A brand new motor engine will be built in Wales due to a government supported scheme which will see ‘state-of-the-art’ Ecoboost engines built at Ford’s Bridgend Plant.
The news is a major shot in the arm for the Welsh motor production industry, coming just days after it was announced that the same production facility had halted the build of Jaguar Land Rover Engines due to factory shutdowns elsewhere in the UK. The former Ford-owned brands still use V6 and V8 engines built by Ford, but have ceased production due to low demand on the Range Rover Sport and Jaguar F-Type, which use the Jaguar AJ V8 engine.
But it is the £100m investment in the three-cylinder unit which has Welsh bosses smiling. The new engine is likely to debut in the new Fiesta ST and all-new Focus.
“I’m personally very proud to see production start of this all-new engine here in Bridgend, said Wallace Yearwood, plant manager of the South Wales facility.
“It’s the result of a significant investment in the plant, a plant which has a long-established history of delivering world-class engines, and we will make this engine another success.”
“We are proud to have played a part in developing this world class manufacturing facility,” said Welsh energy and transport secretary Ken Skates, “and look forward to continuing to work with the company and workforce to ensure a bright future for the plant at Bridgend, despite the upcoming challenges of Brexit.”