Ford expects to sell the Ranger in more places than ever before ... in Africa and the Middle East.
Ford is expanding its sales horizons … to Africa and the Middle East. The automaker announced today by 2020 it will offer 30 new vehicles there, culminating in a 40% increase in sales in the two areas.
The Dearborn, Michigan-based maker isn’t wasting any time as it will offer eight new vehicles there by the end of the year, covering several vehicle segments.
“Middle East & Africa is one of the world’s most exciting and growing vehicle markets and we are moving very quickly to expand our range with exciting cars, utilities and trucks,” said Jim Farley, Ford executive vice president, Europe, Middle East & Africa.
“We are passionate about meeting the diverse wants and needs of the customers in this region – and that’s how we are going to profitably grow in 2016 and beyond.”
Part of the plan calls for opening 25 new dealerships in the region in the next two years, according to automaker. It will also be looking to quadruple the staffing at its Dubai headquarters.
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Ford kicked off the move at the Dubai International Auto Show, where it is showing off some of the vehicles it plans to introduce in the months ahead, including:
- The Ford GT super sports car, which is making its regional debut in Dubai this week.
- The all-new Shelby GT350 Mustang. The Middle East is one of the biggest Mustang markets outside of North America.
- The all-new 2016 Ford Edge SUV that launches next year in MEA.
- The new 2016 Ford Explorer SUV, which is launching this month in the Middle East.
- The new 2016 Ford Ranger pickup, which is Ford’s best-selling vehicle in MEA and produced in Silverton, South Africa.
- The all-new 2016 Ford Figo compact car, which is currently launching in MEA.
The move isn’t entirely a surprise as the company paved the way in 2013 when it formed the Middle East & Africa (MEA) region, which consolidated the “sub-regions” of the Middle East, North Africa, Sub-Saharan Africa and South Africa into a single business unit.
While funneling new vehicles into a what was essentially an untapped market represents significant growth for the company, it still have several tasks to accomplish before it can really take off, including tailoring the vehicles it offers to the MEA market, improving its distribution network as well as the dealer experience for customers.
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It also needs to build a financing organization to help move these new vehicles off dealer lots: financing for both new vehicle buyers as well as floorplan financing for dealers looking to stock their lots.
The total Middle East and Africa car market is expected to grow 40% by the end of the decade to 5.5 million vehicles. Ford said it expects its sales in Middle East and Africa to outpace industry growth.
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“Middle East & Africa spans 67 markets from Saudi Arabia to South Africa, and from Nigeria to Kenya, so customer tastes are as diverse as our markets,” said Jim Benintende, president of Ford Middle East and Africa. “Thanks to our One Ford plan, we can offer vehicles and technology that customers want and value, tailored to the needs of our markets.”