Changan Automobile Group, Ford’s partner in China, plan to build a manufacturing plant in Mexico with a local firm and to export cars to North America, company vice president Luo Minggang said November 6.
The plant would start operation with an initial capacity of 50 000 cars at the end of 2009 or early 2010, according to Luo Minggang.
Cars made at the facility will be sold initially in Mexico where Changan already offer minivans and mini trucks, but they will be shipped to the United States eventually, he said. Meanwhile Brilliance China Automotive Holdings, who run a venture with BMW in China, said in July they will ship their first BS4 sedans to Germany, venturing into the hotly contested market despite extremely poor crash test results having hurt sales of the larger and costlier BS6.