Ford Motor Co. is offering both customers and dealers the option of substituting Goodyear tyres for standard Firestone Wilderness AT tyres on its current 2001 Explorer vehicle, writes the Wall Street Journal (14/11/00).
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WSJ reported that Dale Claudepierre,
Ford’s compact sports utility vehicle line director, is concerned that consumers
are resisting Firestone tyres, in the wake of the 6.5 million Firestone Wilderness
AT, ATX and ATX II tyres.
Reports that Firestone tyres were used as standard on Ford’s Explorer alongside
other vehicles involved in sudden tread separations, consumer concerns about the
safety issues surrounding the tyre recall and Ford production cuts saw sales of
the model slide 16.4 per cent in October.
WSJ reports that the US auto-giant has offered dealers and consumers the choice
of either Goodyear (GT) or Michelin tyres instead of the Firestone brand when
it launches its 2002 Explorer early next year.
Sales of Firestone brand replacement tyres fell 40 per cent in the US for the
months of September and October, said Bridgestone Corp., parent of Bridgestone/Firestone
Inc. last week.
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