Ford to add 1,200 jobs at suburban Chicago plant

[boomerbust]

Source: CNBC

Ford to add 1,200 jobs at suburban Chicago plant. Ford shares up 5% on news.

No link yet.

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A little good news.

[sabra]

1. link

http://www.cnbc.com/id/35064209

[boomerbust]

2. Thanks for link

[GinaMaria]

3. Good News!

[fasttense]

4. I guess average wages have dropped far enough for Ford to make their huge profits. n/t

[frazzled]

5. That's great but do people really want this vehicle?

I obviously speak for myself, who wouldn't want an SUV. But do people really want a car that gets 15-16 miles per gallon (combined)? I guess so. But I worry that Ford still isn't looking to the future by dedicating a plant solely to the Explorer.

[apnu]

8. Ford Hybrid Escape driver checking in here.

I love my Hybrid SUV. I'm getting on average 28-30 MPG on it throughout the year. Less in the winter for a variety of reasons, but more in the summer. Ford makes some good cars, and some bad ones. Just like everybody else.

It all comes down to what you buy when you buy it. We've taken care of our Escape (2005) and its never failed us.

But, in full disclouser, we drive it only when necessary. Otherwise if we can walk, bus or take the L, and ride a bike (I commute to work on a bike) we do. Anything to keep tossing cash down the gullet of Big Oil is good in my book.

[frazzled]

9. But they aren't building any Escapes here ... they're building the Explorer only

I take it you live in Chicago, as we do. We too drive only when necessary (we own a single car, a 2006 Prius, which gets 50 mpg in summer, 47 or so in winter). We walk and take the L and bus (and once in a blue moon splurge on a cab, like the other night when it was really late and windy and cold and we were coming home from a concert: it was a $6.50 tab).

I have nothing against SUVs (except I don't quite "get" the attraction), and especially hybrid ones like yours that get excellent mileage. I just question the model on which this plant is being built. Why don't they build hybrid SUVs there?

[apnu]

11. Questioning the basis behind the Ford Expiditon... I'm on board with that.

And the Hummer and that beast Toyota makes too, plus the Land Rover. They're all stupid machines for a wide variety of reasons. I'm just saying, and you seem to agree, that a car buyer must be aware of their wants and needs when making a decision. I'm just saying don't kick Ford solely because of the Expedition, all the big car makers are guilty of that particular sin. Including the Imports.

I'm just saying, be an equal opportunity kicker here and beat down all car companies for their gas guzzlers.

Having said that, I'm happy some jobs came to Chicago, even if it has the downside of putting more Expeditions on the road. Let the bastards in Glenn Ellyn and Barrington drive them from McDonalds to their McMansions, I'll laugh at them with every pedal stroke of my bike.

[blue_onyx]

10. Not all SUVs get poor fuel mileage

For example, the Chevy Equinox gets 26 (22/32) which is better than the midsize Honda Accord 25 (21/31). I'm not sure what the mpg on the new Explorer will be but I've read that it will be more fuel efficient than the current model.

[texastoast]

13. That's the problem with American auto makers

They never look to the future then whine when it comes up, bites their ass, and buyers go for a car that is far more practical (remember that GM REALLY brought on the Hummer when gas was $4 then wanted a fucking bailout!).

U.S. automakers just can't get out of bed with the oil bidness.

[blue_onyx]

15. Really?

All major auto companies sell SUVs, not just the US companies. In fact many of the vehicles sold by US companies get better fuel mileage than those sold by foreign companies. For example:

Chevy Equionox: 26 (22/32)
Honda CRV: 24 (21/28)

Chevy Malibu: 26 (22/33)
Honda Accord: 25 (21/31)


But hey....don't let facts get in the way of your opinion.

[texastoast]

22. I hope you are having a good day

And you are correct that many U.S. autos (finally) can compete mileage-wise with their foreign counterparts (in the U.S.).

However, I stand by my assertion that U.S. automakers are deep off in bed with the oil bidness here.

Why can Ford make a 60+ mpg car for Europe, but not the U.S.?


In the US, Ford is still behind the 5 major foreign auto makers in fuel efficiency, surpassing only GM and Chrysler. Yet Ford of Europe already achieves dazzling mileage that we Americans can only dream of.

snip

What is even more startling about this achievement by European Ford is that this mileage is achieved with just good old-fashioned tweaks on the traditional ICE gas car. There is no major technological breakthrough.



http://gas2.org/2009/12/03/european-legislation-creates-62-mpg-gas-carsfrom-ford/

[GinaMaria]

14. Wish they were making Stangs eom

[closeupready]

6. Wow, that's great news.

:)

[endless october]

7. yes!

it feels good to see a story like this instead of the other way around.

kicked / rec

[safeinOhio]

12. I have a very big SUV that gets about 12 mpg

I don't drive it to the store or around town. I do use it to pull heavy trailers. I have a little puddle jumper for everything else.

[BumRushDaShow]

16. This is an AP story and there is more info

where it mentions that they are going to make a "new" Explorer, putting it on the Taurus car frame rather than the current truck frame. So I expect that it will get better mpg.

http://abcnews.go.com/Business/wireStory?id=9658795

[Luciferous]

17. It's nice to see a company adding jobs!

[Telegraph Road]

18. Ford downsizing both Explorer and its engine

Ford has all but confirmed it will be offering a 4 cylinder engine in the new Explorer, to built on the same platform as the Taurus. It will look like a SUV, but drive like a car.

[Purveyor]

19. Thank you for posting! Every little bit of good news helps. K&R eom

[Name removed]

20. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. 
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[Fire1]

21. How nice for 'Chicago.' n/t

[Vidar]

23. Good for Ford.