Word: fording
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Dates: during 1980-1989
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During the first half of 1984, sales of American-made cars surged 26.5% over the same period a year ago. The biggest increase was in sales of mid-size cars, like the Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme, which were up 28%. Large and luxury cars showed a 22% rise. Ford led the industry with a 32.2% sales gain, and General Motors followed with a 26.1% jump. U.S. automakers expect to sell 8 million cars this year, up from 6.8 million in 1983, and earn a record $10 billion in profits...
Though sales of new convertibles have not lived up to optimistic projections, they remain popular. Chrysler has sold 11,867 LeBaron and Dodge 600 convertibles this year, and Ford has moved 8,739 topless Mustangs. Jim Roberto, sales manager of Denver's Skyline Dodge, says he sells rag-tops as fast as he receives them. This fall another convertible will debut: a canvas-top version of the American Motors sub-compact Renault Alliance...
...plant is operating at full speed and will produce 180,000 minivans this year, Chrysler is hard-pressed to keep up with demand. Some dealers are charging a $2,000 premium on each van. Due within the next nine months are two competing models: the Chevrolet Astro and Ford Aerostar. Industry experts think that minivan sales could go all the way to 750,000 a year...
...company that appears to have capitalized most successfully on new buyer trends is Ford. It revamped virtually its entire car line in a risky bet that customers would respond to sensuously rounded shapes characteristic of European models. So far the gamble has paid off. The Thunderbird, one of the most radically restyled, is selling 61% faster than a year ago, and sales of its sister car, the Mercury Cougar, have doubled since...
...Ford is also promoting performance. It jammed a mammoth V-8 engine into its compact Mustang and produced a car with neck-snapping acceleration: 0 to 60 m.p.h. in 7.2 sec. The luxurious Continental Mark VII LSC has been redesigned for better handling. It has a new slippery shape and a suspension system that uses air-filled rubber sacks instead of steel shock absorbers. Another manufacturer that has been especially successful with cars designed for demanding drivers is Pontiac. In addition to the Fiero, it has won over customers with its 6000 STE, a mid-size model aimed at wooing...