Ford's march to small cars rolls on

JIM KENZIE FOR THE TORONTO STAR

For 2008, the Focus gets a major re-do that includes multi-media interface, some new styling touches and more standard equipment.

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

WAYNE, Mich.–Ford Motor Co. says it will spend $75 million to retool part of its Michigan Truck factory to make car bodies, part of the automaker's plan to convert some truck factories to make smaller vehicles.

Michigan Truck's 1,000 workers who now make Ford Expedition and Lincoln Navigator sport utility vehicles will be sent to the nearby Wayne assembly plant, where Ford plans to add a third shift to make more Focus small cars.

The move will begin in November, when Ford starts moving the equipment to build the big SUVs to the Kentucky truck plant in Louisville. That will clear space for Michigan Truck's body shop to be retooled to make Focus bodies. Michigan Truck will be converted to a car plant in 2010.

The changes are part of Ford's plan to build more small cars in response to the rapid U.S. market shift away from trucks and SUVs. The shift, which has been underway for several years, accelerated rapidly starting in May as gasoline prices started to rise toward $4 (U.S.) per gallon.

For the past few months, Ford has said it has not been able to build Focuses fast enough, but it has curtailed production of trucks and SUVs.

Michigan Truck is one of three North American truck and SUV plants that Ford said it plans to retool to make compact and subcompact vehicles.

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