Ford confirms small car production moving from US to Mexico



Keep going for a look at the 50 hottest cars of the last 100 years. Lou Cervi gets out of his Ford Focus after parking spot near his Pittsburgh home Tuesday, April 26, 2016.

Keep going for a look at the 50 hottest cars of the last 100 years. Lou Cervi gets out of his Ford Focus after parking spot near his Pittsburgh home Tuesday, April 26, 2016. Photo: Gene J. Puskar, Associated Press Photo: Gene J. Puskar, Associated Press Image 1 of / 77 Caption Close Ford confirms small car production moving from US to Mexico 1 / 77 Back to Gallery

DETROIT (AP) — Ford Motor Co. says it's moving all of its U.S. small car production to Mexico.

Ford CEO Mark Fields confirmed the long-expected move Wednesday during an event for investors and Wall Street analysts.

Ford currently makes its Fiesta subcompact in Mexico, but its Focus and C-Max small cars are made in suburban Detroit. Making them in Mexico would boost company profits because of low wages there.

The company is building a new $1.6 billion assembly plant in San Luis Potosi, Mexico. It will make small cars there starting in 2018.

Ford's Michigan Assembly Plant, which currently makes the small cars, will be getting new products under a contract signed last year with the United Auto Workers union. They will likely be larger, more profitable vehicles like the Ford Ranger pickup.