Ford China JV to move Mazda 3 production to Nanjing

Shanghai, April 6 (Gasgoo.com) Ford Motor's China venture Changan Ford Mazda recently said that the Mazda 3 production (sharing the Ford Focus production line) at its Chongqing plant will be moved to the venture's Nanjing plant, media reported.

Meanwhile, Changan Ford Mazda will stop producing its current Mazda 3 model and will instead produce the revamped Mazda 3 at the Nanjing plant. The slightly modified Mazda 3 will be launched in July in China, while the all-new Mazda 3 will be sold in overseas markets.

Three-way Chinese venture's first Chongqing plant has an annual production capacity of 250,000 cars, mainly making Mazda 3, Ford Focus, Mondeo and some other models; the second Chongqing plant started in September last year, and the initial planning capacity are 150,000 cars.

The Nanjing plant of Changan Ford Mazda currently is able to produce 160,000 cars per year, and mainly produce Mazda 2 and Ford Fiesta, maintain the 1:2 output distribution for the Mazda 2 and new Fiesta.

The company said moving the Mazda 3 production to Nanjing can ease the pressure of its Chongqing production, and meanwhile make full use of the idle capacity at the Nanjing plant.