Ford Canada spared from plan to cut most car models

TORONTO — Ford’s decision to discontinue almost all of its car models in North America within two years will leave its Canadian operations intact, since they are focused mainly on sport utility vehicles and light trucks.

The car segment of automotive sales has been shrinking since 2012, while sales of sport utility vehicles have grown over the same period — a trend that’s expected to continue.

“So, we are focusing our efforts on vehicles customers prefer,” Ford Canada’s Lauren More said in an email Thursday.

The company’s Oakville, Ont., complex currently assembles the Ford Edge, Ford Flex, Lincoln MKX and Lincoln MKT — all sport utility vehicles.

Meanwhile, Ford’s two plants in the Windsor area make larger engines for F-Series pickups, E-Series vans and the V-8 for the Mustang sports car, which will continue to be made in Michigan.

Apart from the Mustang, the only other car model that Ford will be making in future will be a new compact crossover called Focus Active, starting in 2019.

Ford said Wednesday — when it announced first-quarter results — it’s aiming for an additional $11.5 billion in cost cuts and efficiencies, bringing the total to $25.5 billion expected by 2022. Ford previously predicted $14 billion in cuts by 2022.

Bob Shanks, Ford chief financial officer, said he expects onethird of the cuts to be achieved by the end of 2020.