WASHINGTON—Ford Motor Co said Thursday it could face up to $1.3 billion in penalties in a long-running dispute over import duties paid on Ford Transit Connect vehicles. The No. 2 U.S. automaker said after the Supreme Court declined to hear its appeal in 2020 that it paid increased duties for some prior imports, plus interest. U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) is now seeking additional duties of $181 million and is considering seeking a monetary penalty of “as much as $652 million to $1.3 billion,” Ford said. The automaker added that it would vigorously defend its actions and noted any penalty “would be based on our level of culpability as determined by the courts.” CBP ruled in 2013 that Transit Connects imported as passenger wagons and later converted into cargo vans were subject to the 25 percent duty applicable to cargo vehicles, rather than the 2.5 percent passenger vehicle duty. …