Ford Will Begin Fiesta Production in Russia Next Year

Ford Motor Co. says it will begin building Fiesta subcompact sedans in Russia in the second half of 2015.

Ford currently assembles 11 car and truck models in Russia through its venture with OJSC Soller at three factories in the country. It will add the Fiesta at the newly launched Ford Sollers plant in Naberezhnye Cheiny.

The facility has capacity to build 115,000 vehicles per year. It has just begun making the EcoSport small SUV, which rides on the Fiesta's platform. Like the EcoSport, the Fiesta will be assembled from imported kits and locally stamped part

Last year Ford's vehicle sales in Russia plunged 18% to 106,700 units. The company is adding the Fiesta in hopes of offsetting a 60% drop in demand for its larger Focus sedan this year.

The company's sales in Russia are down 41% in a market that has contracted 13% so far this year, according to the Moscow-based Assn. of European Businesses.