Ford to start Russian Mondeo production in September

2009 Ford Mondeo

St.Petersburg, Russia -- United States car maker Ford Motor plans to start production of its new Mondeo sedan at its Russian plant in September, a senior company official said today.

"We will launch Mondeo in September this year. We don't have further plans but if the market increases we want to participate," Vice-President of Ford Europe Wolfgang Schneider told reporters.

Ford currently makes the popular Focus models at what is its only Russian plant, near the country's second-biggest city of St Petersburg.

Schneider said Ford planned to make around 72,000 Focus and 1,000 Mondeo vehicles this year. He said Ford planned to boost the plant's total annual capacity to 125,000 from the beginning of 2009.

[Source : Reuters via Automotive News Europe (Subscription required)]