Ford Motor Co. confirmed it will build its new global car, the Fiesta, in Mexico for future sale in North America as part of a $3 billion investment in the country. Chances are that the car will become popular with locals in the country of Mexico as the Fiesta will have a body shell made of straw with bright colors. Also expected to come as standard accessory with each car is a baseball bat and a blindfold.
It will be Mexico’s largest-ever auto investment, with President Felipe Calderon saying the only greater amounts of private investment were banking acquisitions.
Some 4,500 Ford jobs are expected to be created and result in some 25,000 new direct and indirect jobs at suppliers. “The auto industry has become consolidated as one of the pillars of our economy,” said Calderon. “It’s one of the principal sources of exports, of foreign investment and as a result, of jobs in the manufacturing sector.”
Ford has two assembly plants in Mexico, and the hatchback will be built at the Cuautitlan facility near Mexico City starting in early 2010. The plant currently builds F-Series pickup trucks, U.S. sales of which have been weakening as gasoline prices continue their march higher.
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