Ford's engine plant in Struandale, Port Elizabeth will be building Ford's new diesel engine - only the second diesel engine to be introduced at the plant since 1964.
Ford Africa and Middle East President Jacque Brent announced at the plant on Tuesday morning that the new assembly line will produce eight engine derivatives and that the new diesel engine will also be used in the new Ford Ranger Raptor to be launched next year.
The new diesel engine assembly hall is located in a totally revamped 3 868 m2 section of the Struandale Engine Plant and production officially commences in the fourth quarter of 2018.
The new assembly line has an installed capacity of 120 000 engines per annum.
Brent added that the current component machining and assembly lines for the Duratorq TDCi diesel engine, which has been produced locally since 2011 for the Ford Ranger and Everest, are also being expanded.
"We are delighted to confirm that, as part of theR3-billion investment announced in November 2017, we are expanding both the capability and capacity of the Struandale Engine Plant for our current and future engine programmes," he said.
"The investment includes the installation of a sophisticated new assembly line for an all-new diesel engine program that will, most notably, power the exciting new Ford Ranger Raptor when it is launched in2019," Brent adds.
"At the same time, we are boosting capacity for the currentDuratorq TDCi engine that is used in the Ford Ranger and Everest, with new derivatives and additional European markets being introduced for the local operations," he says.
The new diesel engine assembly hall is located in a totally revamped 3 868 m2 section of the Struandale Engine Plant and boastsFord's latest, state-of-the-art manufacturing processes that guarantee the highest standards of workmanship, product quality and performance.
Eight derivatives of the new engine will be assembled at the StruandaleEngine Plant when production officially commences in the fourth quarter of2018. The new assembly line has an installed capacity of 120 000 engines per annum.
Ultimately, the Struandale Engine Plant will become the home of all Duratorq TDCi engine component machining for the Ranger, Everest and Transit, along with expanded engine assembly in conjunction with current operations at Ford plants in Thailand and Argentina.
"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 adds.
