Ford truck plant to become small-car factory

0 Comments | USA TODAY, August, 2008 | by Sharon Silke Carty

DETROIT -- Ford Motor said Tuesday that it's spending $75million to turn a Michigan truck plant into a small-vehicle factory to meet growing demand for small cars.

Ford, which lost $8.6billion in the first half of 2008, has seen sales fall 14.1% through the end of July as consumers deserted trucks and big SUVs.

The housing downturn also hurt Ford's best-selling product, the F-150 pickup, which is down 22.4% through the end of July.

Ford had said in July that it would convert several plants to small car production. Tuesday, it laid out details for the Wayne, Mich., plant that currently makes Ford Expedition and Lincoln Navigator full-size SUVs. Expedition sales are off 39% this year; Navigator's, 28%, Autodata says.

The converted truck...