The Ford Motor Corporation of SA on Monday night revealed some details of the vehicles it plans to export and the size of the respective contracts following a recent announcement of a R1-billion investment programme in the Silverton-based company.
The Ford Motor Corporation of SA on Monday night revealed some details of the vehicles it plans to export and the size of the respective contracts following a recent announcement of a R1-billion investment programme in the Silverton-based company.
The company has been reluctant to reveal the actual models it will be exporting, as it had apparently been instructed by its US parent to withhold this information. However, a spokesman said production would start on two new vehicles and the value of its additional exports was expected to reach R4 billion a year.
A bakkie is expected to be exported a year from now under the Ford or Mazda brand and most believe that it will probably be the Bantam. Industry sources expected the passenger vehicle exported to be the Mazda 3, the replacement for the Etude.
“The initial export programme, a commercial vehicle with volumes of 2 700 per year, will commence in the third quarter of 2004,” the company said. “The second, a passenger vehicle with volumes of about 41 000 a year, 30 000 of which will be exported will start in the first quarter of 2005.”
As a result of the new investment in the country, exports of components by the local company will also increase.
“Production parts to support an estimated 70 000 vehicles a year will be exported from local suppliers to other international markets,” the company said. “Service parts will also be supplied to a number of Ford’s international operations.”