DETROIT – The new contracts between the United Auto Workers’ (UAW) union and the Detroit Three provide a look at Ford's, GM's, and Chrysler's upcoming product plans. The UAW issued a number of press releases, plus the actual content from each of the contracts as they were presented to the UAW, that provides details. GM’s contract has been ratified by UAW members, as has Ford’s. UAW members are still voting on Chrysler's contract currently..
Product guarantees in the now-finalized agreement between Ford and the UAW include bringing the Ford Transit Commercial van from Europe to the U.S. The vehicle will be produced at Ford’s Kansas City, Mo. plant. In addition, the Kansas City plant will add a second shift for the F-Series in 2012. The automaker’s Wayne, Mich. plant will produce the previously announced C-MAX, the hybrid and plug-in hybrid models, the Focus Battery Electric Vehicle, and add a third shift to meet market demand for the Focus.
At the Chicago Assembly plant, the automaker said it plans to insource police vehicle manufacturing. The Flat Rock, Mich. AAI plant will provide a second source for the automaker’s Fusion, which is currently built in Mexico. The automaker’s Louisville, Ky. Plant will produce an as-yet-unnamed vehicle in addition to the 2012 Escape.
For General Motors, the automaker has a number of plans in the works, though the company didn’t provide specific model names. The automaker is planning a new compact vehicle at an as-yet-to-be-determined plant.
GM's Wentzville, Mo. Plant will receive a new mid-size pickup truck program and another full shift. The company’s Spring Hill, Tenn. plant (a former Saturn plant that currently builds four-cylinder engines and other parts) will reopen and will be producing two mid-size vehicles originally slated for production in Mexico.
At Chrysler, the company’s Belvidere, Ill. plant and Sterling Heights, Mich. plant will each receive a new compact vehicle based on Chrysler’s Compact United States Wide platform for compacts, mid-size vehicles, and crossovers. The CUSW platform is the U.S. adaptation of the C-EVO platform, a mid-size platform developed by Fiat.
The Belvidere plant will continue production of the Dodge Caliber, Jeep Patriot, and Jeep Compass through their planned life cycles. The Sterling Heights plant will also continue production of the Dodge Avenger and Chrysler 200 (and 200 convertible) through the rest of their production life cycles.
