Biker16 Posted March 19, 2008 Share Posted March 19, 2008 I For one am expecting the TC to be a big hit. now with the TC being a pitched as the replacement For the CV taxi, it appears inevitable. I would expect 60,000 for North American and 15,000 in export to South America and possibly Asia, wherever the Weak dollar make reasonable to export. Due to the height of the product the current focus assembly plant is inadequate without major renovation to the conveyor system. options KC plant 1 or plant 2 Mexico Cuautitlan Assembly Plant St Thomas Wayne (renovated) OHAP Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
twintornados Posted March 19, 2008 Share Posted March 19, 2008 (edited) Possibility of Wixom? Or maybe where Ranger is produced in Edison New Jersey or St. Paul Minnesota.... Edited March 19, 2008 by twintornados Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Furious1Auto Posted March 19, 2008 Share Posted March 19, 2008 I For one am expecting the TC to be a big hit. now with the TC being a pitched as the replacement For the CV taxi, it appears inevitable. I would expect 60,000 for North American and 15,000 in export to South America and possibly Asia, wherever the Weak dollar make reasonable to export. Due to the height of the product the current focus assembly plant is inadequate without major renovation to the conveyor system. options KC plant 1 or plant 2 Mexico Cuautitlan Assembly Plant St Thomas Wayne (renovated) OHAP That's a very good question! It seems that with the exception of the of the Taurus that all the new platforms have been built out of the country. Cars in Mexico, and the larger CUV's (Edge, Flex) in Canada. With the falling in the value of the dollar as compared to the Canadian Loonie it makes the U.S. more attractive for future investment. I'm interested to know myself! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
battyr Posted March 19, 2008 Share Posted March 19, 2008 I For one am expecting the TC to be a big hit. now with the TC being a pitched as the replacement For the CV taxi, it appears inevitable. I would expect 60,000 for North American and 15,000 in export to South America and possibly Asia, wherever the Weak dollar make reasonable to export. Due to the height of the product the current focus assembly plant is inadequate without major renovation to the conveyor system. options KC plant 1 or plant 2 Mexico Cuautitlan Assembly Plant St Thomas Wayne (renovated) OHAP I think it is a little too early for this. Ford first need to do a model refresh. Make it US legal. Export it from Turkey to US to test the market. They will see if it sells first. If it sell, do a lot of market research. Do a complete redesign based of the C2 Focus to be oriented to both US and European customers. If they push things, that puts a new one out about 4 years away. Then depending on the economics, build in North America. Since it is based on C2 Focus, it could be built on the same line. Because it is so big, maybe not. If it has to be in only one factory for global production, put it some where cheap like Mexico or Brazil. This way currency is less of an issue. St. Thomas was one of Fords first flex manufacturing plant. It once built both Crown Vics and Escorts on the same time. It has had several upgrades since. Last retooling turned it back into flex manufacturing to make both Crown Vics and Town Cars. Does not sound that hard to me. It likely needs a major retooling to make the TC . Maybe St. Thomas could be retooled to make both the Transit and Transit Connect. Or maybe Ford could build both TC and a Nitche van based off the TC. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
silvrsvt Posted March 19, 2008 Share Posted March 19, 2008 Possibility of Wixom? Or maybe where Ranger is produced in Edison New Jersey or St. Paul Minnesota.... Edison is long gone, they are planning on making a Mall/housing on the site...LOL Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
theoldwizard Posted March 19, 2008 Share Posted March 19, 2008 Share some of those drugs with me, 'cause you guys are soooooo high ! Heck, FoMoCo could be out of business before the TC ever got built on this side of the Atlantic !!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Furious1Auto Posted March 19, 2008 Share Posted March 19, 2008 (edited) I think it is a little too early for this. Ford first need to do a model refresh. Make it US legal. Export it from Turkey to US to test the market. They will see if it sells first. If it sell, do a lot of market research. Do a complete redesign based of the C2 Focus to be oriented to both US and European customers. If they push things, that puts a new one out about 4 years away. Then depending on the economics, build in North America. Since it is based on C2 Focus, it could be built on the same line. Because it is so big, maybe not. If it has to be in only one factory for global production, put it some where cheap like Mexico or Brazil. This way currency is less of an issue. St. Thomas was one of Fords first flex manufacturing plant. It once built both Crown Vics and Escorts on the same time. It has had several upgrades since. Last retooling turned it back into flex manufacturing to make both Crown Vics and Town Cars. Does not sound that hard to me. It likely needs a major retooling to make the TC . Maybe St. Thomas could be retooled to make both the Transit and Transit Connect. Or maybe Ford could build both TC and a Nitche van based off the TC. The Transit full sized is slated for OHAP and is to be built side by side with the E-Series. We're still waiting for a firm date on our flex body shop to accomidate it, but it is to go into productin in 2010 for the 2011 model year! Possibility of Wixom? Or maybe where Ranger is produced in Edison New Jersey or St. Paul Minnesota.... I guess the settlement of a new contract with more favorable terms could be the deciding factor in whether or not the TC goes to Canada. Wixom was #1 in quality system wide before it ended production of the CV. Edited March 19, 2008 