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Ford investing $75M to switch Michigan Truck plant from trucks to cars

News flash: small cars like the Ford Focus are selling beyond expectations (ours anyway) while trucks and SUVs are sitting on dealer lots much longer than auto manufacturers would like. For this reason, Ford is moving as quickly as possible to switch a few of its truck plants into car plants, including its Michigan Truck plant where behemoth SUVs like the Expedition and Navigator were being built. The switchover is going to cost the automaker since these are not flexible manufacturing facilities, with the first bit of retooling ringing the registers to the tune of $75 million bucks -- and that's just for a new bodyshop. The total cost to retool the plant will be in the hundreds of millions. As they say, it takes money to make money. While the plant is being refurbished, workers will be shuffled to the nearby Wayne plant to build even more Focuses. The best bit of news, though, is that Ford will finally be building its small cars from Europe at its converted truck plant, the ones we've all been asking for since the Euro-Focus got a new platform and we didn't. Not that we're still sour or anything...
posted : 9/13/2008 @5:44:39 AM
2009 Focus RS info emerges after internet leaks

In the magical lands where the Focus looks cool, otherwise known as Europe, new images of the hotrod 2009 Focus RS have had enthusiasts atwitter the last few days. While the images are clearly 'chops - the wheels and backgrounds look like they're in high speed motion, while the tire tread is statue-still - they're reportedly legitimate mockups that were used to illustrate internally how the car might look. Ford confirmed their legitimacy today when it released two more photos of an actual Focus RS prototype along with a press release. The two new pics show the RS prototype racing around the Nurburgring where it's being tested ahead of its launch in 2009. The press release confirms that the RS will be powered by a Duratic 2.5L engine that's turbocharged to produce 280 horsepower and 295 pound-feet of torque. Ford also claims it's got torque steer for this pocket rocket in check with a new front-wheel-drive system and limited-slip differential. As for the design, we'll get to see it for the first time at the 2009 London Motor Show in late July.
posted : 6/15/2008 @2:59:45 PM
frankfurt 2007 european ford focus goes kinetic
Ford of Europe ExecutivDesignerer Martin Smith its saw „kinetic “Design language loop over the product series, forwards to the company since then it on the Iosis concept two years in this city debuted. This Design finally reached the focus, which will carry soon new „kinetic “Design references like its brothers and sisters the Mondeo, S-maximum and many different. Which this means a new front end with Iosis spurred headlights is, sculpted a larger untererer air inlet and more hood. From our perspective on the appearance floor, he looks fantastisch. Normally you can explain, if a car an improvement receives intermediary cycle; it does not lie the new Design references was part of the original plan straight on the hand. The new focus looks however, like it was meant to look this way of day 1 completely. more ...
posted : 9/15/2007 @6:01:13 PM
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