Ford Motor Co. said Thursday it will add 850 new U.S. and Mexican jobs next year as it realigns production in response to passage of the North American Free Trade Agreement.
Ford said it expects to export 25,000 cars and trucks to Mexico in 1994, up from 1,500 this year. At a briefing for wire services, Ford also said it plans to:- Spend $175 million to refurbish its plant in Cuautitlan near Mexico City, preparing it to assemble its Mondeo world car for the Mexican market and export to the United States and Canada. Production will begin next September, 21/2 months after it starts building the compacts in Kansas City, Mo. The Mondeo will be sold as the Contour and Mercury Mystique in North America, replacing the Tempo and Mercury Topaz.
- Export to Mexico about 11,000 three- and five-door Escort subcompacts built in Wayne, Mich., while continuing to build four-door Escorts and Mercury Tracers in Hermosillo for export to the United States. The Escort previously had not been sold in Mexico.
- Transfer Mexican production of the Thunderbird and Mercury Cougar from Cuautitlan to Lorain, Ohio, which will export those cars to Mexico. Exports also are planned for the Lincoln Mark VIII luxury coupe built in Wixom, Mich., the Aerostar minivan built in St. Louis and the Explorer sport utility truck built in Louisville, Ky.
Ford will continue to build the Mercury Grand Marquis and F-Series pickups in Cuautitlan, along with about 25,000 Mystiques for the Mexican market and up to 50,000 Contours and Mystiques for export to the United States and Canada.
Spokesman Bert Serre said about 550 new jobs will be spread among many of Ford's U.S. assembly and component plants while 300 laid-off workers will be recalled at Cuautitlan, boosting the work force there to 1,100.
Ford is the first of the Big Three automakers to detail its post-NAFTA plans.