WINDSOR, Ontario ? Ford Motor Co. on Friday unveiled a new manufacturing system for North America, a process the company says will allow it to make different products with the same equipment and cut costs by $1.5 billion to $2 billion in the next 10 years.

Standardizing certain production work will enable the world’s No. 2 automaker to build up to eight models at any of its flexible plants, some of which now produce only one model.

Ford said the flexible process :quot; already used by some Asian automakers :quot; would allow it to change production of models quicker and more often, lowering costs.

During a briefing Friday at its Windsor Engine Plant, Ford said about half of its North American body, trim and final assembly operations would be flexible by mid-decade, increasing to 75 percent by the end of the decade.

Ford has 21 assembly plants in North America, but the company is closing three as part of a restructuring announced in January that also calls for eliminating 35,000 jobs and four models.

The company, which lost more than $5 billion last year, declined to reveal the cost to switch to the new system, saying it was too early to give an estimate.

Al Ver, Ford’s vice president for Advanced Manufacturing Engineering, said flexible assembly would allow the company to react more quickly to shifting customer demand.

“The company will be able to produce a wider variety of vehicles, change the mix of products and options and change volumes :quot; all with minimal investment and changeover loss,” Ver said.

Ford will roll out flexible manufacturing at North American plants as it introduces new products with significant changes.

The first three will be the Norfolk (Va.) Assembly Plant, the Kansas City (Mo.) Assembly Plant and the Dearborn Truck Plant, where Ford will make the all-new 2004 F-150 pickup truck, part of it best-selling F-Series lineup.

Production of the new F-150 will begin at the Norfolk plant in the middle of next year, then move to Kansas City and finally to Dearborn in 2004.

Mike Wall, an industry analyst with IRN Inc. in Grand Rapids, said Ford likely was taking the lead in the scope of its flexibility compared with domestic competitors General Motors Corp. and DaimlerChrysler AG’s Chrysler Group.

He said Ford lagged behind GM in efficiency but was showing its confidence in the new system by starting with the F-150.