By Jamie White – Head of Communications

Ford is investing an additional £190 million at its Dagenham London site to produce an all-new advanced technology 2.0-litre diesel engine for cars and commercial vehicles.

This investment includes £8.9 million from the Government’s Regional Growth Fund, with Ford creating 318 new jobs connected with the investment.

The announcement confirms the second phase of investment in the new engine programme following the original investment of £287 million for phase one. It brings the total invested in the project to in excess of £475 million, underlining Ford’s commitment to high-tech engine manufacture at Dagenham.

The first phase of investment relates to the production of state-of-the-art low carbon 2.0 litre diesel engines for Ford commercial vehicles (CVs) globally. The second phase is for low carbon, 2.0 litre diesel engines for passenger cars.

This all-new range of low carbon 2.0-litre diesel engines for cars and CVs has been designed and developed at Ford Dagenham and at the Ford Dunton Technical Centre in Essex.

The first ‘phase one’ engines will come off the line towards the end of next year. Production capacity will be up to 350,000 units per year – one engine produced every 30 seconds – and will be installed in Ford commercial vehicles from 2016.

This new, low carbon, London-built 2.0 litre advanced diesel engine will deliver dramatically lower NOx emissions, satisfying the air quality requirements of the London Mayor’s proposed Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ).

The second phase of engine production is scheduled to start in 2017, with the first installation in Ford cars planned for 2018.

This latest diesel engine programme at Ford Dagenham is part of a £1.5 billion investment by Ford in low-carbon and environmentally friendly engine and vehicle technology over five years.