ST PETERSBURG, Russia, Dec 8 (Reuters) - U.S. car maker Ford Motor Co. said on Monday it would halt production at its Russian plant from Dec. 24 to Jan. 21 due to market conditions.
The company said in a statement it would halt production due to the overall market environment and a lowering of forecasts for total Russian car sales.
It also said it would launch production of its Mondeo sedan in March 2009, as compared to previously planned fourth quarter of this year. Ford currently makes the popular Focus models at what is its only Russian plant, near the country's second-biggest city of St Petersburg. (Reporting by Denis Pinchuk; writing by Maria Kiselyova; editing by Guy Faulconbridge)