Through flexible manufacturing plants, Ford Motor Co. is hoping to
step off the incentives merry-go-round, at least for some vehicles, by
modulating production to meet fluctuating demand. The company will be
closing one of two plants that make Tauruses and Sables - cutting
production in half to 250,000 cars a year.
The closed plant, located near Chicago, will be renovated with a
flexible body shop that will allow the company to produce the Mercury
Montego sedan, the mid-sized Ford Freestyle crossover utility vehicle,
and the Ford 500 sedan. The company will then moderate production of
each vehicle to meet consumer demand.
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