Ford Motor Co.’s president of the Americas, Mark Fields, on Tuesday said Ford would be dedicated to making its future vehicles “meet or beat the competition in fuel economy” in the face of $4-a-gallon gasoline, weak consumer confidence and plunging auto sales.

Fields noted that July auto sales have been no better than they were in June, when they plummeted 18% industrywide. The first half of the year was the worst sales level in the United States in 15 years, and Ford’s sales for the year are off 14%, mostly because of falling truck sales.

The event was held just days before Ford is expected to post significant second-quarter losses and further restructuring of its unprofitable North American operations. Ford has said it will bring fuel-efficient models from Europe as it retools its North American lineup. The Associated Press reported that Ford will bring six small vehicles from overseas. Ford will move assembly of the Ford Expedition and Lincoln Navigator from the Michigan Truck Plant in Wayne to the Kentucky Truck Plant in Louisville, the Louisville Courier-Journal reported. Michigan Truck will be retooled to make the Focus compact car, according to the New York Times.

Ford also delayed addition of a third shift at its Oakville, Ontario, plant, surprising 350 would-be workers, who were to start training next week, the Courier-Journal reported. The plant makes the Ford Edge, Ford Flex and Lincoln MKX crossovers — a fast-growing segment as consumers seek fuel-efficient alternatives to Pickups and truck-based SUVs.

While new hires at the Oakville plant find themselves on hold, the factory still will absorb 160 workers laid off from Ford in Windsor, Ontario, said spokeswoman Lauren More.

Ford is cutting production of trucks in response to slumping sales. When asked when Ford thought the economy might bottom out or rebound, Fields did not have an answer.

“We don’t know,” said Fields, who was at a centennial celebration for the Model T, which has attracted thousands of collectors and fans to a sprawling field in Wayne County, Ind.

Founder Henry Ford started building the Model T in 1908, and the vehicle helped establish Ford Motor Co. and revolutionize modern society.

Fields told a crowd of attendees and journalists that Ford would be rolling out its EcoBoost technology, which uses gasoline injection and turbocharging to improve the efficiency of a regular gas engine.

Ford is planning to sell 500,000 engines with the new technology annually within four years, company spokesman Said Deep said.

Fields said that Ford’s new objectives to focus on small cars and environmentally friendly technologies were consistent with the principles of Henry Ford and his Model T, which was capable of running on ethanol and gasoline.

Fields declined to answer questions about Ford’s latest restructuring plan.

When asked about reports that Ford might be launching a new plan for Mercury, the company’s long-ailing premium brand, which is positioned between the mainstream Ford and luxury Lincoln nameplates, Fields defended the brand for attracting customers who are not lured by the Ford name.

Through June, Mercury sales were down 24% compared with the same period a year ago. Customers bought 72,595 Mercury vehicles through March.

The Courier-Journal also reported that the Louisville Assembly Plant is being retooled for vehicles smaller than the Explorer midsize SUV. Ford spokeswoman Angie Kozleski declined comment.