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| Ford |
Ford Motor Co. has asked its dealers not to order any full-size pick-up trucks or SUVs in the black color because they are unable to receive an ingredient for the paint from a supplier in Japan. They have also scaled back on using Tuxedo Black on mid-sized SUVs, and the Ford Taurus and Lincoln MKS sedans.
A patented substance called Xirallic is used to make the paint appear to have a slight metallic glitter. In addition to black, it is also used for several shades of red, which is also being restricted on some models. According to Ford spokesman Todd Nissen, the company is working on finding another substance that can be used as a substitute.
Vehicles affected by the decline of red paint available are the SuperDuty and Ranger Trucks, Focus compact cars, Econoline vans and Lincoln Navigator SUVs.
While dealers are urged not to order any new vehicles in the color, models are still available on lots.
"To be clear, though, all these vehicles and colors are available now," Nissen said. "We have adequate inventories on dealer lots to meet consumer demand."
Henry Ford is famous for saying, "Any customer can have a car painted any color that he wants so long as it is black." The opposite is true today, after the devastating 8.9 magnitude earthquake and following tsunami has affected production of thousands of items.
For several years in the early 1900s Ford Motor Co. only allowed its iconic Model T cars to be ordered in black. That decision eased mass production and the black lacquer used, then called "Japan Black," dried faster than a majority of the other colors. A coincidence in name only, there was no connection between the paint title and the country.
Other automakers are following suit. Chrysler said Saturday that it was also temporarily restricting orders in certain colors, though the company did not specify which colors were affected.
"Due to a potential paint pigment shortage from a supplier that has been impacted by the disaster in Japan, Chrysler Group LLC today informed dealers that we are temporarily restricting orders of vehicles in ten colors," the company said in an emailed statement.
Chrysler, similar to Ford, has models available in all colors already at dealer lots.
Japanese automakers have had to close plants in Japan due to massive earthquake and tsunami damage, which has caused worldwide disruptions for car sales, repairs and businesses needing Japanese auto parts supplies.
US automaker General Motors has already stopped production of a truck plant in Shreveport, LA and an engine plant in New York due to a shortage of supplies.
New car prices are expected to rise as a result.
Sources: http://www.thirdage.com
