Ford announces next gen Focus to be made in China......

[jmrtsus]

Well, scratch a Focus off my list of cars I would buy.......I hope they are taxed to hell and back!

 

[LilPartyBox]

So Mexico GOOD? China BAD? iPhone BAD?

I'd still buy it. I don't care where it's built as long as i can Fix Or Repair it Daily. Traditions, ya know?

 

[skidro87]

Big nope

 

[BRGT350]

Not a big shock at all. I could see months ago that building in Mexico with the threat of NAFTA renegotiations would drive product changes. I didn't expect the Focus, but pretty sure the Fiesta will get moved out of Mexico or pulled from the US market. We will keep the current platform for a few years, the rest of the world will move forward with the new car, and we will get another crossover instead. While everyone is complaining about the new 3 cylinder ST, I just laugh since I don't see that car or any new Fiesta coming here. The Focus is a good enough seller with a more versatile platform that will be easier to keep. The Fiesta makes the EcoSport, but that production is in India. No reason to keep the Fiesta in Mexico under threats of tariffs.

I really don't see quality being affected with this. A good supply chain, highly automated assembly process, and lots of quality checks will keep the cars in the same quality as we have today. The systems in place are good enough to reduce variations that would see in China. Everyone said that buying a Focus or Fiesta from Mexico was just asking for quality problems. Every car I have owned since 2000 has been built from Mexico and they were all good. I don't expect one from China to be any different.

 

[Typical_Dodson]

Government Motors is already importing cars from China. Feds will get their money back when they tax Chevys as imports!

 

[zanethan]

Ahhhh the good old "it's made in China I'll never buy it again!" complaint thread.

The cold hard truth is that Americans are solely to blame for China emerging as the manufacturing center of the world. If Americans had cared about supporting U.S. made goods in the '70s and '80s when this shift began then we would have never lost those jobs in the first place. The bottom line here is that Walmart is what killed Main Street USA NOT China!

While I don't like that the Focus will be built in China, it really is no different than it being built in Mexico.

 

[MichiganST]

It's hard to argue with when the move comes to the tune of $1B in savings on manufacturing the focus. Plus they had to make room for the incoming Ranger/Bronco somehow. I think it's much more important to their business that those vehicles be made in the States than the focus, the market for those vehicles probably cares more about the vehicle being US made than the Focus market does. China is already making Focuses anyhow, this is just increasing the capacity of the plant so it's not like they're dealing with clueless operators in a new plant or anything like that. just a line rate uptick.

 

[XuperXero]

The company I work for is a third party supplier for Ford China (Changan facility in Chongqing, same place they're making Volvos and Geely), they're stringent as **** for quality control. I have no issues and have faith in the China production. So much that my dad bought a local production Ford Edge. 1 year later and no issues (except occasional Sync bugs).

We're also supplying Citroen, BMW, Peugeot, Cadilliac, Buick in China production .

 

[Quisp]

The company I work for is a third party supplier for Ford China (Changan facility in Chongqing, same place they're making Volvos and Geely), they're stringent as **** for quality control. I have no issues and have faith in the China production. So much that my dad bought a local production Ford Edge. 1 year later and no issues (except occasional Sync bugs).

We're also supplying Citroen, BMW, Peugeot, Cadilliac, Buick in China production .

Yes your moving up to Bio med , Aerospace. Ford sells cars globally. Makes sense.

 

[Joker328]

Now looking like the Focus will not even make it here for the 2019 MY as they retool and move to production in China: http://www.thedrive.com/sheetmetal/...uilding-the-focus-for-the-us-for-about-a-year

 

[stascom]

I would rather see a plant in Mexico than China. At least it keeps Mexicans employed and reduces immigration somewhat. Paying China benefits no one on this continent but the execs and shareholders.

 

[stascom]

Ahhhh the good old "it's made in China I'll never buy it again!" complaint thread.

The cold hard truth is that Americans are solely to blame for China emerging as the manufacturing center of the world. If Americans had cared about supporting U.S. made goods in the '70s and '80s when this shift began then we would have never lost those jobs in the first place. The bottom line here is that Walmart is what killed Main Street USA NOT China!

While I don't like that the Focus will be built in China, it really is no different than it being built in Mexico.

Clinton's policy is to blame for the rise of China.

