Ford is to invest US$217m in a plant in Brazil’s Bahia state as part of a plan to move 100% of production in the country to global platforms by 2015.
The factory will have capacity to produce 210,000 vehicles a year offering, said Ford’s chief executive in Brazil, Marcos de Oliveira.
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This is in addition to US$430m investment announced earlier this month to produce a new model in Brazil where a number of carmakers are ramping up production in what is now the world’s fourth-largest car market.
Brazil has become key for Fiat, Volkswagen, General Motors and Ford, but they have seen their market share slip as new competitors, notably from South Korea, have arrived in recent years.
Automaker’s association Anfavea has forecast investment in local production totaling near US$20bn through 2014. Ford said it plans to invest US$4.5bn in Brazil between 2011 and 2015.