by Furious1Auto Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Footballfan Posted March 19, 2008 Share Posted March 19, 2008 I think it is a little too early for this. Ford first need to do a model refresh. Make it US legal. Export it from Turkey to US to test the market. They will see if it sells first. If it sell, do a lot of market research. Do a complete redesign based of the C2 Focus to be oriented to both US and European customers. If they push things, that puts a new one out about 4 years away. Then depending on the economics, build in North America. Since it is based on C2 Focus, it could be built on the same line. Because it is so big, maybe not. If it has to be in only one factory for global production, put it some where cheap like Mexico or Brazil. This way currency is less of an issue. St. Thomas was one of Fords first flex manufacturing plant. It once built both Crown Vics and Escorts on the same time. It has had several upgrades since. Last retooling turned it back into flex manufacturing to make both Crown Vics and Town Cars. Does not sound that hard to me. It likely needs a major retooling to make the TC . Maybe St. Thomas could be retooled to make both the Transit and Transit Connect. Or maybe Ford could build both TC and a Nitche van based off the TC. I think the Transit Connect is a traditional body-on-frame vehichle. It probably will be built at OHAP. I think that St. Thomas would be geared more towards rear-wheel-drive passenger cars like the Falcon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Furious1Auto Posted March 19, 2008 Share Posted March 19, 2008 I think the Transit Connect is a traditional body-on-frame vehichle. It probably will be built at OHAP. I think that St. Thomas would be geared more towards rear-wheel-drive passenger cars like the Falcon. Wait you think the connect may also come to OHAP, in addition to the Transit full sized and the E-Series? I don't know for sure, at this point all I've heard is that the Connects big brother will be built here! I hope your right! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Footballfan Posted March 19, 2008 Share Posted March 19, 2008 Wait you think the connect may also come to OHAP, in addition to the Transit full sized and the E-Series? I don't know for sure, at this point all I've heard is that the Connects big brother will be built here! I hope your right! I think that OHAP could build all 3. I am sure that some E-Series sales would be taken away by the Transit. If I am not mistaken, I think that the Connect and the Transit are the same frame, just different wheelbases. I hope that you get both! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
battyr Posted March 19, 2008 Share Posted March 19, 2008 I think the Transit Connect is a traditional body-on-frame vehichle. It probably will be built at OHAP. I think that St. Thomas would be geared more towards rear-wheel-drive passenger cars like the Falcon. Good point. I am assuming it is built like the big transit. Looks like it has a box frame in the back, welded together in a unit body fashion. Remember the front is Focus based. No matter what the frame is. Since it is so long and tall, it would be easier to build it on a modified line design for trucks or Crown Vics. Well??? Maybe its not that long. ST. Thomas building only RWD is not an issue. It used to build Escorts once. Building body on frame vehicles might be. The new Flex manufacturing plants are designed to build a Flex design vehicle with modular construction like the Focus, Fusion, Edge, and the new Taurus. Since the front end of the Transit Connect is off the Focu, it likely need to be built in a plant using the same tooling found in a Flex plant. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ford Jellymoulds Posted March 19, 2008 Share Posted March 19, 2008 Fords Transit Connect sale will take off in the States when they reach 20,000 units Ford should build it Stateside, with the weak dollar favouring manufacturing in the US. Why ship them all round the world from Turkey surely this can't be environmentally/financially friendly for Ford to do so. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
battyr Posted March 19, 2008 Share Posted March 19, 2008 Fords Transit Connect sale will take off in the States when they reach 20,000 units Ford should build it Stateside, with the weak dollar favouring manufacturing in the US. Why ship them all round the world from Turkey surely this can't be environmentally/financially friendly for Ford to do so. Build it in the US? You still will have to import parts from Europe. What is the wage rate in Turkey?? They already have the training and tooling. Ford has good accountants. They will do the math when the time comes. The Connect is a heavier vehicle. Would make more sense to build in US and import a lighter vehicle. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J-150 Posted March 19, 2008 Share Posted March 19, 2008 Build it in the US? You still will have to import parts from Europe. What is the wage rate in Turkey?? They already have the training and tooling. Ford has good accountants. They will do the math when the time comes. The Connect is a heavier vehicle. Would make more sense to build in US and import a lighter vehicle. Fair points. If it is redesigned in a few years, it may take into account American powertrain components. Most of the interior looks like common parts bin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
old_fairmont_wagon Posted March 19, 2008 Share Posted March 19, 2008 Actually, margins on the smaller connect will likely be tighter, making it more vulnerable to currency fluctuations to maintain profitability. The larger Transit will likely have larger margins (both proportionately and directly) and be less sensitive to those same fluctuations. The difference is that the larger transit will cost more per unit to ship. I think its a wash between them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
