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Volvo considers U.S. plant


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I could see Volvo moving into AAI or Chicago. I doubt they have the volume to justify a full plant to themselves, so that leaves any of the mothballed plants like Wixom out of the picture. The Mustang is rumored to be moving out of AAI with its next generation though, so that would free up space unless Mazda already has plans for the remaining capacity already. Chicago could definitely use more product, unless there are plans to bring something else there already besides the MKS.

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I could see Volvo moving into AAI or Chicago. I doubt they have the volume to justify a full plant to themselves, so that leaves any of the mothballed plants like Wixom out of the picture. The Mustang is rumored to be moving out of AAI with its next generation though, so that would free up space unless Mazda already has plans for the remaining capacity already. Chicago could definitely use more product, unless there are plans to bring something else there already besides the MKS.

 

 

All depends on what they want to build in the States also....

 

Would be nice to see a C2 super plant in the USA, since many of the Volvo products are build on the C1 platform and it would help out immensely with making the Focus more profitable.

 

If you think about it, with the next gen Focus we could have the following built all at one plant:

 

  1. Focus
  2. Focus Convertible
  3. Kuga/Escape replacment
  4. C-Max
  5. Volvo C30
  6. Volvo S40/S60 replacement

Boy I sound like Biker16 now ;)

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All depends on what they want to build in the States also....

 

Would be nice to see a C2 super plant in the USA, since many of the Volvo products are build on the C1 platform and it would help out immensely with making the Focus more profitable.

 

If you think about it, with the next gen Focus we could have the following built all at one plant:

 

  1. Focus
  2. Focus Convertible
  3. Kuga/Escape replacment
  4. C-Max
  5. Volvo C30
  6. Volvo S40/S60 replacement

Boy I sound like Biker16 now ;)

 

Well, all indications are that the Focus will remain in Wayne, even after the shift to the new platform. I don't see the Escape moving either. It currently has enough volume to justify its own plant entirely.

 

That leaves the C-Max, C30, and S40 to fill up a plant. Doesn't seem likely.

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...and Focus ST, and possible Mercury products, if that brand is brought back.

 

Small car growth is going to be enormous moving forward. Tough to project out from current S40, C30 sales. C-max could become a range of very popular vehicles too.

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Well, all indications are that the Focus will remain in Wayne, even after the shift to the new platform. I don't see the Escape moving either. It currently has enough volume to justify its own plant entirely.

 

I dunno why not combine the Focus and Escape at a plant that can put out 500K units a year? The Vovlo products I'm not sure about numbers but sure we could work out something...

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Personally, I would take a current Ford plant, Volvo-nize it, but in the contract put a rediculous "rent charge" for it, Dump Volvo, and Ford will receive a "high rent" till the new owners decide to move the product elsewhere, which would take years to do anyways :) I mean, if Ford can't make money building cars, and they do on car loans, then nothing wrong with getting into the real estate market :)

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I dunno why not combine the Focus and Escape at a plant that can put out 500K units a year? The Vovlo products I'm not sure about numbers but sure we could work out something...

 

Do they have any free plants that can crank out 500K a year? A few plants might be able to on 3 shifts, but you also have labor agreements to contend with.

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Do they have any free plants that can crank out 500K a year? A few plants might be able to on 3 shifts, but you also have labor agreements to contend with.

 

Only thing that comes to mind is exchange F-150 production at KCAP to MTP and close Wanye (which is next door to MTP) move the workers there and redo KCAP as the C2 super plant?

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Only thing that comes to mind is exchange F-150 production at KCAP to MTP and close Wanye (which is next door to MTP) move the workers there and redo KCAP as the C2 super plant?

 

Or close MTP and Move the Expy to Dearborn or Avon Lake and expand Wayne

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Moving existing production is pricey. You're also forgetting other C1/C2 production that could be put into this plant. There's nothing that's keeping Mazda from having a share of said plant. They've been wanting to expand production in the US for a while. How about the following...

 

Volvo: C30, S40, V50, XC60, S60 (all can be C2 based)

Mazda: Mazda3, Mazda5, CX-7 (all are either C1/c2 based, or have major subassemblies from that platform)

Ford: C-MAX, Transit connect

 

That should produce enough volume to keep even one of the big plants busy.

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Would many of Volvo's cars be switching from C1 to a smaller version of the Mondeo's C1+ Platform? In other words a C2 with higher quality Mondeo parts. Don't see why they still can't build them in a C2 plant.

 

I can see 2 plants. One for several versions of the Focus only. The other for all the other C2 and Volvo cars.

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Well, all indications are that the Focus will remain in Wayne, even after the shift to the new platform. I don't see the Escape moving either. It currently has enough volume to justify its own plant entirely.

 

That leaves the C-Max, C30, and S40 to fill up a plant. Doesn't seem likely.

 

 

But what Ford might do is move the production of the Expy and Navi from Michigan truck to Dearborn and that way they can expand the line and make space for the C1 since Wayne Assembly will have in 2011 the Cmax too and all Ford needs to do is retool Wayne Assembly and Michigan truck to C1 only but make the assembly line flexible enough to build different versions of c1 if its a volvo mazda or ford in the same assembly line.

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Only thing that comes to mind is exchange F-150 production at KCAP to MTP and close Wanye (which is next door to MTP) move the workers there and redo KCAP as the C2 super plant?

 

 

you are starting to sound like me.

 

the F100 will be made at MTP, so unlikely that they will move those products.

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On a slightly different topic I never understood why Mazda didn't have the CX-7 and CX-9 be built in NA since those are essentially NA only vehicles. I really hope the next gen CX-9 moves to the D4 platform, sharing bits with the Explorer and Flex and could be built at one of their plants...makes sense to me.

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Is Ford ever going to sell Wixom or what will become of it? The interchange project is finished come November, and I remember theoldwizard (i think) stating something about the effects of that project on the plant remaining feasible to use.

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I don't see Mulally flushing good Ford money down the toilet in an attempt to right Volvo. He has bigger fish to fry and limited resources.

Can you not see how intergrated Ford and Volvo are?

All of Volvo's current offerings are on at most, three platforms C1 and EUCD (P22), ( XC90 is still P2 - Ford D3? )

There's no way Ford will be flushing money by helping Volvo. By helping Volvo, Ford helps itself.

Edited by jpd80
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Is Ford ever going to sell Wixom or what will become of it? The interchange project is finished come November, and I remember theoldwizard (i think) stating something about the effects of that project on the plant remaining feasible to use.

 

People in the city have been told by Ford that it is marketing the whole plant site- presumably to other auto makers. If they do not find a buyer within two years, they will rip it down. In this economy with saturated commercial real estate, it would be assinine to add more offices/shopping centers that will be sitting empty. That would be a good site for Volvo, Mazda, or VW.

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Ford should be announcing in the 3rd quarter what they are going to do. If we assue that 4.00$ a gallon gas is the future, We may reduce, F series capacity and move C- car production to replace F series in KC.

 

If we dare to we could begin Focus production there in 2010, and retool Wayne in 2011 to make more C2 cars. I don't think we can afford to shut Wayne down for 3-6 months to retool for C2 in 2010. It would be wise to build out the C170 cars while we are ramping up C2 cars in KC.

 

Either way we will need more small car production

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