I guess Ford is gambling that Trump will be afraid to irritate China at this point in time. I want them to be wrong, but I don't think they are.
It’s also a kind of playing chicken by the auto industry. American auto production shifts more and more to larger, more expensive vehicles. As the next rounds of green requirements go into effect, it will be American workers suffering while the greener vehicles favored by Big Government will be already being produced outside the USA.
It wouldn't be a tariff on China per say, it would be a tariff on Ford products made in China. To avoid that tariff, they (Ford/China) are FRee to sell that junk anywhere else on this planet (and beyond) to avoid the tariff. FUFORD! Get on it Mr. President. Although, there may be a good strategy involved to allow Ford Motor Co. to expend a few billion setting it all up first...just my sinister way of thinking. Keep in mind, during the Reign of "O" and the auto bailouts that FMC refused, Americans patriotically jumped behind FMC and shunned GMC, then to have FMC flip America the finger like this...yes, let them expend those billions first, then drop a 50% tariff on them. FUFORD!