Ford Extends Discount Plan through September; Ford Exec Calls the Deals a "Pandora's Box"

Ford's North American sales chief Steve Lyons yesterday called employee-discount pricing "a Pandora's Box," reports The Detroit Free Press. "Like most marketing programs, the Family Plan has a limited life," Lyons said Tuesday during an interview that followed the launch of the new Ford Fusion sedan in Los Angeles. "It's time to move on to do what we do best." Lyons comments come in concert with the automaker's decision to extend its employee discount plan through September on some 2006 models. A spokesman for Ford said that details are still being worked out regarding which 2006 models will be included in the extended deals. Lyons said September 30 will most likely mark the end of employee pricing. "By then, we will be down sufficiently (on inventory), so we can just walk away."