Ford sales up 82% on strong Ranger demand

MANILA, Philippines - The local unit of Ford said its sales jumped 82 percent year-on-year in May, driven largely by the Ranger pickup model.

In a statement yesterday, Ford Philippines said it sold 1,230 units in May, higher than the 675 units sold in the same month last year.

The company attributed the higher sales to the strong demand for the Ranger, with record sales of 449 units for the month.

“The unmatched versatility and capability of this extraordinary truck has redefined the compact pickup segment, and is helping drive its wide appeal in the market,” Ford Philippines managing director Kay Hart said.

Hart said demand for other Ford vehicles likewise supported the higher sales in May.

“Our full range of segment-leading One Ford vehicles in the Philippines is continuing to attract customers across the country – customers who appreciate the smart technologies, fuel efficiency, safety and quality of our vehicles – which is helping drive our ongoing sales momentum this year,” she said.

Also contributing to the higher sales performance in May was the Explorer with 114 units sold for the month, a 36- percent increase from last year.

The Everest sports utility vehicle likewise allowed the company to achieve higher sales in May as its sales more than doubled to 215 from a year ago.

For the January to May period, sales of Ford Philippines reached 5,016, also up 82 percent from 2,757 units in the comparable period a year ago.

As Ford Philippines saw a continued increase in its sales, it intends to further enhance customer experience through wider network coverage.

The firm is set to open this month a new dealership in Manila Bay, the ninth outlet to be in operation within the last nine months.

Ford Philippines is aiming to have 35 dealerships in the country by the end of the year.

“With the introduction of more segment-leading One Ford vehicles and a growing network of authorized Ford dealerships, we remain absolutely committed to growing our business and welcoming even more new-to-Ford customers to our showrooms across the Philippines,” Hart said.