 

[arcadefox]

Where is the us focus has been manufactured till now?

 

[Quisp]

I would rather see a plant in Mexico than China. At least it keeps Mexicans employed and reduces immigration somewhat. Paying China benefits no one on this continent but the execs and shareholders.

Ford sells globally. They probably buy more fiesta's then we do .

 

[arcadefox]

Ford sells globally. They probably buy more fiesta's then we do .

But are in China the US specs like your lights? In europe as example we got other cars then you in us. We have other interior equipment then you and we got other lookings outside.

 

[zanethan]

Clinton's policy is to blame for the rise of China.

...no. The fact that Americans would rather buy cheap Chinese made goods is responsible for China's rise.

If you really want to blame a political person for the lack of America's economic knowledge, you need to point the finger at Nixon as he's the one that opened up trade with China again.

What American's fail to realize is that every time you buy something you are voting for that product and everything associated with it. If you buy slightly more expensive domestically made goods then you're voting for more domestic manufacturing. If you buy cheap Chinese made goods then you're voting for more cheap Chinese goods. It is that simple when you boil away all the political noise, distractions, and BS.

 

[zanethan]

Where is the us focus has been manufactured till now?

It's currently built in Michigan. My understanding after doing some research is that they are moving Focus production to China to retool that plant for Bronco production. Makes sense in a global market as the Focus sell much better oversees and the Bronco will likely only be sold in the US.

 

[arcadefox]

It's currently built in Michigan. My understanding after doing some research is that they are moving Focus production to China to retool that plant for Bronco production. Makes sense in a global market as the Focus sell much better oversees and the Bronco will likely only be sold in the US.

Ok yes the bronco production in US makes sense cause in EU its not soled but that the US Focus wich is different like the rest of the world is well i think not good. For an fast production you need the same workflow everytime, so they will anyway make 1 production factory only for the US Focus. I think its only about the money. But thats only my thoughts^^

 

[zanethan]

Ok yes the bronco production in US makes sense cause in EU its not soled but that the US Focus wich is different like the rest of the world is well i think not good. For an fast production you need the same workflow everytime, so they will anyway make 1 production factory only for the US Focus. I think its only about the money. But thats only my thoughts^^

Well let me revise what I said. Currently the USDM focus is built in Michigan. The Focus is already built in other countries (Germany for the EU market, China for the Asia market, and maybe Mexico or Brazil for the SA market). The China plant will now build the USDM Focus in addition to the Asia market.

Yes there might be subtle differences in the US and Asia Focus but I doubt is significant enough to warrant building an entirely different plant. My guess is that it's mostly engine/transmission options.

Ford doesn't make all Focus models at the same time. What they will do is set up all the tooling for whatever model they are producing (Asia market, US market with the appropriate tooling for the trim level). They will then run the assembly line for however long they need to based on market demand (so the USDM Focus ST might be made for one week straight since the demand is low but they might run the Asian market base model line for a month if demand is high). They will then retool the line after the build for the next trim level. There are probably multiple separate assembly lines running at the same time so that several different trims are being produced at the same time. This way workers are optimizing workflow and quality by only producing one model at a time but Ford is optimizing profits by sharing 4 assembly lines for 8 different models. ( I'm making up the 4 and 8 for example purposes. I have no idea how many lines or models are actually offered).

So in essence they do have 1 separate factory for the USDM Focus it's just that that factory is only in existence for a few weeks at a time. At least that's how I understand it. This is why if you order a car from a dealer it will take several weeks to months before it is delivered. The factories have to be specifically tooled for a specific model.

 

[nightdriver]

The US government (along with other Western governments) built China with their shift to free trade in the 1960's and 70's, a policy which is still pursued to this day. Invade the world, invite the world and free trade was a policy pursued from the 1960's on which has served to ship entire industries to lower cost countries (third world). When a corporation has few restrictions on it's production location (free market capitalism), decreasing worldwide transportation costs, and a large labor force savings to capture, its loyalty to the nation is undermined and industry leaves. Once the free-trade, open borders neo-cons had gained enough control of the GOP by 1960's, both parties pushed the same agenda and the American people had no choice. The same goes for the 1965 Immigration Act, which opened up the US to 3rd world, mass immigration. The people were never asked, both parties have since supported it, and it purposely has been made into a taboo, unquestionable policy.