the Mach E moniker.

Off-road compact crossover: The so-called Baby Bronco, Ford's rugged, off-road counterpart to the more refined Escape, is to begin production in Hermosillo in mid-2020 and go on sale that year. Images of the vehicle, leaked late last year after a dealer meeting, showed round LED headlights and "FORD" stamped on the grille without the Blue Oval logo. It's unclear what name Ford will give the small crossover. Recent trademarks suggest it could be Maverick, Bronco Scout, Bronco Adventurer or Bronco Sport. Whatever the name, it will expand Ford's family of off-roaders and provide an example of how different the automaker can make vehicles on the same platform.

Escape: The fourth-generation Escape is launching this month with a sleeker design as Ford tries to split the compact crossover segment between it and the upcoming Baby Bronco. The Escape is Ford's bestselling nameplate after the F series, and the redesigned version will have multiple gasoline engine options, as well as a hybrid variant coming this month and a plug-in hybrid variant in spring 2020. A freshening is also planned for 2020, just a year after launch, as part of a product-development philosophy calling for quicker updates.

Bronco: The off-roader, whose return was teased at the 2017 Detroit auto show, will go on sale in late 2020 for the 2021 model year. A hybrid variant is also expected next year. The vehicle will be built alongside the Ranger at Ford's Michigan Assembly Plant in Wayne, Mich. Still a mystery: How and when Ford will lift the curtain on the highly anticipated product. The company has begun showing the Bronco to dealers but has largely kept design details under wraps.

Edge: Ford freshened the midsize crossover last year and added an ST performance variant, but sales have fallen 5.6 percent through the first half of 2019. The vehicle will be redesigned in 2022, when it likely will move to a new platform shared with the Escape and Baby Bronco. A hybrid variant will be added as part of the redesign.

Midsize crossover EV: The company plans Ford- and Lincoln-badged midsize battery-electric crossovers for the 2023 model year, as Automotive News first reported last month. The vehicles will be built in Flat Rock, with production starting in late 2022 or early 2023. The Ford vehicle will be similar in size to the current Edge, although it will sit on a dedicated battery-electric vehicle platform.

Explorer: The sixth-generation large crossover, on sale for a few months, sits on a new rwd platform shared with the Lincoln Aviator. The base model includes more than a dozen new standard features, including a power liftgate, Ford Co-Pilot360 suite of driver-assist technology and Wi-Fi connectivity. Ford says the vehicle has best-in-class second and third-row headroom. Hybrid and high-performance ST models are available. The Explorer is due for a freshening in 2023, although Ford is likely to make minor changes in the interim to keep the vehicle fresh.

Flex: After years of rumors about its pending demise, the slow-selling large crossover will be killed at year end, with some sales trickling into early 2020. That will free space at Ford's Oakville, Ontario, plant for more production of the Ford Edge and Lincoln Nautilus.

Expedition: The large SUV is basking in the glow of its 2018 redesign — its first in nearly 20 years. Sales are up 56 percent through the first half of 2019, and it has moved to No. 2 among large SUVs behind the Chevrolet Tahoe. The family hauler will be freshened in 2021, when Ford will add a hybrid variant.

Compact pickup: The automaker plans a compact unibody pickup that will go on sale in late 2021. Jim Farley, formerly Ford's president of global markets, effectively confirmed the vehicle's existence this year, saying Ford was "investing in more affordable versions of our truck business" and that "you can expect new nameplates below where we compete today." The vehicle likely will become part of Ford's family of off-roaders.

Ranger: The Ranger launched to much fanfare in January, and sales steadily grew through the first half of the year. To supplement sales, Ford offers dozens of accessories including kayak racks and tents. It will be redesigned in late 2022. Production is expected to remain at the Michigan Assembly Plant, where it will soon be joined by the Bronco. A Ranger Raptor performance variant is sold overseas and is likely to join the U.S. lineup at some point.

F-150: Ford's crown jewel withstood a barrage of new products from its top two rivals and remains poised for another strong sales year. The pickup's next generation is due in 2020, and it will come with a hybrid variant that Ford says will double as a mobile power generator. The automaker made waves this year when it showcased an F-150 EV prototype towing more than 1 million pounds. Expect a battery-electric F-150 in 2021.

Super Duty: Ford's heavy-duty pickups will be updated this year with a second V-8 engine option, new technology and improved power, payload and towing capability. They'll also come with a third-generation Power Stroke diesel engine that will be Ford's most powerful. All engine options will be paired with a new 10-speed transmission. The pickups are due for a redesign in early 2023.

Transit Connect: Ford freshened its small van this year, although it scrapped plans to add a diesel option. It's due for a redesign in late 2021, when production for North America will shift to Hermosillo from Spain. The vehicle also likely will be the basis for Ford's commercial autonomous vehicle.

Transit: Ford this year added new driver-assistance technology and engines as part of the full-size van's freshening. Much like Ford's consumer-oriented vehicles, the Transit gets new technologies including precollision assist with automatic emergency braking and pedestrian detection, forward collision warning, post-collision braking, lane keeping and automatic high-beam headlamps. There are no redesign plans for the foreseeable future.

Autonomous vehicle: Ford plans to launch a self-driving vehicle at scale for commercial use in 2021. The vehicle likely will be similar to the Transit Connect small van. It is expected to be built in Mexico, but Ford has said it will be upfitted with self-driving technology and a unique interior at an autonomous vehicle center in southeast Michigan.

White-space vehicle: Ford has said it plans to add an affordable "white-space vehicle" — meaning it will fill a void in the brand's lineup — in 2022 to help make up for the loss of many of its budget-friendly sedans. It's unclear what type of vehicle it will be, although a small crossover is likely.