Romanian president Traian Basescu buys first Ford B-Max produced in Romania

Romanian President Traian Basescu bought the first Ford B-Max model, whose production started earlier today (June 25 ) at Ford's factory in Craiova, Romania. Basescu drove his new red car around the factory during his site visit. The Ford B-Max comes in several versions and costs EUR 13,400, EUR 14,15o and EUR 16,150, depending on the version.

The president was also the first to buy a Dacia Duster when launched in 2010, and also owns and drives a Dacia Logan. Car maker Ford officially started production of the new model and confirmed it will also begin to build a new engine at Craiova, a 1.5 liter petrol engine, which will enter series production in early 2013. The 1 liter EcoBoost engine is already produce in Craiova, where Ford invested some EUR 500 million. In total, Ford will invest some EUR 675 in the production of cars and engines in Romania, according to the company. The Romanian factory has become one of the most competitive and modern in Eastern Europe and Ford's production chain. “The car series and engines production at Craiova brings a new lkevel of sphisticated production in Eastern Europe,” said John Fleming, vicepresident production and Labor Force with Ford Motor Company. „Craiova is currently one of the most competitive and modern production units in Ford's global production network and indeed, in the global car making industry,” he went on. Launched at the Geneva Motor Show in early March, the B-Max will be the safest car made ​​in Romania, according to Ford, which expects it to achieve five stars in Euro NCAP safety tests. The car maker previously said it would manufacture 60,0000 B-Max units this year at Craiova, and plans to build 100,000 more next year. The company had to invest EUR 675 million in technology and produce as many as 250,000 car units by March this year, according to the 2007 privatization contract, but it recently reached a deal with the Romanian state to delay some of the investments and some penalties for a lower than initially agreed production level. Corina Chirileasa, corina@romania-insider.com