Ford South America

Ford is the third-largest automaker in South America, where our principal markets include Brazil and Argentina.

Brazil’s economy and demographics – with growing per capita income, low vehicle ownership rates and a young population – have helped its automotive market to more than double since 2002. These favorable factors are expected to continue to contribute to growth in vehicle sales in Brazil.

2011 Performance Highlights

• Ford announced an investment of R$800 million to produce a new global vehicle in Sao Bernardo do Campo, Brazil.
• We also announced an R$500 million investment in our engine and transmission plant in Taubaté, Brazil for continued expansion of production capacity.
• Our New Cargo Euro 5 line of trucks will begin production this year. These trucks will have more power and better fuel economy than the Euro 3 line, even as they emit up to 80 percent fewer nitrous oxide emissions.
• The Ford-sponsored Odontomóvel – a mobile dental office that travels around Brazil providing free dental care to truck drivers and the community – celebrated the important milestone of 40,000 visits to truck drivers.

Awards

• Ford Brazil was named the most innovative company in information technology in the automotive and auto parts sector in “The 100+ Innovative in IT Use” ranking done by InformationWeek Brasil magazine.
• Ford was once again named by Argentine consumers as the #1 auto brand, according to Clarin, Argentina’s top newspaper, in its Automotive Brands Ranking.
• For the seventh-consecutive year, Argentine consumers elected Ford as the most trusted automobile brand in an Ipsos Media poll. With this recognition, Selecciones magazine honored Ford with its “Trusted Brand” award. Selecciones is a Readers’ Digest publication.
• Parabrisas magazine, one of the most well-regarded publications in Argentina, named Ford Argentina “2011 Auto Company of the Year.”
• Argentine auto industry journalists elected the Ford Fiesta Kinetic Design as the “2011 Car of the Year” in the Mercosur and México category.
• Auto Test, a reputable auto journal, also elected the Fiesta Kinetic Design as the “2011 Best Mercosur Car.”
• The Brazilian Association of Direct Marketing awarded Ford Brazil with the ABEMD Award for customer service for the third-consecutive year. Ford Brazil’s customer service function has distinguished itself in recent years with 18 national and international awards, given by a variety of different organizations and publications.
• Once again, Ford Argentina was selected as one of Argentina’s best places to work by Apertura Magazine, one of the country’s most prestigious business magazines. The 2011 ranking shows Ford as one of the top five best places to work among companies with more than 1,000 employees. Ford also leads the auto industry ranking.
• The Ford Fiesta Kinetic Design was named as the 2011 Gold Safety Car among all the categories awarded by the Center for Experimentation and Road Safety in Argentina.