Changan Ford Mazda may build second plant in Chongqing

Shanghai. December 24 (Gasgoo.com) -Chang'an Ford Mazda Automobile Co, Ford's China joint venture, plans to open another plant in Chongqing, local authorities confirmed, according to a Beijing News report today.

The new plant will give the joint venture additional 100,000 units capacity. The new capacity, in combination with its current 410,000 units capacity a year, will boost the automaker's capacity in China up to more than half a million units, the newspaper said.

Though the company so far has not confirmed any details about the new facility, newspaper report said that the facility is unlikely to be finished by 2009.

Earlier Jeffrey Shen, president of the joint venture, said they are gauging the need for expanding capacity. "We are considering all options; a new plant project is one, but not necessarily the only choice," Shen said.

Currently the joint venture's line-up covers Ford Mondeo and S-Max, Mazda3 and Volvo S40, and it also plans to produce a subcompact based on the Verve concept before the end of next year. The Verve made its Asian premiere at a recent auto show in Guangzhou.

In the first eleven months of this year, Changan Ford Mazda sold 190,831 passenger vehicles in China, up 0.9 percent compared to the same period last year.