Complete, not quite. US oriented view, as predictable...
Your throwaway "As the companys European operations bear further economic distress, it couldnt come at a better time." shows you need to do some basically better fundamental journalism, research and fact checking. Ford's European operation is still hemorrhaging money, not 'bearing economic distress'.
They are basically closing even profitable and/or efficient factories, like the Van Works in Southampton in the UK, and the mid-range car plant in Genk, Belgium and shipping much of the work off to Spain where the can get away with paying cheaper wages due to the economic catastrophe there.
If Ford US pick up this trait, all Ford US manufacturing operations will be transferred to Mexico or Brazil.
Much of Ford;s distress was caused by them living the economic bu115hit dream of GW Bush and Clinton's era and instead of overhauling their core businesses, they pissed billions of dollars down the toilets into ill-conceived mis-adventures like buying Volvo Cars, Aston Martin, Jaguar and Landrover and creating the abortion that was autonomous business called Ford Premier Automotive Group.
So inept were Ford's Senior management that almost as soon as Jaguar Landrover were sold off after loosing billions, and for next to nothing to Tata Auto of India, they started making money again and are a star in tata's Global business portfolio.
