Ford to shift U.S. truck plants over to producing Euro car models
In what may be the obvious move in recent memory, Ford is apparently scrambling right now to figure out how to quickly re-tool truck assembly plants churning out trucks that no one wants in order to build cars that they can't get enough of. The Mexican plant that will build the Fiesta is the first, shifting from the F-150s it currently builds to Ford's new mini. But Ford has plenty of other mostly idle plants that CEO Alan Mullaly wants to see turning out some of the company's popular European models like the Mondeo and the Focus. Plant managers and local union leaders are apparently going to be gathering in Dearborn on Friday to help work out a plan to shift the product mix to where it needs to be in a world of $4+ gasoline.
The European lineup will evidently be the key to all of this. While the Ford Fusion (and its siblings) is getting a major refresh later this year, the full redesign that will happen a couple years down the road will see it converge once again with the Mondeo. Meanwhile, the Focus that had its second best month ever in May will get replaced by the European version in 2011. Similarly, the Ohio plant that builds the big E-Series vans will also switch over to the smaller Transit van. Ford should be outlining the full plan next month.
[Source: Detroit News]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
BillySharps 7:45PM (6/11/2008)
"In what may be the obvious move in recent memory..."
Understatement of the year. It's about damn time.
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deletealt 8:27PM (6/11/2008)
(screams with joy!!!!!) Bring on the fiesta! pun very much intended.
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Drewboy 9:47PM (6/11/2008)
Who needs import luxury cars when Ford will be selling a car as aesthetically pleasing as the Mondeo here? The car is frickin' beautiful!
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eliot 1:41AM (6/12/2008)
Drewboy,
Last I heard the Mondeo wont be sold here. It's a beautiful car, supposedly a more engaging drive then other Ford Sedans and built here in America (so there should be no excuse why we cant have the "European model" ditto the better European market Focus)
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Luke 1:49AM (6/12/2008)
'bout time.
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Dave 4:40AM (6/12/2008)
Please Ford, make that Mondeo efficient and bring it here, I want one!
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David Wright 5:29AM (6/12/2008)
The "smaller Transit van" referred to in that story is the Ford Transit Connect -- the same van that Ford were displaying as a yellowcab taxi, at shows in Chicago and New York.
http://www.worldcarfans.com/9080318.007/ford-transit-connect-taxi
And it's the van which Tanfield Group, with Ford's cooperation, are producing as the zero-emission all-electric 70mph Smith Ampere http://www.smithelectricvehicles.com/
Putting two and two together, can we presume we might see an all-electric yellow Ford/Smith taxicab in city use sometime soon? If so, might we also see it as a very practical all-electric family car? If so it would allow Ford to leapfrog the Japaneses contenders in bringing a fully developed highway capable electric car to market.
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Chris 6:17AM (6/12/2008)
I wonder how many conversions the union will block.
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Dave 1:10PM (6/12/2008)
They are not going to be building the Transit connect in Ohio. That will be imported from Turkey. They will make the full size BIGGER THAN ECONOLINE van in Ohio....ala Dodge Sprinter twin.
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David Wright 8:46AM (6/12/2008)
My last post (7) arose from a link given within Sam Abuelsamid's story above, which led to the earlier Transit Connect story. But actually I wonder if the Transit that Ford are most likely to build in place of the E-series van is Connect's bigger european brother the Ford Transit (I blame Ford for the confusion, for using the word Transit across two model ranges!). In which case the all-electric version would be the (3.5ton to 4.6ton) Smith Edison.
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BennyC 8:27PM (6/12/2008)
Finally glad Ford made the call. I've been trying to get the message through to them over the past few years that they should ready themselves for a shift in the US market and to bring interesting products from Europe over to the US. I still don't understand why they would sell an ugly Focus here rather than bring the European model which is so much sleeker looking and has powertrains that now look to be perfect for consumers' concerns around higher gas prices. Another point is the appeal of a car like the Fusion. Ok, it is somewhat reasonable priced, but look at the European Mondeo. An interior that is well designed and very appealing, a silhouette that is up to date and attractive. Compare that with the funky cheap looking tail lights, the flat face accentuated by the chrome grille and the terrible plastics used in the interior for the Fusion. Bringing the Fiesta here, smart move as well, but a small engine European Focus might fit the US market better than the tinier Fiesta (though I have to say it looks like a sharp little car). Too bad Chrysler did not get that and has not done anything suited for both the US and Europe yet... Will the hornet be somewhat of an answer... Too little too late would be my guess. Saturn was the good surprise with the Astra and the Vue. Let's see how the big 3 evolve with hybrids and full electric plugins or already existing in Europe smaller 4 cylinder or diesel engines.
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RCB 2:12AM (7/06/2008)
One of the cutest small cars in Europe is the Ford Ka. My mother has wanted one ever since she saw them (by the dozens) across Europe in the late 1990s, but it was difficult even to get people at Ford US to admit to the existence of such a model. That car actually has character, which is more than I can say for the Prius or 99.99% of other current car models.
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Glenn 6:52PM (8/18/2008)
I want a full size Transit truck with the 5 speed manual! I rented one in Europe and with a 5 speed manual got over 25 mpg at 110 kilometers. Amazing vehicle and it handled great. Mine was set up as a RV with a 24 ft. total length. I wondered why I could not get this vehicle in the US. The European Fords are beautiful and I always wondered why the did not offer them here. I hope they offer manual transmission and gear ratios like in Europe for the best mpg.
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