In a bit of good news, always welcomed in today's battered automotive sector, Ford has announced it will add 1,200 jobs to the Chicago area when it moves production of the all-new 2011 Ford Explorer to its underutilized Illinois plant. The announcement is not a surprise � the plans have been in place for about a year � as the automaker has spent around $400 million retrofitting the plant in anticipation of the upcoming SUV's arrival. Experts say the Chicago plant will likely have to add a second shift to accommodate the Explorer production.
The Chicago plant has been making the redesigned Ford Taurus and Lincoln MKS since last year. The 2011 Ford Explorer, redesigned on a smaller and more fuel-efficient car unibody platform, is anticipated to arrive in dealers in August or September and will likely be the plant's highest-volume vehicle. Thanks for the tip, Leonard!
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