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Ford ME sales hit top gear in 2012

Kuwait, January 16, 2013

Ford and Lincoln closed 2012 on a high note with record 10 per cent year over year sales growth in the Middle East, thus breaking the 75,000 unit barrier.

The sales of both brands in the last quarter of 2012 jumped an outstanding 42 per cent year over year according to Larry Prein, Ford Middle East’s managing director who is confident that the momentum will be equally strong for 2013.

Kuwait posted a positive growth owed largely to the strong sales of trucks and SUVs which registered a 56 per cent growth versus 2011, led by Ford Edge, Flex, Explorer, Expedition and F-150 trucks.

The best-selling passenger cars for 2012 featured the Ford Focus (up by 72 per cent), Mustang (up by 21 per cent) and the Taurus (up by 30 percent).

Commenting on the 2012 growth, Prein said, "2012 has truly been a landmark year for Ford in the region. We continued to drive growth aggressively across our markets thanks to the great new products we’ve introduced lately, and the tremendous support we’ve seen from our dealers."

"In the last quarter we’ve gained momentum as our supply got better. It is quite impressive to see that despite the discontinuation of the large volume Ford Crown Victoria, our total sales still recorded a double digit growth for the year," he observed.

“With this, we are geared up to start 2013 on a high note as we continue to be laser-focused on the One Ford plan and work with our dealers to further grow the business and introduce exciting models such as the all-new Ford Focus ST, Escape, Fusion and EcoSport, together with the all-new Lincoln MKZ, all of which are true to the One Ford promise,” he added.

Ford Middle East’s sales director Thierry Sabbagh said the company continued to witness increasing consumer preference throughout the region in 2012 as evidenced by the growing sales. “We’ve seen great demand on our new range of products last year,” he stated.

“This is a remarkable testament to the success of the One Ford strategy of delivering what the customer wants. More and more customers realise and value the superiority of Ford products in terms of technology offerings, quality and craftsmanship, attractive dynamic design and great value for money,” Sabbagh added.

On the product front, the Ford Edge, Explorer, Expedition and F-150 led the truck and SUV regional sales which saw a 43 per cent increase in 2012 versus 2011.

Ford and Lincoln passenger cars registered 40 per cent growth in retail sales – excluding the discontinued Ford Crown Victoria – with Focus, Fusion, Mustang and Taurus leading the pack, said the official.

In the UAE, total Ford and Lincoln sales posted a remarkable growth of 55 per cent in 2012 where passenger cars recorded a 38 per cent growth. Best sellers included the Taurus, Mustang, Fusion and Ford's all-new small car, Figo.

Meanwhile, trucks and SUVs registered a whopping 55 per cent increase, driven by increased demand on Edge, Escape, Explorer, Expedition and F-Series trucks. Lincoln’s new-gen crossovers, the MKX and MKT were also among the well-performing models in the UAE having achieved a three digit growth.

In Saudi Arabia, overall sales were even year over year. However, excluding the impact of the Crown Victoria discontinuation, sales of the remaining vehicles grew by nearly 30 per cent, with strong performances across the range. Top sellers included the Expedition, Explorer, Edge, Flex, Taurus, Fusion, Focus and Figo.

Ford also saw unprecedented growth in the remaining GCC markets where sales recorded an impressive increase of 107 per cent in Qatar, 42 per cent in Oman and 48 per cent in Bahrain, stated Prein.

Ford expects to increase the number of Quick Lane and Quick Parts outlets in the GCC, with 40 branches scheduled to be opened this year to help provide a wider reach for customer service and genuine Ford and MotorCraft spare parts.

The $53 million parts distribution centre in Jebel Ali is already providing growing support to the regional customer base and dealerships of Ford and Lincoln in the region.

“Overall, the momentum we gained together with our dealers in 2012 has been truly remarkable, setting a robust foundation for us to launch into 2013 from,” he added.-TradeArabia News Service




Tags: Cars | Middle East | Ford | Lincoln | SUV |

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