Flat Rock Assembly Plant
In the Flat Rock Assembly Plant (formerly Auto Alliance International Inc. ) is a manufacturing facility of the Ford Motor Company in Flat Rock ( Wayne County) in the U.S. state of Michigan.
Inside the vehicle identification number, the company uses the World Manufacturer Code 1YV for Mazda, 1ZV and 2ZV for Ford and Shelby American, WF0 for Ford Germany and the 1ZW for Mercury. Brand Across the number 5 is the factory code for Flat Rock in use.
Similar companies are the Ford Motor Company of Southern Africa (since 1963 ) and the Ford Japan Limited ( since 1982). However, only the 1995 -founded Auto Alliance Thailand is regarded as a sister company.
Prehistory
The factory was opened in 1972 as the Ford company belonging Michigan Casting Center. Here V8 engine blocks were made for various Ford models. However, because of the steadily declining demand for the V8 engines and the constant boardings on investment to modernize the production, the profitability of the site was compromised. The plant closure was completed in 1981.
The first Mazda plant in the U.S.
In the year 1985, Mazda bought the vacant factory and furnished it for the assembly of automobiles. The first model, which at the Mazda Motor Manufacturing (USA) Corp.. rolled off the assembly line, was on September 1, 1987, the Mazda MX- sixth For markets outside North America the model in badge engineering was built as a Mazda 626 Coupé. In January 1988, followed on the same platform of the Ford Probe. The production of the hatchback as well as the notchback sedan version of the 626 could be delayed only began in September 1989 following a technical revision. A short time later, finally, the sample was revised.
In the spring of 1991, a new generation of the 626 Coupé came on the market. The hatchback as well as the sedan remained for the time being continue unchanged.
Conversion of the site into a joint venture
On 15 April 1992, the Ford Motor Company acquired a stake of 50 percent. The name change to Auto Alliance International took place on July 1. From now on, the company was considered an official joint venture between the two companies. The management of the plant has since been exclusively provided by the Ford company, while the previous manager of Mazda Motor Manufacturing were recalled to Japan and China.
Under the new leadership had now also the production of the new sample as, also causes a new 626- generation. In August 1992, finally went to the production of the new Ford Probe, which was named by Motor Trend magazine's Car of the Year in December. Production of the 626 began with the MX -6 only in December 1992. The hatchback, designated in the U.S. as Hatchback, had been removed from the program. In August 1994 the revamped sample should provide Fuore. The 626 as well as the MX-6 was followed in December.
In September 1997 the production of the MX- 6 and sample in favor of the European-developed Ford Cougar was discontinued. Only the 626 has been further built, but placed in a new generation. The series production of the new coupe had taken in March 1998. The units for the North American market reached by badge engineering as Mercury Cougar in the trade. Towards the end of the millennium, demand started at 626 a immense, so Ford was forced to reduce a portion of the workforce. Although the 626 in June 2002 underwent a facelift, remained from the hoped-for success. In October 2002, finally joined the Mazda6 at its successor. Him there was now back as a notchback sedan, as well as combined. In August of the same year then rolled also the last Mercury Cougar from the tape.
In February 2003, the Ford Motor Company announced its intention to produce the Ford Mustang for the 2005 model year in Flat Rock. Eventually rolled back in August 2004, the first Mustang in Flat Rock from the tape. Shortly before, in March, the revised Mazda6 had its premiere. A few days later came a partnership with the Downriver Career Technical Consortium, which led to the creation of an in-house training center result.
Here since 2007, among other things, the Mustang Shelby GT500 models sister, Shelby GT500KR and Shelby GT / H are produced. After a facelift of the Ford Shelby GT350 model in addition, the Shelby GTS like the limited to 1000 copies Shelby 1000 emerged.
On August 24, 2012, the last Mazda6 rolled off the assembly line in Flat Rock. The production of the model was relocated for reasons of cost to Japan. Meanwhile, the Ford company took full control of the work. Mazda plans, meanwhile a return and has plans to build a new model for the U.S. market. An official dissolution of the joint venture it has so therefore not given. The gap of the Mazda6 has been closed by the production of the Ford Fusion, which went into production in the summer of 2013. All units previously offered the model come from the Mexican Hermosillo.
Model Overview
1: Model name for the markets of North America (CDN, MEX and USA) 2: Export designation for markets outside of North America Third name in Canada