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Flat Rock may produce more models

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#1 ·
Ford weighs more U.S. production after hiking Fusion output
Automotive News

DETROIT (Bloomberg) -- Ford Motor Co., expanding output of its Fusion sedan to a plant in Michigan, said the factory could produce another model as demand expands.

"We certainly have the flexibility for the future to do more," Joe Hinrichs, Ford's president of the Americas, told reporters today as the first Fusion sedans rolled off the line in Flat Rock, Mich.

"We're trying to get our capacity set up to meet demand. With the growing demand for our trucks, growing demand for Fusion, other product lines, that's what we're focused on."

Ford is hiring almost 6,500 new workers this year in the United States, where Ford is the second- largest automaker and leads the industry in market share growth through 2013's first seven months.

The Fusion is challenging Toyota Motor Corp.'s Camry as the nation's top-selling car while selling at an average premium of more than $2,300 per vehicle.

The additional shift of 1,400 new workers at the Flat Rock plant will boost Fusion capacity more than 30 percent, the company said today in a statement.

Demand for the car overwhelmed the only factory where it had been made, in Hermosillo, Mexico.

"We could have sold more if we had more," Hinrichs, 46, said of the Fusion. "We expect the sales momentum to stay here in the U.S. and around the world."

The Flat Rock plant now builds the Fusion and the Mustang sports car, which are based on different vehicle architectures.

"The Mustang and the Fusion are two different platforms, so we'll be introducing two right now, but we certainly have the flexibility for the future to do more," Hinrichs said. "We could do a lot of different things."

Read more: http://www.autonews.com/article/201...tion-after-hiking-fusion-output#ixzz2dNk0UQLy


UPDATE:The Detroit News reported in May that Ford plans to add production of next-generation full-size Lincoln MKS at Flat Rock, citing union and supplier sources familiar with the company's plans.

Union officials hinted Thursday that there is “more to come” at the plant.

From The Detroit News: http://www.detroitnews.com/article/20130829/AUTO0102/308290090#ixzz2dOQx9JyV
 
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#3 ·
Freeing up capacity at Hermosillo will also allow for more MKZ Hybrid production. Lincoln is able to match ES350 production, but hands over 1,000 units behind daily inventory levels with the MKZ Hybrid. This could also mean it's time for the MKZ Energi model to launch.
 
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