Ford to Build Lincoln Truck in Missouri

Ford Motor Co., the world’s second-largest auto maker, plans to build its Lincoln Blackwood, a combination luxury sport-utility vehicle and pickup, at its assembly plant in Claycomo, Mo., analysts said. Ford has scheduled a news conference today to unveil a vehicle to be built in the Kansas City suburb. While Ford wouldn’t specify the vehicle it plans to build, analysts are betting on the Blackwood, whose chassis is similar to that of the F-150 SuperCrew pickup Ford is building at the plant later this year. Ford unveiled the Blackwood at December’s Los Angeles International Auto Show. It resembles the Lincoln Navigator but adds a wood-paneled box similar to a truck bed. Michael Robinet, an analyst with CSM Corp., an automotive consulting firm in Farmington Hills, Mich., said he has been told Ford will build the Blackwood in Kansas City.

Separately, DaimlerChrysler, the No. 3 auto maker, said it would spend $435 million to expand a Dodge Ram pickup truck plant in Fenton, Mo., a St. Louis suburb.