Ford Motor Co. in Dearborn has solidified its position as the No. 1 American automaker in terms of vehicles assembled, vehicles exported from America to other countries, and hourly workers employed, according to the latest data from S&P Global Mobility.
“Ford is a uniquely American company,” says Andrew Frick, president of Ford Blue. “We are proud to serve our customers with vehicles that embody the best of American innovation and ingenuity.”
Ford employs about 57,000 hourly manufacturing workers in the U.S., more than any other automaker, and training is underway for the new third crew that will assemble Bronco and Ranger vehicles at Ford’s Michigan Assembly Plant in Wayne, including nearly 900 new hires.
Also, Ford and Lincoln combined have more than 2,800 dealerships in the U.S., which create additional jobs in the communities they serve.
In 2023, Ford assembled more than 1.8 million vehicles in the U.S., 130,000 more than any other auto manufacturer. This includes the best-selling F-Series truck franchise of gas-powered, hybrid and electric pickup trucks, each assembled in America at plants in Michigan, Missouri, Kentucky, and Ohio.
Overall, more than 79 percent of what Ford sells in the U.S. are assembled in the U.S., more than any other automaker.
In 2023, Ford exported 260,000 American-assembled vehicles — including F-150, Bronco, and Mustang — to other countries, more than any other auto manufacturer. Approximately one in every seven vehicles Ford assembles in the U.S. is exported to international markets including Canada, Mexico, China, Puerto Rico, and South Korea.
In other Ford news, Ford is preparing to take the Mustang GTD, the most advanced Mustang ever, to Europe.
Set to debut at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, Mustang GTD also will take to the roads of Europe for testing that will pave the way for an official timed run in the fourth quarter of 2024 at the famed Nürburgring Nordschleife.
“We’ve tested the Mustang GTD in North America extensively, including laps at Sebring International Raceway and Virginia International Raceway,” says Greg Goodall, chief program engineer for Mustang GTD. “This has all been in service of engineering a car that can lap the Nurburgring in under seven minutes. Moving onto European roads and dedicated test sessions at the Nurburgring is the next step, ahead of a timed run later this year.”
Mustang GTD will follow its European debut at Le Mans with appearances at the 24 Hours of Spa in Belgium and the Goodwood Festival of Speed in England.
Accompanying Mustang GTD’s first appearance in Europe will be a new online storytelling series that delves into the components and engineering that make this the Mustang of supercars, using life-like computer-generated renderings to illustrate the cutting-edge suspension, supercharged V8 engine that targets over 800 horsepower, and more.
“With Mustang GTD, we set out to build a road-going race car with the heart of a Mustang and the will to beat Europe’s best,” says Jim Owens, brand manager for Mustang TTD. “Since opening applications to North American consumers, we’ve seen customers respond to that motivation. Whether they own a rival’s sports car or have another Mustang in the stable, the Mustang GTD’s race-derived performance is registering.”
