passis

It surely does sound like an absurd ammount, especially if you consider they spent $1.9bi to build Camaçari. And FCA runs a very similar plant and makes a lot of profit. Maybe they are doing some creative accounting, diverting losses from one region to another... But Ford management seems to have forgotten that the closing process also envolves: returning enormous fiscal incentives, subsidised loans, breaking of medium term contracts with suppliers, dealers and employees, not to mention PowerShift legal actions that now seem to require deposit payment to courts. I wonder if finalizing the new Ecosport (whose development was almost done and paid for) and making a couple of variations would cost more (financially and emotionally)... Hard to believe, but Mr Watters knows best...

If so, rest in peace...

Unfortunately... As far as I know, the development of this vehicle was very advanced and not too different from the Indian B-CUV whose front grille was spotted recently... maybe this project can still be used in Romania... In India, I'm tending to accept that there will be no more production after this Mahindra CUVs cycle, if the JV is really not happening... At least, it sounds very challenging to cover the costs to develop lower budget cars for that region only, without sharing the bills with South America - in China they're aiming for higher income segments. In fact, I believe the underachievement of Figo and Ecosport in India contributed a lot the lack of viability of products in Camaçari. And in a way Ford can't have one (India) without the other (Brazil) so I'm starting to be worried about their operations there... And as you've mentioned in another post, this could lead to a domino effect forcing them to exit more and more segments..

Word goes that Toyota is negotiating Troller

Unfortunately this decision sends a clear message that regional operations can indeed close in a blink of an eye. Since India*, China and Europe are also underperforming, Ford might end up restricted to North America, which is clearly unsustainable, considering global scale competition. And consumers outside NA might think twice before purchasing a Ford. I understand the company needs adjustment but to me they have chosen a downward spiral path. I also don't get why they didn't have capital to allocate to developing projects in emerging markets 5 years ago - in order to avoid a completely obsolete line up - but they seem to have plenty of it ($4.1 bi, more than a third of the $11 bi restructure plan) to drag money into an import operation that is bound to failure. Why on Earth would one spend so much cash to make more losses? * I have a feeling that the Mahindra divorce announces the end of Indian operations, they are probably looking for buyers for the plants...

South América is a money pit partially because of bad admin. In fact, one has to be a little incompetent to lose so much money being the 4th largest in the region with 10% of the market. No hopes for Índia and China where Ford is irrelevant. Maybe they can make it work in Europe, where big conglomerates dominate the landscape... And I may have misread the news but Ford South America is still up and running... Losing $4.1 billion dollars in 2021 because of yesterday's decision... Trust me, they will keep losing money for many years to come, as long as they are here making stupid decisons. This one will only maximize losses here. Another example of bad admin. As for Wall Street, wouldn't they just love it if Ford became the North American arm of Volkswagen?

Very sad news for employees and buyers who believed in the brand. Here in Brazil, their life is getting more complicated. If it was hard being the 4th largest automaker here, now as an importer with poor track record and expensive portfolio, they will drop to an unsustainable market share. Last year the defunct plant where Ka and EcoSport are made sold more than Jeep as a whole brand here - meanwhile FCA crossovers are thriving, with production in a neighbour state. Just for a price comparison, local Trollers cost less than half the price of a Wrangler and a Bronco, and the local Ecosports are sold for half of the crappy Territory. And Powershift technology is still a very vivid memory. Nobody is going to pay those prices for a company that keeps exiting the market and leaving customers to their luck. I always recognise that business environment is bad in this country, but FCA is investing ($14bi through 2024), and so are GM - 9m, oops - ($10bi), VW ($2 bi,in the next couple of years), and Toyota ($ 1bi, in 2021). Meanwhile, Ford is spending $4 bi just to end operations, instead of bringing new products; no new projects for the last 5 years or more... One needs to invest money before one makes money... And, if I'm not mistaken, by Mercosul rules, they won't even be able to bring Rangers from Argentina or Transits from Uruguay without paying taxes, since they are no longer a local manufacturer. Investments in neighbouring countries don't seem to make much sense if they cannot access the largest regional market. This could pose serious challenges to production in those countries as well. Maybe the trade agreement between Brazil and Mexico is not so restrictive; because if they are, Bronco Sport and Maverick are going to fail here as well, especially with no Diesel engine. I know these will be very successful in the US, I just don't get why bringing them to Brazil, they should just close all operations: the way they are doing, they will just lose more and more money, and then blame local conditions. I hope Ford's strategy of dismissing emerging markets (Russia, India, Brazil...) doesn't make the company too small and vulnerable in a time of consolidation. As for myself - and many of you will agree, I'm sure - buying products that don't add to the local economy is out the question, so maybe a Jeep or a VW next time I go shopping... definitely not a Ford.

Ford is losing market in Brazil due to bad decision making, like this one.

Another refresh on the Chinese Escort, from Motor1

Isn't it impressive that there are no leaks to be found regarding Ford's (arguably) most global vehicle, the Ecosport? Is the next generation that far away?

28 Bronco Sport are running in Brazil with registration plates indicating they should arrive to dealers here sooner than expected. The funny thing is that there seem to be 3 different versions with the 2.0L engine (apparently no 1.5L here): Wildtrack, Black Diamond and Big Bend... A bit different from North America https://www.instagram.com/p/CJqi-ltHw6W/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_mid=CBE67D35-98B0-4AA3-95B7-98A869C22926

To me it sounds that they found out that, in the long run, it could be more cost effective to keep Índia in the international markets scheme, with a family of lower costs B2* vehicles shared with other emerging markets. Also, someome must have reminded them of what happened when Ford/VW formed as 49/51 joint venture in Autolatina... Those 2% go a long way... *Eventually C2, as developed countries go deeper into electrification and underdeveloped ones struggle with infrastructure.

In their defense, I think they started by providing demanded vehicles that the automakers themselves were not building, especially SUV versions of the trucks. They adpated F-series into Broncos and Rangers into Everests, for instance. Once this Pandora box was opened I guess they got a bit carried away lol PS: now that i saw the picture posted by NLPRacing (which I didn't know of) maybe the madness was there from the start lol

https://gaadiwaadi.com/2021-ford-edge-spied-with-similar-interior-to-next-gen-mahindra-xuv500/amp/

I thought Argo AI (ie Ford, with VW joining later) was in charge of AVs...