Ford Motor Company will not build the new, 2017 model-year Lincoln Continental at the plant in Chicago, Illinois, Michigan, United States, that builds the current MKS sedan, reports Automotive News, citing a company statement. Ford's president of the Americas, Joe Hinrichs, indicated the production volume once allocated to the MKS will be given to the Ford Explorer. The report also suggests that Ford will build the 2017 model-year Lincoln Continental at the company's assembly plant in Flat Rock, Michigan. The Flat Rock plant builds the Ford Mustang and Ford Fusion. The Flat Rock plant is scheduled to be closed on 15 June−13 July and for two weeks in September, reports Automotive News. The shutdowns could be in order to prepare the Flat Rock plant for the new model, according to Automotive News. Separately, the EcoSport small sport utility vehicle (SUV) may be shipped from Ford's Indian plant to the US for sale as soon as October 2017, reports the Economic Times of India. Production of the SUV had been expected to be carried out in Thailand, but Ford has been in discussions with suppliers to source additional volume from India. Ford CEO Mark Fields reportedly said he would not rule out exporting the model from India to the US, saying, "In business, you never rule out from the beginning certain opportunities. But it all comes down to making sure first and foremost that wherever the product is manufactured, you want to make sure that it is high quality and meets the expectations of consumers."
Significance: According to IHS Automotive's production forecast, the Continental will be produced at the Flat Rock assembly plant, with output forecasted to be 27,000-30,000 units per annum. The Continental is expected to share a platform with the Ford Fusion. The current IHS production forecast indicates the EcoSport will be imported into the US from Ford's plant in Rayong, Thailand, as the company leverages its global production network.
