Michael Boneham
Ford Motor India Co President and Managing Director Michael Boneham attends a news conference in Ahmedabad July 28, 2011. Reuters

Ford Motor Co will invest $142 million to manufacture a new global compact SUV at the company's Chennai plant, Michael Boneham, managing director of Ford India, said on Wednesday.

The SUV will be unveiled later on Wednesday, Ford said.

The company, which sold just under 100,000 cars in India in 2011, has said it hopes Asia will contribute a third of its global sales by 2020.

The 2012 India Auto Expo, held once every two years, begins on Thursday in New Delhi.