Ford to build the Focus in China, defying Trump
The move will make the Focus the biggest automotive export ever from China to the US — and save Ford $1bn
Southfield — Americans buy millions of dollars of stuff made in China every day. So why not add the Ford Focus to the mix? To hear Joe Hinrichs, Ford Motor’s president of global operations, talk about the plan to move the car’s production to a factory in Chongqing, it’s no big deal. "Consumers care a lot more about the quality and the value than they do about the sourcing location," Hinrichs said. "iPhones are produced in China and people don’t really talk about it." Maybe so, but the Apple product has been manufactured there from the start, while Ford has never before made any of its vehicles in China for American buyers. In fact, the gambit by Jim Hackett, Ford’s new CEO, will make the Focus the biggest automotive export ever from that country to the US. It’s a risk because "this is a big shift with a vehicle name that has been associated with the US market," said Jeff Schuster, an analyst with LMC Automotive. "But if the vehicle meets the needs of the buyer, I think it’s less of ...
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