Total 2013 Ford Middle East sales break the 85,000 unit milestone
Al Tayer Motors and Premier Motors register a 12 percent increase for Ford and Lincoln in the UAE, with strong retail sales growth of 33 percent
Lincoln makes a strong statement with 50 per cent growth across the region, with sales in the UAE nearly doubled.
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates: Ford Middle East witnessed a sterling performance in 2013 with total sales rising 12 per cent year-on-year and breaking the 85,000 unit milestone. The strong results from both the Ford and Lincoln brands come in thanks to continued orchestrated efforts from Ford Motor Company and its local importer-dealers to bring world-class Ford and Lincoln products closer to customers, while investing in expanding the parts and service network around the region.
In the UAE, sales also grew by 12 per cent in 2013, with Al Tayer Motors, the local importer-dealer for Ford and Lincoln, and Premier Motors, the official Ford and Lincoln dealer in Abu Dhabi and Al Ain, recording a strong retail sales growth of 33 percent, and registering a staggering increase in Lincoln sales which nearly doubled.
These results kick in thanks to the dealership’s continued efforts to expand the presence of Ford and Lincoln products in the UAE, and investing in state of the art dealership and service facilities to support local customers. The dealership also provided attractive offers in retail finance and a warranty increase to 5 years/100,000km which helped significantly boost Ford’s customer base across the emirates.
“This is an exciting time for Ford here in the Middle East. We have crossed a remarkable milestone in 2013 and we expect a stronger performance this year,” said Thierry Sabbagh, Ford Middle East’s director of Sales. “Our customer base continues to grow in the Middle East, especially in the UAE, thanks largely to the continued commitment of our importer-dealer, Al Tayer Motors and Premier Motors, to growing the Ford business in the local market.
“We are in full swing for a strong start to 2014, gearing up to launch seven new products this year while working to increase service capacity to support our growing customer base as we intensify efforts with our dealers to deliver higher levels of customer satisfaction and lower cost of ownership,” he added.
The Middle East’s positive results come in just weeks after Ford Motor Company announced total US sales of 2,493,918 units, cementing Ford as America’s best-selling vehicle brand for the fourth consecutive year. The end of year results also saw annual sales records set for Ford Fiesta, Fusion and Escape, and the F-Series – which sealed their undisputed leadership as America’s Best Selling Trucks for the 37th straight year.
Ford also recently announced the creation of its fifth global business unit – Ford Middle East and Africa – as of Jan 1, 2014. Operating out of Dubai, the new unit is divided into two sub-regions – South Africa and Sub-Saharan Africa, and the Middle East and North Africa – covering 47 markets across the region.
“Ford’s positive performance in the Middle East marks a strong start for the new FMEA business unit overall,” said Kalyana Sivagnanam, Director, Ford Middle East & North Africa. “The Middle East and Africa is a region with tremendous potential for growth for the automotive industry with sales likely to increase by about 40 percent to around 5.5 million units by 2020. Ford intends to be a strong player in this region, bringing our customers more world-leading Ford and Lincoln vehicles and technologies, while staying true to our principles of being active and supportive members of the community.
“Ford Motor Company’s commitment to the Middle East and Africa region is stronger than ever, with considerable investments already in process as we bring more products to customers through our One Ford global vehicle and technology portfolio, including 17 new or refreshed vehicles in the next 24 months such as Fusion, EcoSport, Lincoln MKC, Mustang and F150, to name but a few,” added Sivagnanam, while reiterating how Ford is supporting its dealers in expanding their service capacities and raising the bar on customer satisfaction across the region.
Strong Products Drive Ford Brand Further
Ford Taurus posted a 60 per cent growth in sales across the region, and took leadership of its segment in 2013 according to the Middle East Automotive Council (MEAC) report. Focus regional sales went up by more than 10 per cent thanks to increasing demand on the sporty performance ST model. This was also evident in the UAE where sales of the C-car shot up by more than 40 percent. Ford Mustang’s regional sales also went up by nearly 10 per cent in 2013.
Ford Explorer continued to be the most popular mid-size utility vehicle, securing top spot for its segment across the region according to MEAC data, with sales increasing by 13 percent. In the UAE, the mid-size SUV recorded a 37 percent growth, while sales of Ford Edge grew by 24 per cent securing top spot in the segment.
