Ford expands Fiesta lineup for North America
New vehicles part of $3 billion Mexican investment
Richard Truett
Automotive News
May 30, 2008 - 1:11 pm ET
UPDATED: 5/30/08 2:23 p.m. EDT
Ford Motor Co. has added a hatchback version of the Fiesta to the 2010 North American launch of the small economy car. The hatchback will be sold alongside the sedan.
Ford confirmed today that it will build the hatchback and sedan at its Cuautitlan, Mexico, plant starting in early 2010 as part of a $3 billion investment in the country.
The Fiesta will give Ford a fuel-efficient competitor against such cars as the Honda Fit and Nissan Versa. The Fiesta nameplate is one of Ford's best known global small cars. It was last used on a North American vehicle in 1981.
It's not clear whether the hatchback Fiesta will be a three-door, five-door or come in both configurations. Ford officials in Dearborn would not confirm the number of doors today. However, Herman Morfin, a Ford spokesman at the plant, said both hatchbacks would be offered alongside the sedan in the United States. He later modified his comment to say Ford hasn't determined which version of the hatchback will be sent to the U.S.
Ford CEO Alan Mulally, in a press conference, said the automaker hasn't decided which configuration will be used.
Publicity photos provided by Ford to Automotive News today show both the three- and five-door versions of the Fiesta.
"Ford is absolutely committed to leveraging our global assets to accelerate the shift to more fuel-efficient small cars and powertrain technologies that people really want and value," Mulally said in a statement.
$3 billion investment in Mexico
Ford said the Cuautitlan plant will shift from making F-series pickups for Mexico to making small cars for all of North America.
The changes at the plant near Mexico City begin this year.
The automaker also said its Chihuahua engine plant, which builds I-4 powerplants, will make diesel engines for light- and medium-duty trucks in global markets. Ford also will build a transmission plant in Guanajuato as part of a joint venture with German supplier Getrag.
All told, Ford's plan will create 4,500 jobs, the company said.
Ford added that after the changes are made, pickups for Mexico will be imported from U.S. plants.
Ford said it expects its annual capacity in Mexico to increase to 500,000 vehicles and 330,000 transmissions by 2012. Ford's current capacity there is about 296,000 vehicles.