battyr Posted March 19, 2008 Share Posted March 19, 2008 Actually, margins on the smaller connect will likely be tighter, making it more vulnerable to currency fluctuations to maintain profitability. The larger Transit will likely have larger margins (both proportionately and directly) and be less sensitive to those same fluctuations. The difference is that the larger transit will cost more per unit to ship. I think its a wash between them. Margins depends on volume and marketing. They can import a very small number and sell it to the people who really want it at a high markup. Or that can tool up a factory to make it here. Make a very high volume to to get the cost down. Then discount the price to try to sell them all. We don't know what the demand for the TC is. We know that with some changes, you can get sales of the larger Transit, but would have to sacrifice the E-series. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RichardJensen Posted March 19, 2008 Share Posted March 19, 2008 Build it in the US? You still will have to import parts from Europe. What is the wage rate in Turkey?? They already have the training and tooling. Ford has good accountants. They will do the math when the time comes. The Connect is a heavier vehicle. Would make more sense to build in US and import a lighter vehicle. With C2 being built stateside as well, at least some parts from the front half should be common across a range of vehicles. Regarding the back half and stamping--no reason why that can't be shipped over. Ford ships over whole powertrains for the V6 Mustang which will probably be similarly priced, if slightly more expensive. As far as location? My guess is revamped Wayne--KCAP is at capacity and hopefully will remain so for the next few years, and I don't think the Focus will fill any plant to capacity anytime soon. I think Transit + E-Series will push OHAP to 220k, give or take, and STAP is gone. === The other question is what happens to LAP & MTP--where will the next Ranger get built, and does Ford need another D3 facility or GRWD facility? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Biker16 Posted March 20, 2008 Author Share Posted March 20, 2008 I will stand by my assertion that the F-series will be moved out of KCAP to merged with expy/navi production at MTP. Wayne will be idled and could used to support operations at MTP, like turned into a supplier park. KCAP would have a @ lines the existing line building the C2 based Escape, and an all new flex line to accommodate C2 Car production to replace the F-150 production line. logistically it makes since to keep C2 production together at KCAP, and T1 production in the SE michgan region, with Romeo, and windsor engine plants, DTP and MTP assembly plants running 3 shifts. Wayne is a old plant that would require major upgrades to accommodate and profitable Small car. again new larger body shop, all new paint shop, preferably in a standalone building out side of the final trim assembly. the lines are not large enough to accommodate C-max and many other C2 derivatives. KCAP is a excising opportunity because of the amount of land and the availability of floor space. it would take 6-9 months to refit Wayne to handle larger C2 vehicles and even handle larger EUCD based volvos and mazdas. The TC could be made at OHAP but would it be come to complex to build the large E-series,Transit variants and smaller TC? It would make sense to add the Tc the fiesta assembly plant in mexico because of the low volumes and lower margins. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RichardJensen Posted March 20, 2008 Share Posted March 20, 2008 1) Ford spent a lot of money on the F150 line at KCAP not too long ago. I wouldn't expect a re-ordering of P-series (F150 is not T1) assembly in the near future. Also, Ford has committed to keeping Wayne open during this contract, so conversion to supplier park off the table until after C2 is here. 2) I think, if anything, margins will be higher on the TC than the Focus, as I believe it will cost less to build and will sell at a higher ATP than the Focus. 3) Re: your ebullience on the taxi topic: I don't think anyone disputed that Ford would suggest using the TC for the same purposes stateside as it is used for in the EU. As always, my objection to the TC is that it dramatically changes visibility if you replace NYC's cab fleet. And that's an objection to its =use= not an assertion that it would not be offered as a hack. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ray101988 Posted March 20, 2008 Share Posted March 20, 2008 That's a very good question! It seems that with the exception of the of the Taurus that all the new platforms have been built out of the country. Cars in Mexico, and the larger CUV's (Edge, Flex) in Canada. With the falling in the value of the dollar as compared to the Canadian Loonie it makes the U.S. more attractive for future investment. I'm interested to know myself! I thought new F150 was built in US? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DearbornDerek Posted March 20, 2008 Share Posted March 20, 2008 I will stand by my assertion that the F-series will be moved out of KCAP to merged with expy/navi production at MTP. MTP is getting something else for 2012 MY, it's not the F150. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Biker16 Posted March 20, 2008 Author Share Posted March 20, 2008 MTP is getting something else for 2012 MY, it's not the F150. like what? I got to know. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
silvrsvt Posted March 20, 2008 Share Posted March 20, 2008 like what? I got to know. GRWD? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrbowler92 Posted March 20, 2008 Share Posted March 20, 2008 GRWD? Whats The GRWD? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
silvrsvt Posted March 20, 2008 Share Posted March 20, 2008 Whats The GRWD? Global Rear wheel drive Replacement for the Panthers/Oz Falcon and a short wheel base version for the Mustang Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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