After Ford Motor Company in May announced its plans to phase out nearly its entire car lineup in North America over the next several years, just two car models were said to have any sort of a future in the market: the Ford Mustang, and a crossover-inspired version of the Ford Focus named “Active”. But circumstances have changed, and US President Donald Trump has refused to deescalate the country’s trade war with China – the country where the North American-market Ford Focus Active was to be built.
As a result, Ford announced today that it no longer has any plans to import the crossover-like Ford Focus Active from China, leaving just the Mustang – and, it’s rumored, possibly a crossover-inspired version of the mid-size Fusion sedan – to sell alongside a cavalcade of trucks and SUVs. The current third-generation Ford Focus has already ended production in North America, soon to be followed by the Taurus and Fiesta next year. The current Ford Fusion is scheduled to exit production sometime in 2021.
“Given the negative financial impact of the new tariffs, we’ve decided not to import [the Ford Focus Active] from China,” Ford President of North America Kumar Galhotra said Friday, according to The Detroit News. “The significant thing that moved was the tariffs going up substantially higher. We’re choosing to deploy resources elsewhere.”
Business Insider reports that President Trump has told aides he would like to proceed with imposing tariffs on another $200 billion in imported Chinese goods, possibly as early as next week. While a list of affected goods has not yet been released, Trump’s intent makes clear that his administration has no intention of stepping back from the trade war, and the United States’ import duty on Chinese-built automobiles and parts has little chance of being reduced.
Previously, the North American Ford Focus compact car had been built at Ford’s Michigan Assembly Plant, but production was slated to move to China so that the higher-margin mid-size Ford Ranger pickup and Bronco SUV could be assembled at that plant.
Comments
I am so happy Ford cancelled the Communist Chinese Ford Focus Active. I would never have bought that product. Let them improve the Ford Fusion, and continue producing, along with a Ford Fusion ST/RS. That would be something I would repurchase. Never will I buy a Chinese vehicle, an SUV, or a CUV. Ford may have forced me to buy a GM product or maybe a foreign produced automobile.
???????? This is a global economy. Many things you buy are Chinese. Components in your vehicle regardless of brand, the parts on your computer/phone, the fish that you eat.
China is one of the US’s largest exporters/importers. Get over yourself and have an intelligent conversation please. You can thank China for the low cost of the device you used to type up that ignorant comment.
Also, to your comment, this means the only car product Ford will be producing for the United States is the Mustang. Read the damn article instead of just commenting. Jesus…
Get over yourself. I understand there may be Chinese parts in my vehicle. I don’t need lectures from some troll/hack. A world economy does not mean we have to always give up American jobs for globalists like you. President Trump is proving that everyday. I would pay more to have an American product. It is corporate greed that wants more and more profit that drives you apologists. If you want fake intelligent conversation don’t bother responding to my comments, and talk to your mirror. Jesus, has nothing to do with anything. I guess I need to type slowly for you. I know that Ford produces vehicles in the USA, trucks as well as SUVs etc.. I will not buy a truck, SUV, or CUV, therefore I will not buy a Ford. Did that break it down for you? You pretentious, ignorant blowhard.
I read on another website that even if the Trump administration were to back off on the trade war, Ford would still not change its mind. It’s sad to see Ford walk away from the compact car segment and such positive brand recognition. Hopefully, the rumored crossover/wagon version of the Fusion doesn’t suffer the same fate, although I won’t be entirely surprised if it does.
This may be a regret of convenience on K Galhorta’s part. Expected volume was to be only about 50,000 units; half or so of the outgoing model, and the pre-launch backlash on its Chinese sourcing could’ve driven the number even lower. We can’t buy our zip lock sandwich bags from anywhere but China but we do have choices when it comes to compact cars. It was an ill-advised attempt to bolster softening China production. Still, it’s hard for me to believe that Ford would just throw up its hands and give up on this car entirely for the NA market rather than source it from Saarlouis Germany where the EU market versions are built. There are photos of it all over the web and it is a great looking car-could’ve been a real Subaru Crosstrek fighter.
IMO, there are a lot of baffling decisions being made on Floor #12 at the Glass House lately.