Ford Verona
The Ford Verona and Volkswagen Apollo are a pair of small family cars that were manufactured in Brazil by Autolatina, a joint venture between Brazilian subsidiaries of Ford and Volkswagen. The Verona was produced from 1989 to 1992 and from 1993 to 1996, initially as a direct replacement for the ageing Ford Del Rey.
| Ford Verona/Volkswagen Apollo | |
|---|---|
| Overview | |
| Manufacturer | Autolatina |
| Also called | Volkswagen Apollo Ford Orion |
| Production | 1989–1992 and 1993–1996 |
| Body and chassis | |
| Class | Compact/Small family car (C) |
| Layout | Front-engine, front-wheel drive |
| Chronology | |
| Predecessor | Ford Del Rey |
| Successor | Ford Escort saloon |
The company spent US$100 million developing and producing the car, which is heavily based on the second generation Ford Orion, and competed mainly with the Chevrolet Monza in the local market. The first generation had the characteristic of being a two-door sedan with a unique rear end, and the only derivation of the fourth generation Ford Escort with this body style, and was also rebadged as the Volkswagen Apollo.
Autolatina ceased production of the Verona/Apollo in 1992, after only three years of the original release, but still produced locally the third generation Orion a year after and keeping the Verona nameplate, until it was replaced by the sixth generation Ford Escort saloon in 1996.