Ford keeping up the momentum

The American auto-maker’s record January sales helped the company achieve an overall market share of 4.2 per cent.

The January performance builds on Ford’s record year in 2011 when retail sales rose 114 per cent to an all-time full-year high of 29,200 units and made Ford the fastest-growing automotive brand in Thailand.

January retail sales of the Thai-built Ford Fiesta jumped more than 75 per cent year on year to 2,169 units, its best monthly performance since being launched in 2010, and representing 15.7 per cent of its highly competitive segment. 

“The Fiesta is generating an incredible amount of excitement in the market, in large part because our Fiesta customers are helping spread the word about its best-in-class package of design, fuel economy, smart technologies, safety, quality and unmatched value for money,” said Saroj Kiatfuengfoo, vice president, marketing, sales and service, Ford Thailand. “The Fiesta has truly reshaped what class-leading means in the small-car segment.”

Ford’s record month was also bolstered by the popular and tough Ford Ranger pickup, whose January sales increased 56 per cent year on year to 733 units as Ford began customer deliveries of the All New Ford Ranger in mid-month. Ford launched the class-defining All-New Ranger in December, with customer bookings surpassing 7,000 units within the first two months of its availability. 

“The All New Ranger has already created extraordinary demand. This versatile truck will redefine its segment by setting a benchmark in performance, quality, capability, fuel efficiency and comfort. And it will further enhance the Ranger’s already-strong reputation in Thailand and continue to build on consumer confidence in Ford,” added Saroj.

The Ford Focus also delivered an impressive month with retail sales that rose 133 per cent to 266 units, its highest monthly figure since May 2007. Ford will unveil the all-new Focus at the Bangkok International Motor Show in March – the latest of eight all new global One Ford vehicles that Ford will launch in Asean by mid-decade.

The Focus is the first vehicle that will be built at Ford’s new, $450-million state-of-the-art Ford Thailand Manufacturing facility in Rayong, and will be launched to the Thai public in the middle of the year.  

Ford plans to open 30 new dealerships in key locations across the country by the end of the year.

 

Volvo White brings touch of class

Swedish luxury car maker Volvo has added a new variant to its S80 2.5FT family – the S80 2.5FT Dynamic White.

Volvo says the car comes in a special white colour. With sports accessories led by the Polestar Performance Tuning kit, the new luxury sedan is set to increase excitement among car enthusiasts with discerning taste.

Chantana Vatanaromya, president of Volvo Car (Thailand), said, “With commitment to always bringing new excitement to the market and adding value to our quality cars, we believe that the newly launched S80 2.5 FT Dynamic White will fulfill this commitment. Building on the best-selling S80’s luxurious design that reflects superior quality, value for money and the powerful and the E85-capable 2.5FT engine, the S80 2.5 FT Dynamic White is ready to increase pleasure of riding with its trendy white colour plus sporty styling and unmatched drivability.”

She said the S80 2.5 FT Dynamic White comes with a generous sports accessories package, including trunk spoiler, lower bumper bar, dual exhaust pipes (one on each side) and the new silver bright 18” aluminum wheels. The Polestar Performance Tuning kit has also optimised the luxurious sedan’s horse power from 200hp to 258hp when used with E85 fuel. Its torque is increased from 300Nm to 360Nm. The sedan can accelerate from 0-100 km/h in only 7.3 seconds.

The attractive styling does not compromise its safety leadership. The S80 2.5 FT Dynamic White offers a comprehensive safety innovation packages, including Collision Warning with Auto Brake, Driver Alert & Lane Departure Warning, Adaptive Cruise Control, Blind Spot Information System and Active Bending Light.

The S80 2.5 FT Dynamic White is priced at Bt2.949 million and comes with a five-years/100,000km Volvo Maintenance package, Volvo Warranty for three years or 100,000km and Volvo Assistance for three full years.

Martin Schulz assumes the position of Vice President of Sales & Marketing at Mercedes-Benz (Thailand) Limited, succeeding Stephan Moebius who has already completed his assignment in Thailand. Mr Schulz’s appointment takes effect as of 1 February 2012.

Mr Schulz has been with Daimler AG for more than 13 years. In 1999, he started his first assignment at Daimler Middle East & Levant, United Arab Emirates, in the area of sales planning and product management passenger cars. In 2004 he was appointed as Market Manager at Daimler AG headquarters in Stuttgart, Germany, responsible for markets in Eastern Europe and later Sales Planning and Methods for Mercedes-Benz business in Central Europe, Eastern Europe, Africa and Asia. In 2009 he took on the position of Sales & Marketing Director for passenger cars and vans at Mercedes-Benz Vietnam, with responsibilities including sales, dealer network development and all marketing communication, before taking on his current responsibilities as Vice President of Sales & Marketing at Mercedes-Benz Thailand.