Posted on 08/13/2009 12:24:27 PM PDT by Diana in Wisconsin
Dearborn, MI (AHN) - Ford Motor (NYSE:F) said Thursday that it plans to raise North American production in the rest of the year in a bid to meet growing consumer demand, helped by the government's "cash for clunkers" program.
Ford aims to increase output by 10,000 units to 495,000 new vehicles in the third quarter, which is almost 18 percent more than the production level of a year-ago period. The production gain will primarily focus on building additional Escape small utility vehicles and Focus small cars.
The automaker also plans to produce 570,000 vehicles in the fourth quarter, 33 percent higher than year-ago levels and 15 percent above the third quarter production plan. In the final three months, the increase will represent higher production across a range of cars, crossovers and trucks.
"Under the 'Cash for Clunkers' program, the Ford Escape and Focus are flying off dealer lots, and we're doing all we can to ensure our dealers are well stocked with the fuel-efficient vehicles that customers really want," Mark Fields, Ford's president of The Americas, said in a statement today.
"We'll need this additional production as even more people are drawn to our high-quality, fuel-efficient lineup, including our newest entries such as the Ford Taurus and Lincoln MKT," he added.
Ford said that it has asked the UAW to work over time and its suppliers to ramp up production of the Escape and Focus.
"We asked our union partners to pull out all the stops - overtime, Saturday shifts, working during the shutdown - and they have delivered," Joe Hinrichs, Ford group vice president, Global Manufacturing and Labor Affairs, said in the statement.
The automaker said that at the Kansas City (Missouri) Assembly Plant, employees agreed to work Friday and Saturday, Aug. 21-22, during what was a planned shutdown week. In August and September, Ford will build around 3,500 additional Escapes.
Separately, at Wayne (Michigan) Assembly Plant, Ford is planning to raise Focus production by more than 6,000 units in the third quarter through increased overtime Monday through Friday and adding Saturday production shifts.
Any word on GM?
be careful... You cannot predict future sales based on the 3 weeks spike thanks to Hopey Changie Dork
Although I am hearing a lot of people say they will never by another GM (Government Motors) car
As long as its big hungry SUV’s I’m happy.
Kash for Klunkers is wiping out all of the used ones.
Oh and Ford didn’t take any of that free money IIRC so
Have you driven a Ford lately?
This cant be true! The only car companies doing well are those run by the Kenyan-born Messiah, Lord Barry Hussein Obama! The free market and private enterprise are so 20th century. In the Obama era, only state-run companies can be successful.
If I need a truck in the future, it’ll be a Ford.
However, my 1990 Dodge Ram w/Cummings Diesel shows NO signs of slowing down! :)
All I know is that when my 2006 double cab Chevy Silverado 2500HD 4x4 finishes falling apart (almost paid for)we will NEVER buy another GM product. It’ll be “Ford tough” for us.
My husband as a 1985 Dodge Ram w/Cummings Diesel and it is going strong. He has also used free fuel for the past year. He burns used compressor oil or used transmission fluid. Several businesses are saving the oil for him as they have to dispose of it some way. He has a special filter to make sure the oil is clean, and a 105 gallon tank in the bed of the truck.
Of course I prefer my wonderful gas guzzling 1996 Suburban.
I just bought a new car and would’ve bought a Ford but they discontinued their Ford Focus wagon. So if you want a 5-door you have to move up to their crossovers or SUVs.
Yup. Bought my first Ford in 15 years back in May
09 mustang GT in grabber orange! 5-speed manual with a gas sucking v8! Screw GM, Chysler/Fiat, and Obama!
Love the car!
That’s pretty cool! :)
This is very good news, indeed. The rest of the economy doesn’t stand a chance of recovering until manufacturing begins to increase.
“-—well stocked with the fuel-efficient vehicles that customers really want”. Is that what they want or just what Obambi’s centralized economy dictates they’ll buy (with taxpayer funded cash incentives)? Also, how pathetic that Ford is so pleased that the union agreed to work overtime. I guarantee you that non-union folks would be asking Ford to work overtime. What a backwards world we live in today.
A coworker just bought a new Ford Escape 4 banger. She’s quite pleased with it.
A bought a Ford Edge in 2007 and I love the thing.
“A” = “I”...natch.
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