Autoblog and Yahoo may earn commission from links in this article.A V8 not made in America?It sounds like the blasphemy of blasphemies, but Ford Motor Company has good reason for it. Before you bust out the pitchforks, we still have American V8s in the Ford stable, but Canada is stepping up V8 production, which carries certain implications.A recently inked agreement with the Unifor labor union, which represents 5,000 Canadian auto workers, has reached a three-year labor agreement that will give Canadian employees a 9% wage bump and increased pension benefits, plus ratification bonuses of $7,090 for full-time employees and $1,419 for temporary workers. That would mean that the plant will remain productive for the next three years. What's interesting is what changes may affect the entirety of Ford's production network.The Popular Coyote V8 engine found in the Mustang Dark Horse is made in Canada, by the way. Ford(North) American V8sAs reported by Carbuzz, the Blue Oval is considering more than just assembling trucks. Aside from the Oakville plant, the American automaker's negotiations also indicate a need for V8 engines in the future. The report also stated that Ford has a renewed commitment to V8 engines, with the brand's forecasts indicating demand for such Ford motors that will be addressed by its Canadian production lines.AdvertisementAdvertisementThe labor contract between Ford and Unifor forecasts a third shift at the Essex Engine Plant, potentially scheduled to start in 2029, which means that Ford is expanding its V8 production capabilities to meet the brand's expected demand. The Essex plant in Canada produces the 5.0-liter Coyote V8, while the Windsor Plant, also in Canada, produces the 6.8-liter V10 and 7.3-liter V8 engines. Ford still makes V8 engines in the United States, but that's the high-performance 5.2-liter supercharged V8 engine that's found in the Mustang GTD and the F-150 Raptor R, made in Dearborn, Michigan.Speaking about another plant that turned off in 2022, the Romeo Engine Plant will remain closed, according to Carbuzz's source, Sam Fiorani, an industry analyst. He said that Ford could restart the closed Romeo, Michigan, plant "if tariffs or other trade conditions materially changed the business case," but Fiorani also stated that it seems unlikely. As such, the Essex plant will take charge of all demand for the volume-driving Coyote V8, which is found in the Mustang, GT, Dark Horse, and variants of the Ford F-150 pickup trucks.The Mustang GTD has an American-Made V8, still. FordMore V8s? Aren't EVs a thing now?To put things into perspective, this news means that Ford still sees V8s in its future, but that doesn't mean that the brand will be forgetting its EV efforts entirely. From the same source, Sam Fiorani also adds that a V8 paired with a high-torque electric motor could serve as a cleaner alternative versus a diesel engine. "A plug-in hybrid Super Duty, for example, could pair a gasoline V8 with high-torque electric motors to deliver the towing capability customers expect while reducing emissions and avoiding the growing cost and complexity of modern diesel emissions systems," Fiorani stated.The same sentiments can be extended to the F-150s as well; Ford could take a V8 from Canada or a V6 from Lima, Ohio, and turn it into a plug-in hybrid. After typing that down, I have to say that it's quite ironic that the V8 isn't the American-made engine among the two for the Blue Oval.AdvertisementAdvertisementA refocus to Canada also signals that there could be consequences in other departments. Going on the same train of thought as Fiorani, the analyst stated that an increase in one area may lead to a decrease in others. That would mean the Chihuahua Engine Plant in Mexico, responsible for diesel engines, could see a reduction in production volume.Still an All-American V8 in this F-150 Raptor R. Shelby AmericanThis story was originally published by Autoblog on Jul 24, 2026, where it first appeared in the News section. Add Autoblog as a Preferred Source by clicking here.