If you can't beat 'em, join 'em. That's exactly how Ford is viewing its newest threat to a big money-maker in Europe.

Dearborn automaker Ford said its January U.S. sales were down 5.3%, though Mustang saw an uptick. Ford has stopped making the Ford Escape and Lincoln Corsair, which it says contributed to lower sales.

Wall Street firm Morgan Stanley is betting on Ford Motor Co.'s new subsidiary, Ford Energy, to improve Ford's electric vehicle unit's pretax profits once the new business reaches full capacity. If ...