Ford has announced more production cuts which, among others, will impact the long-awaited Bronco.
The American car manufacturer has revealed that it will extend downtime starting May 17 at its Michigan Assembly plant. This facility produces the Ranger and the Bronco, which was supposed to reach full production this summer.
Despite the production cuts, Ford insists that the first Broncos will reach dealerships this summer. This isn’t the first time that production of the Bronco has been delayed as the carmaker was previously forced to postpone a spring launch due to supply chain issues triggered by the coronavirus pandemic.
Read Also: Ford Won’t Offer New Bronco In Right-Hand Drive Markets Like Australia, UK And Japan
Ford has acknowledged that the chip shortage will continue to impact it throughout the year. In fact, the automaker is expected to lose about 50 per cent of its planned second-quarter production, up from 17 per cent in the first quarter, due to the shortage. Ford chief executive Jim Farley recently said the company expects to lose $2.5 billion in earnings in 2021.
The Blue Oval has revealed that it will also shut down three other plants in Illinois, Michigan, and Missouri, which are responsible for vehicles including the Mustang and the Super Duty pickup trucks. Moreover, the Kansas City Assembly Plant in Missouri that builds the Transit van will operate just one shift during the weeks of May 31 and June 7 while it completes early builds of the electric E-Transit.
