Ford to SLASH jobs, CULL model range and PARTNER with VW in Europe?

The Sunday Time is reporting that Ford plan to cut its workforce in the UK and Europe by 12 per cent, drop the Ford Mondeo and partner with VW.

Ford have not had an easy time in Europe in recent years, and we already have a good idea of what they’re going to do to try and make the UK and Europe a profitable market for the Blue Oval once more.

After announcing the end of the line for hatchbacks and Saloons in the US, it seemed inconceivable that cars like the Ford Mondeo, Galaxy and S-Max could survive in Europe as Ford moved to be a producer of SUVs, Pick-ups and CVs.

Now, the Sunday Times is reporting that Ford’s plans are looking to be a bit more radical than just dropping some models from the range and focusing on what sells.

It seems the plan is to cut the current Ford workforce in Europe by 24,000 (Ford has  about 200k workers in Europe – 12k in the UK), drop the Galaxy and S-Max People Carriers and the Ford Mondeo and cut the number of dealers.

Not only that, but a joint venture with Volkswagen looks ever more likely, which would see Ford’s European operations put in to the joint venture, and not just, as had been previously flagged up, their CV operations but their car operations too.