Ford Plunges Ahead With New-Car Push in Russia

Ford Motor Co. says it will add six models to its lineup in Russia in 2015, even though the market there is expected to shrink as much as 24% this year.

CEO Mark Fields tells WirtschaftsWoche that Ford is pressing on with the unspecified vehicle launches in spite of Russia's disastrous economy because "there are no bad times" to introduce attractive products.

But some observers say Fields' declaration suggests the rollouts will occur mainly because they are too far along to postpone.

Ford reported earlier this month its Russian operations lost $348 million in 2014. Last week the company's chief financial officer told Handelsblatt that 2015 "does not look good."

Ford sales in Russia dropped 18% to 106,700 in 2013 and 38% to 66,000 last year, according to the Moscow-based Assn. of European Businesses. Marketwide demand for new cars and light commercial vehicles shrank 5% and 10% in those two years, respectively.