Ford Motor announced Wednesday that it will ramp up U.S. production of its Lincoln brand vehicles beginning in 2030, while phasing out imports of those models from China for the American market. The automaker said the move will “further strengthen Ford’s position as America’s No. 1 auto producer.”
The shift marks a reversal of an earlier strategy. In 2023, Ford said its next-generation Lincoln Nautilus would be imported from China — the first time the brand would bring a vehicle from China to the U.S. Now, the company is pivoting to domestic assembly, though it did not specify which U.S. plants would handle the added production.
According to Ford, the Lincoln Navigator and Aviator models are currently built in Louisville, Kentucky, and Chicago, respectively, and both will continue to be exported to markets including Canada, Mexico and the Middle East. Ford said it expects the increased U.S. production to generate “thousands of direct and indirect U.S. jobs.”
CEO Jim Farley framed the decision as a commitment to American manufacturing. “Lincoln is a quintessentially American brand, and Ford is America’s automaker,” Farley said in a statement. “This wasn’t necessarily the easiest path. In fact, it’s a path most of our competitors aren’t choosing to take. But Ford builds in America because we believe in America, and we’re betting on that belief again.”
The announcement comes as Ford has been highlighting its domestic production footprint, especially in light of President Donald Trump’s automotive tariffs and uncertainty surrounding the USMCA North American trade deal. Farley has previously told CNBC that he wants Ford to be rewarded for largely producing its vehicles in the U.S., and that competitors relying more heavily on imports — such as General Motors and Toyota Motor — should face greater penalties.
Ford reported that it assembled more than 2 million vehicles in the U.S. last year, more than any other automaker, including 311,000 units for export to more than 60 international markets. The company’s latest move appears designed to reinforce that leadership position as trade policy continues to reshape the industry.
Source: www.cnbc.com — https://www.cnbc.com/2026/08/12/ford-lincoln-us-china.html
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