Ford, lincoln, mercury me q1 sales up 40%
Ford, Lincoln and Mercury products showed continued strength during the first quarter this year, posting an overall 40 per cent increase in Middle Eastern sales. The boost in volume comes following the recent model introductions and Ford's new offerings in various segments.
Hussein Murad, Sales and Marketing director of Ford Middle East said: "We're on a roll this year with the most extensive and dynamic line up of award-winning, high quality American and European products under the Ford, Lincoln and Mercury brands. Last year we promised to deliver new and dynamic models that would rejuvenate our lineup, and these results speak for themselves."
"And with the continued momentum of new product introductions this year in our passenger car lineup, our utility vehicles range as well as the Lincoln and Mercury brands, we are confident that our customers will appreciate the attractive and youthful products we are bringing to our dealerships across the region," he added.
Ford Edge and Lincoln MKX registered instant fame and popularity as demand for both models were on a high with stock levels almost sold out across the markets.
The Milan, Mercury's mid-size sedan, also saw an unprecedented success as the youngest of Mercury products in the competitive mid-size segment, with a 77 per cent growth. Sales of the Mountaineer also grew by 13 per cent as Mercury customers prefer the understated luxury and elegance that the AWD mid-size SUV offers.
SUVs also enjoyed increasing popularity in the region with the Explorer registering an impressive 71 per cent increase, while sales of the extended Expedition EL grew by 54 per cent and the Expedition by 46 per cent.
The all-time classics Ford Crown Victoria and Mercury Grand Marquis also maintain their sales momentum thanks to their proven comfort, safety and driving dynamics, with a growth of 78 and 13 per cent respectively.
"Naturally, the new nameplates and model launches have played a major role in attracting new customers," added Murad. "But our products have also seen a major advancement on the quality front with over 10 recognitions last year alone."
"Changes to Ford Motor Company's product development, manufacturing and quality processes have further boosted vehicle quality, putting us on par with the best in the business. This consistently strong quality improvement should offer today’s customer renewed confidence, setting the stage for important new products,” added Murad.
The quality of Ford, Lincoln and Mercury vehicles soared to the top of the charts lately, equaling that of Toyota and Honda, according to the first quarter 2008 U.S. Global Quality Research System (GQRS) study conducted by RDA Group of Bloomfield Hills, Mich.
Ford's robust performance is also attributed to its Middle Eastern advertising campaign targeting the youth with an array of diverse products highly-acclaimed in both Europe and North America, such as the new Mondeo, Focus and Edge. The company also ran extensive campaigns for its Mercury and Lincoln brands, boasting all new nameplates and their largest product offerings to date.
For 2008, Ford aims to reach another breakthrough year with the introduction of all-new and refreshed vehicles across its passenger car lineup. Ford adds the all-new Mondeo, the refreshed 08MY Focus and the North American Ford Fusion which are set to join hands with the recently introduced Five Hundred. The all-new Fiesta, Ford's global small car, will also join the line up adding further zest to the brand in 2009. With all these new introductions, this year, Ford's passenger car line up is bigger than ever with seven product offerings in all segments.
Later this year, Ford's popular utility vehicle range is up for another boost with the launch of the all new Ford Flex full-size crossover, bringing the number of models offered to seven, including the Edge, Escape, Flex, Explorer Sport Trac, Explorer, Expedition and Expedition EL.
The Lincoln showroom, having witnessed the recent arrival of the entry level MKZ, adds another nameplate this year, the all-new full-size Lincoln MKS. With these additions, the luxury brand's line up is now stronger with six world-class premium products, including the MKX crossover, Navigator and its extended version Navigator L and the classic Town Car.
The mid-luxury segment also gets a boost as Mercury features its all-new full-size sedan, the Montego, and compact SUV Mariner which bring to a total of five its distinctive product umbrella. The new Mariner is Mercury's response to younger customers looking for a reliable, safe and adventurous compact SUV with a dash of class.
