Ford is planning to shift the production of its masterpiece, Fiesta, to Thailand and to discontinue the model production at Chennai facility as well as at Cuautitlán, Mexico plant. The commencement of the new facility will be reported in 2016, with the launch of the seventh generation Fiesta. Ford transitioned the Mexico plant for Fiesta from the F150 pick-up in 2008 and has sold over 12 million units of the Fiesta since the car was first launched in 1976.
Ford have more than twelve manufacturing facilities across the globe and most of them build multiple models for the company’s product line. However, a few plants are dedicated with only one nameplate and the Mexico unit is one of them, inducted to the Fiesta since 2008 with production capacity of more than 3 lakh units a year.
Currently, Ford has been manufacturing the Fiesta at seven facilities in the world including Rayong, Thailand. The existing plant will either get an expansion or the company will set up a new plant in Thailand to consolidate future production of the Fiesta. The Mexico plant enables Ford to export duty-free cars in North American countries, whereas the cardinal development will facilitate Ford to export tax exempted Fiesta to European and South Asian countries, which are the largest market for mid-sized cars.
The Fiesta is a fun to drive mid-size sedan offered in India which hasn’t sold well due to the higher pricing. Ford India has declared the launch of eight new models by 2015, also a 460 acres manufacturing facility is under development in Gujarat which is expected to roll-out the first car by 2014. The new production plant will boost Ford production capacity to 4.4 lakh vehicles per year.
