Autolatina

AutoLatina logo

AutoLatina was the name of a joint venture between Volkswagen Group subsidiary Volkswagen do Brasil and Ford Motor Company subsidiary Ford do Brasil in South America. The main reason was the bad economic situation at the time that made joint survival more attractive than an individual fight for a share in a dwindling market.

Four divisions - Ford of Argentina, Ford do Brasil (Ford of Brasil), Volkswagen Argentina, and Volkswagen do Brasil - formed AutoLatina in 1987.

Volkswagen had 51% of the company and Ford 49%; Volkswagen managed the Car Division, and Ford the Truck Division.

This resulted in the two companies sharing badge engineered models. These included:

• Ford Verona / Volkswagen Apollo
• Ford Escort Mk V / Volkswagen Pointer
• Ford Orion / Volkswagen Logus
• Volkswagen Santana / Ford Galaxy/Versailles
• Volkswagen Quantum / Ford Royale

The AutoLatina venture was dissolved in 1995, with the improvement of the economic situation, the respective companies resuming their activities separately.

Truck Division

Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles and Ford Trucks were built alongside each other in Ipiranga complex, both shared parts and platforms.

The Truck Division also exported to United States rebadged trucks to the PACCAR Group, which were sold under the Kenworth and Peterbilt labels.