Ford Prepares S. African Plant for New SUV

Ford Motor Co. is spending 2.5 billion rand ($167 million) to prepare its factory in Pretoria, South Africa, to make the Everest SUV.

The investment will be used in part to expand output of Ranger midsize pickup trucks in Pretoria. Both models share the same chassis. Ford also makes 4-cylinder diesel engines in Port Elizabeth.

The Everest, which is about the size of the unibody Explorer SUV, is a body-on-frame vehicle with a manual gearbox and seating for seven. Ford introduced the Everest last year outside Europe and the U.S. and currently assembles the model in China, India and Thailand.

Everest production in Pretoria is expected to begin in the third quarter of this year. Ford says the plant’s output will be used to supply sub-Sahara Africa.