The Ford Motor Company is about to make an abrupt shift away from SUV production to focus on smaller, more fuel efficient cars. The move comes after nearly twenty years of the Detroit based automobile manufacturer staking its fortunes on putting Americans in Big gas-guzzling trucks and sports utility vehicles.

The automaker is expected to announce it will convert three of its North American production facilities from trucks to cars. Ford will also be ramping up the fuel efficiency of its vehicles in a reaction to what it sees as a permanent change in the factors American consumers will base their choice of vehicles on in an age of $100+ per barrel oil.

This is good news for Ford, even if it is a little late in the game. For years I’ve hoped this once cutting edge car company, that changed the face of manufacturing around the world and planted the seeds of the middle class with the higher wages it offered for laborers, would step into the 21st Century. My father, uncle, grandfather, great-grandfather (on the other side) and great uncle all worked for the Ford Motor Company at one time or another in a Detroit economy that thrived throughout the better part of the 20th Century. Here’s hoping Ford can return to that with its new strategy for the future.

You can takepart by checking out the future of cars on AutoBlog Green.

LINKS:

NY Times: Ford to make broader bet on smaller cars.

AutoBlog Green: Redesigned Fords to boast best mileage in class

USA Today: Ford CEO says shift to smaller cars here to stay