The larger Ford Flex sold 75 per cent more in the Middle East markets compared to 2012. In the truck segment, the Ford Ranger small pickup continued to sell aggressively into fleet businesses recording over 200 per cent in sales, while the F-150 delivered double sales, further confirming the growing popularity of America’s best-selling truck in the region.
In 2013, Ford Middle East introduced the new Escape, Taurus SHO, Focus ST, and just recently the all-new EcoSport compact urban SUV, significantly adding to the diversity of the Ford portfolio throughout the GCC and Levant markets. And as the highly anticipated all-new Ford Fusion mid-size sedan hits the showroom floors in the next few weeks, the Blue Oval will have a compelling product offering in every segment.
Lincoln Luxury Gaining Ground
Ford Motor Company’s luxury brand, Lincoln, also had a tremendous performance in 2013, registering its highest growth rate ever, with 50 per cent more vehicles (2219 units) sold across the Middle East compared to 2012.
The strong performance was led by the high-end utility crossover MKX, which rose 125 per cent, and the Lincoln MKS full size sedan, which grew 81 per cent.
All-new products, such as the Lincoln MKZ mid-size sedan – the first to be rolled out from the dedicated Lincoln design studio – also attracted new customers to Lincoln showrooms around the region, further driving sales. And with new offerings on the way to the region, such as the all-new MKC compact luxury SUV which is scheduled to arrive late this year, Lincoln is delivering on its promise of reinventing itself with all-new products and technologies that are unique to their respective segments.
“More and more customers are choosing Ford and Lincoln products not only for their segment-leading technologies and value for money, but also because they have created an emotional connection with the brand as they experienced the drive and saw the innovations our range offers,” said Sivagnanam. “This, coupled with our dealers’ focus on delivering a strong after-sales support and ownership experience, has made 2013 a successful year for Ford in the Middle East.”
Growing Network
Ford dealers across the Middle East were actively investing in growing their network in their respective markets, bringing Ford products and genuine parts closer to customers while expanding service capacities to provide the required after-sales support.
Nearly 20 fully-fledged facilities, showrooms, service centers as well as Quick Lane and Quick Parts outlets were opened across the GCC and Levant in 2013, including Al Tayer Motors’ largest dealership facility in the UAE which was officially opened in Sharjah during the last quarter of 2013. Saudi Arabia also boosted presence of Quick Lane outlets with 12 already in operation and expects to increase its Quick Parts stores network to 60 outlets by the end of this year. More than 40 facilities are currently in process around the region.
As part of Ford’s ongoing efforts to improve customer service and increase buyer loyalty, customer experience and satisfaction remains a high priority, driving more focus on training and technical skills development across all dealerships as they expand.
“The momentum is strong, and everyone truly owns their part, working seamlessly to deliver what the Ford customer wants: great products, the latest technologies, world-class dealerships, low cost of ownership, high customer satisfaction levels and an unmatched ownership experience,” Sivagnanam concluded.
About Ford Motor Company:
Ford Motor Company, a global automotive industry leader based in Dearborn, Mich., manufactures or distributes automobiles across six continents. With about 180,000 employees and 65 plants worldwide, the company’s automotive brands include Ford and Lincoln. The company provides financial services through Ford Motor Credit Company. For more information about Ford and its products worldwide please visit www.corporate.ford.com.
Ford’s history in the Middle East goes back more than 60 years. The company’s local importer-dealers operate more than 155 facilities in the region and directly employ more than 7,000 people, the majority of whom are Arab Nationals. For more information on Ford Middle East, please visit www.me.ford.com
Ford Middle East is also a responsible corporate citizen with currently three CSR initiatives running in the region including the Ford Motor Company Conservation & Environmental Grants, Ford Warriors in Pink® breast cancer awareness campaign and Ford Driving Skills for Life safe driving awareness programme for young drivers and teens.
The Ford Grants is a grass-root level initiative that has offered US$1.3million in grants to more than 150 Middle Eastern environmental projects since 2000. Ford Warriors in Pink® is a breast cancer community-based awareness initiative recognising the strength and courage it takes to deal with the everyday challenges of battling breast cancer throughout the year. Ford Driving Skills for Life is a free programme designed to impart safe driving practices to students to help improve their road safety record.