Parksplug’s Top 10 Automotive Stories of 2015 — Number 1

Mexico Asks to Borrow Some People To Help Build Cars

Production of more than a half-million U.S.-built cars will shift from the U.S. to Mexico over the next five years, according to an article in Afaik Magazine. Production of Ford’s Focus, Fusion, Taurus and C-Max are among those moving south, and the Mexican government — concerned about having enough people to build hundreds of thousands of additional vehicles — has asked the U.S. if it can “borrow back” some of the Mexican citizens living north of the border.

Production of the Ford Focus, shown here with optional Daisy Yellow paint, is expected to move from the U.S. to Mexico

Production of the Ford Focus, shown here with optional ($500) black painted windshield washer nozzles, will likely move from the U.S. to Mexico

“It would just be temporary until we can build up a workforce here,” said Cesar Mingo, Mexico’s Secretary of Labor. “We could probably have them back in two, three years tops.”

“Jeez, I don’t know,” said U.S. Labor Secretary Gabagonia Delfel. “First our car production is moving south, and now they want to borrow workers to build them, too? Seems like a lot to ask.”

Delfel advised Mexico that she wanted “to sleep on it” before making a decision. “At least production of the ‘most American-made car’ will stay here,” she mused, referring to the Toyota Camry.

RELATED STORY: NAMES OF MEXICAN-BUILT CARS EXPECTED TO CHANGE

As a result of the move south of the border, many of the vehicles involved will likely be renamed, said Automotive/Vastu Shastra consultant Ving Quibbler, who supplied us with a partial list of probable changes. (Current names shown on left; revised names are on the right in Sherwin-Williams Rancid Plum (i.e. purple) colored text)

Ford Focus — Ford El Enfoque