Mazda's Mexico plant to ramp up production this year

MEXICO CITY: Japan's Mazda Motor Corp will produce about 140,000 of its vehicles in Mexico this year, the company said on Thursday.

In 2014, its first year of operation, Mazda's plant in the central state of Guanajuato produced about 102,000 cars, including the Mazda2 and the Mazda3.

This year, the plant is ramping up production of the Mazda2, which it began making at the end of October, said Mazda spokesman Miguel Barbeyto.

The plant will also produce an additional 50,000 subcompact Toyota vehicles in 2015 starting this summer, Barbeyto said, bringing total output to about 190,000 autos this year.