Ford will use its quarterly earnings press conference on Thursday to announce a plan to convert three of its U.S. assembly plants from trucks to cars, according to a published report. What’s more, Ford will also put to rest rumors about the demise of the Mercury brand with the announcement of a renewed focus on small cars.
Mercury will become an “integral” part of Ford’s small car strategy, according to the International Herald Tribune. Rather than killing the brand, Ford will redefine it, making it something more than a collection of rebadged Fords, sources to the newspaper say.
By 2010, a large portion of Ford’s line will consist of vehicles currently being developed for the European market, the report claims. As widely expected, the Fiesta will be the first Euro model brought to America. It’s not known if the Fiesta and the six other European models bound for the U.S. market will wear Mercury or Ford badges.
With three U.S. pickup and SUV plants bound for retooling, the number of truck assembly facilities will shrink from eight to five of the company’s 14 North American locations. Among the plants that will drop trucks for cars is the so-called Michigan Truck plant in Wayne, Michigan, which builds the Ford Expedition and Lincoln Navigator. It’s unclear if those models will be discontinued, or if the plant will split its duties between trucks and cars.
Lastly, Ford is expected to boost production of the hot-selling Focus, and re-tool two V8 engine plants in order to boost V6 and I4 output.
07/22, 9:04 AM
posted by:
tob
I can’t wait to get the special edition FUNKMASTER FLEX FIESTA….ballin’
07/22, 9:15 AM
posted by:
howsmydriving
“Rather than killing the brand, Ford will redefine it, making it something more than a collection of rebadged Fords.”
Excuse me, but April Fool’s Day is nine months away.
07/22, 9:21 AM
posted by:
xyunya
I believe it was unsuccessfully tried before, but why stop now?
07/22, 11:07 AM
posted by:
bigdawg
Please Ford, take Mercury out behind the barn and put this irrelevant brand out of it’s misery.
07/22, 11:08 AM
posted by:
cookie4me
I would love a Mondeo.
07/22, 11:17 AM
posted by:
Brendino
I said it a couple of weeks back: Make Merc about the small cars only. They’ll give L/M dealers the volume and you don’t have to water down Lincoln with a lower price point to enter the market. Merc small cars can be more expensive too so you get better profit margins without resorting to bonehead pricing like Chevy wants to do with the Cruze.
07/22, 11:32 AM
posted by:
johnnycanuck
xyunya: if you’re referring to the Scorpio and the XR4ti let’s not forget they were two of the absolute ugliest creations ever to crawl there way out of a design studio. They made the Eagle Premiere look like Miss Universe.
07/22, 11:58 AM
posted by:
jonnycat
Smart move.
07/22, 12:09 PM
posted by:
jumpoffit
atleast give Mercury the Falcon, now THAT would be a bold move-
07/22, 2:44 PM
posted by:
ihustle
Out of the big three, Ford by far has the brightest future. They have alot of great sellers, thats more then i can say about GM and Chrysler. Do you honest think the Cruze and the volt will help GM? Its going to hurt them. Once again there going to put vehicles into production that most likely wont sell. The Last three vehicles from Ford, Edge, fusion, and the revamped focus are selling very well. The new focus is the #1 domestic small size sedan, wheres the cobalt? Ford has the new taurus arriving in 2010, which you all seen in looks fuc*ing sweet and if it recieves the SH0 engine, it would be the new dad mobile. The 2010 fiesta will fill the void of , hatchback, which ford has no replacement right now. THe 2010 mustang is going to demolish the Camaro in sales, opinion based on past sales #’s. The F-150 is one of the best selling “Vehicles” in the world. Chrysler is hurting very badly and i can’t think of one vehicle they have worth wild, besides the over priced challenger. GM is an overall good brand. They 0wn 12 companys, and none of them are doing well. If i was GM id sell a few and gain some more capital so i could produce more consumer friendly vehicle. For every company they have that profits, it will always be off-set by the amount of losers there in control of.
07/22, 6:09 PM
posted by:
Bimmer
And what about ‘The Great White North’? It’s been a while since Ford stopped selling Mercury brand here. But canucs always favored compact vehicles.