- Messages
- 200
- Likes
- 0
- City
- Houston
Ford is investing $170 million to expand a plant in South Africa where it will produce a its Everest SUV and boost output of the new Ranger pickup truck.
The expansion will create about 1,200 jobs at the Silverton assembly plant in Pretoria.
The Everest is based on the same underlying structure as the Ranger. Production in South Africa will start in the third quarter of 2016 and sales will begin in late fall.
“Our customers love the capability and utility offered by the Ford Everest,” said Jim Farley, Ford president of Europe, Middle East and Africa, in a statement. “By producing the Everest in South Africa, we will be able to make it more readily available, and in a greater variety of models, for customers throughout sub-Saharan Africa."
In addition to South Africa, Ford produces the Ranger and Everest in Rayong, Thailand; Chennai, India (where the Everest is sold as the Endeavor) and Nanchang, China, through its joint venture with Jiangling Motors.
The Everest has been redesigned twice since it was introduced in 2003. Currently, Ford ships them from Thailand to South Africa where is only available with a 3.2-liter five-cylinder Duratorq TDCi engine. Once production begins in South Africa, consumers will have the choice of a 2.2-litre Duratorq TDCi four-cylinder diesel engine, along with a wider spread of trim.
The new Everest offers seating for seven, body-on-frame construction and an advanced terrain management system to navigate challenging terrain with ease.
Read more on Detroit Free Press.
