Retooled Ford Wayne assembly plant to be company’s most flexible

Workers building pre-production 2012 Ford Focus – Click above for high-res image gallery

Ford is crowing that its freshly retooled Michigan Assembly Plant in Wayne, MI is now the most flexible final assembly factory in its global network. The Wayne plant used to assemble the Expedition and Lincoln Navigator full-size SUVs but is now building pre-production examples of the 2012 Focus. One of the features touted by Ford for its new global C-segment platform is that it is driving down development cost by building 10 different bodystyles on the architecture using many of the same mechanical components.

At launch, the Wayne plant will build both four-door sedan and five-door hatchback variants, but those are expected to be joined by a new Lincoln compact and possibly variants like the Grand C-Max. Ford will also be building versions of these vehicles with conventional, hybrid and full battery electric powertrains. Over 80 percent of the equipment in the body shop is programmable and can run different body styles almost with the flip of a switch. Ford says this new flexibility will also allow it to quickly adjust its product mix to shifting market conditions.

Gallery: Ford Michigan Assembly Plant