Ford to retool U.S. plants for (its) European cars: report

[phantom power]

CHICAGO (Reuters) - Car maker Ford Motor Co is drawing up plans to retool American plants to make small, fuel-efficient passenger cars that it mainly makes and sells in Europe, the Wall Street Journal reported on Saturday.

The paper said Ford has looked at bringing over European models, including the mid-size Mondeo, in response to high fuel costs that have hit sales of larger, fuel-hungry trucks and sport utility vehicles.

http://www.reuters.com/article/ousiv/idUSN1935873320080719

[madokie]

1. I can't see a downside to doing that

I know when we replace our explorer it'll be with a ford and it'll get a lot better fuel mileage. I have a primo '98 f150 stepside that we bought new and it has had nothing but synthetic oil in it from 2000 miles on and it only has 125 thousand on it now and it still is just like a new truck, drives the same, runs the same, interior looks like its still new, doors are still as solid as they ever were, all of it but its not worth didly squat anymore so I believe we'll keep it for quite some time for that occasional use of a pick'em up truck we need. If ford is building the cars for their Europe sales here in the US that is good for them to ramp up production for US sales when the demand arrives. An escape hybrid is in our future or thats what my wife wants anyway. We don't drive much so I hesitate to do anything as the auto industry is very volatile right now. I predict that there will be much change in in the vehicle world these next couple years.

[phantom power]

2. It's seemed like an obvious move to me for a while now.

We all knew they had the fuel-efficient designs, since they were already making them for the European market. They'll still have to eat the retooling cost, but at least the design costs are already sunk. And they'll have an existing body of expertise to supervise the spin up.

[madokie]

3. I'm sure there is some tight assholes at ford now but In the end it'll all be good for ford

There is no doubt in my mind that we will see better times, the re:puke:s have been and are going to continue to try to keep us down but I see us as a whole waking up and with the new blood coming to the whitehouse the skys the limit. If only we can keep boy wonder and his evil sidekick from taking up any more arms between now and January

It gives me great hope when I hear Obama speak of the American Dream. For the most part hes the only one saying it too. We've got a good man headed toward our White House today, we just want to make sure its with a wide enough margin as for them to not be able to steal this one. Four more years of the same will do great damage to all our industry