Heading for South Africa next year and confirmed to be built alongside the standard Ranger and Everest at Ford’s Silverton Plant near Pretoria, the 157 kW / 500 Nm mill will also be joined by 22 other four-cylinder Duratorq TDCi engines used mostly in front-wheel drive products, as part of a R3-billion investment announced in November last year.
“At the same time, we are boosting capacity for the current Duratorq TDCi engine that is used in the Ford Ranger and Everest, with new derivatives and additional European markets being introduced for the local operations,” President of Ford Middle East and Africa, Jacques Brent, said in a statement.
With engine production increasing from 254 000 machined components to 280 000 and assembly from 115 000 to 130 000 per annum, the increase would result in the plant becoming the home of Duratorq components for use in the Ranger, Everest and Transit.
“This places our South African business in a central role within the global Ford network, and reaffirms our commitment to developing the automotive industry within the local market, and in the broader Middle East and Africa region,” Brent said.
Along with the construction of a new 5 418 m2 warehouse to accommodate the various parts and a new engine assembly hall measuring 3 868 m2, the addition of more 2.2-litre oil burners set to come off the line in the fourth quarter of 2018, would see the plant producing 56 Duratorq TDCi engine variants, with new key export markets being Italy, Turkey and Russia.
