The models, among 25 to be introduced by 2016 in a broader product offensive across the Middle East and Africa, draw on the U.S. auto giant’s global vehicle architectures to offer more up-to- date features for markets such as South Africa.
“Middle East and Africa is the final frontier for global automotive growth,” Ford’s regional chief Jim Benintende has said last week.
He added: “We’re putting the infrastructure and people in place to participate.”
Western carmakers are show- ing renewed interest in Africa, in some cases reviving previously abandoned manufacturing sites or considering new ones. Chinese brands are also a growing presence on the streets of cities such as Nairobi and Lagos.
On Wednesday, PSA Peugeot Citroen announced the gradual resumption of car assembly in Nigeria, Africa’s most populous country, and said it may soon add a second and third model there. Total vehicle sales across the Middle East and Africa region are expected to grow 40 percent by the end of the decade, according to Ford’s projections.
The planned model rollout includes updated versions of the Focus compact and Fusion large car, escorted by Ford’s resurrected Mustang sports car.
