Ford reports 230% sales jump in first half
Regarded for many years in Malaysia as a niche brand, Ford’s charge into the mass market is gaining momentum, as the Blue Oval is now the country’s number one growing automotive brand. For the first six months of 2011, Ford sold 3,458 vehicles to Malaysians, a 230% year-on-year increase from 2010.
Fueling that impressive growth is undoubtedly the Ford Fiesta, which on its own accounted for over 2,000 sales for the first half of this year. Other models, namely the Mondeo, Focus, Escape, Ranger, and Everest, are pulling their weight too, collectively improving their sales by 22% year-on-year.
Plans are in the pipeline for further expansion of Ford’s dealership network, managed by Sime Darby Auto Connexion. It now consists of 37 showrooms and 32 service centres nationwide. Recently, the Ford range in Malaysia has been bolstered by the arrival of its new 2.0-litre EcoBoost engine powering a facelifted version of the Mondeo and the all-new S-Max MPV.
“These are certainly exciting times for the Ford Brand in Malaysia. Over the past few years we have launched seven new or redesigned models to the market and consumers are clearly impressed with what we have to offer. This year alone our sales have tripled making Ford the fastest growing automotive brand in Malaysia. But we are not standing still, and based on Fords strong commitment to this region we will continue to deliver a series of innovative, safe and environmentally friendly vehicles,” said David Westerman, Asia Pacific Regional Manager – Ford Export & Growth Operations.
