Ford shifts Euro-spec EcoSport production from India to Romania

Ford has invested about €200 million in its Romanian plant to upgrade it for EcoSport’s production.

Ford Motor Company has shifted the production of its Euro-spec EcoSport compact SUV from India to Romania, hoping that it will help the American company cater to the rising customer demand in Europe better.

Production of the updated Ford EcoSport commenced in Craiova, Romania on October 12, 2017. Since its debut in Europe, the EcoSport has been imported to the continent from Ford’s production facility in Chennai, Tamil Nadu. Now, after the European production shifting to Romania, the Chennai plant will manufacture EcoSports for the Indian sub-continent, as well as the USA market.

On EcoSport’s production shift, Steven Armstrong, Ford group vice president said, “EcoSport is another example of how Ford is growing our business on our strengths - including world class SUVs. With demand growing for EcoSport, and compact SUVs in general, now is the right time to localize production in Europe to meet our customers’ needs”.

Total sales of Ford SUVs in grew around 30 per cent in 2016, and rose by another 27 per cent in the first eight months of 2017. Ford is expected to create around 1,700 jobs at its Craiova plant by end 2017. This plant is now the only production hub of EcoSport in Europe, and also manufacturers the company’s 1.0-litre EcoBoost turbo petrol engine.

The facelifted Ford EcoSport’s launch is imminent in India, and Ford India has confirmed that the updated SUV will gain the company’s new 1.5-litre ‘Dragon’ petrol engine.