Ford to Expand Lineup of Limited-Edition Vehicles

Ford Motor Co., which has won plaudits from automotive and racing enthusiasts with high-performance models of some of its most popular cars and trucks, announced plans Wednesday to expand its lineup of limited-edition vehicles.

Until now, the world’s second-largest auto maker has limited its performance upgrades primarily to high-horsepower versions of Ford brand vehicles, such as the F-150 pickup, the Mustang coupe and the Focus subcompact.

But the company said it was creating a division, Ford Performance Group, to design a range of muscle cars and trucks for its Lincoln and Mercury brands as well. A number of other Ford operations, such as after-market performance parts and accessory sales, also will become part of the new group.

Company representatives declined to comment on plans for specific future products, but industry insiders cited the Lincoln LS sedan and recently introduced Mercury Marauder as among the most likely candidates for high-performance editions.

Typically, high-performance and niche vehicles are relatively low-volume products that can command higher prices. General Motors Corp. and DaimlerChrysler’s Chrysler arm also have formed units to design and build high-performance versions of regular models.

Ford said more than 100,000 cars and trucks produced by its Special Vehicle Team, as its performance division had been known, have been sold since the division was created 10 years ago. The division also will be rolled into Ford’s new performance group.