Ford achieves a personal best in 2011

Exceptional sales momentum of the Fiesta through the first eight months of the year was slowed from September onwards as the 1.6-litre model was excluded from the Thai government’s First Car Owner Programme. Despite the impact, the Fiesta delivered Ford’s best-selling annual performance for any model in Thailand, with overall retail sales reaching 17,697 units in its first full year of availability. 

Ford’s record year was also supported by the Ford Ranger pickup, whose sales rose over 46 per cent year on year to 7,944 units. The Focus also delivered an impressive year with retail sales increasing more than 21 per cent year on year to 2,046 units.

Retail sales of Ford Everest rose slightly from the previous year to 990 units.  

Ford launched the new Ranger pickup in December, and customer bookings have already exceeded 5,400 units. Deliveries have already begun.

Ford expects a similar response to the new Focus compact car, which will be built at the company’s new, US$450 million (Bt13.5 billion) Ford Thailand manufacturing facility in Rayong and launched to the Thai public in the middle of the year.  

“The Fiesta began the successful and ongoing transformation of our business, which is clearly gaining momentum with the all-new Ford Ranger and will continue with the launch of the Ford Focus this year,” added Saroj.  

Ford also continued to enhance its customer service experience in 2011, including the opening of the 100th authorised dealership, which also doubled the number of locations in Bangkok to 20. At the same time, Ford announced its plan to appoint 30 more Ford dealers in key locations across Thailand by the end of this year. 

“We continued to make significant progress on our One Ford plan throughout 2011, and Thai customers continued to respond to the Ford brand in very positive ways, with record full-year sales as the highlight. We’re absolutely confident that we will take this even further in 2012,” said Saroj.