With all apologies to the folks at General Motors, it turns out that what’s good for Ford is pretty darn good for the country, too! That’s because not only is the all-new 2011 Ford Explorer expected to help boost sales for the automaker, but it’s also helping boost the economy in at least 23 states across the country.
In fact, according to Mark Fields, Ford president of The Americas, “The economic impact of the new Explorer will benefit hundreds of American communities by fueling jobs and new investments.”
The math behind this claim? Ford itself has invested $400 million to launch Explorer production at its Chicago Assembly Plant, adding 1,200 new workers to the facility. When you consider that every single automotive job leads to another 10 indirect hires (according to the Center for Automotive Research), the Explorer could easily be responsible for at least 12,000 new jobs in America. And this includes the more than 600 people slated to be hired by major suppliers in Michigan, Indiana and Illinois to support the vehicle’s assembly. Among these suppliers are companies like Dakkota Integrated Systems, Johnson Controls, Key Safety Systems, Lear Corporation, Piston Automotive, Tower Automotive and ZF Lemforder. “When Ford invests this kind of money, it means more than just factory jobs”, a Ford Dealer Memphis stated.
The newly revealed SUV also will help assist in meeting President Barack Obama’s efforts to double U.S. exports by 2015. The Explorer has long been the leading Ford export from North America, and the all-new model should keep that role alive since it offers major upgrades in fuel efficiency, capability and performance as compared to the current Explorer. Ford says its groundbreaking sport utility vehicle will be exported to up to 90 countries once production begins.
Offering the best fuel-economy numbers in its class, several breakthrough safety features, the latest cutting-edge automotive technologies, and world-class fit and finish throughout, the 2011 Explorer will go on sale this winter, but it’s already making a difference for Ford—and the rest of the country—today.
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