Due to the uncertain demand for SUVs and big cars in the coming years, Ford Motor Co. has decided to drop their plans for the production of new RWD or rear wheel drive sedans.

In an interview with Automotive News, Ford’s chief of design J Mays said that the company has shelved their plans for Ford and Lincoln RWD sedans. He said that these sedans were cut out from the cycle plan to focus on the company’s other priorities. Mays expressed his disappointment at the cancellation of the project, saying that he was excited about it but that it had to be done to follow the path that the company is taking.

Mays said that the company is headed towards the direction that focuses on fuel efficiency. He admits that Ford still has a lot of work to do to stay as a worthy player in a market that is all about fuel efficiency. Mid-2008 saw a soar in gas prices that reached more than $4 per gallon, which undermined the automotive industry’s expected demand for big rear wheel drive cars.

About a year ago, Ford’s product chief Derrick Kuzak and company CEO Alan Mulally confirmed that the new Lincoln and Ford RWD sedan models won’t be making their way to production. By midyear, however, Kuzak said that the company hasn’t completely dropped plans for RWD sedans but is rather only rethinking the program plan.

According to analysts, sales of RWD cars in the US was expected to kick off with the model year for 2013.

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