Ford posts 108% sales hike in Feb

MANILA, Philippines - The local unit of American automaker Ford Motor Co. saw its sales surging by 108 percent in February from a year ago given the strong demand for its vehicles.

Ford Philippines said in a statement yesterday it sold 865 units in February, well-above the 415 units in the same month last year.

Compared to the 820 units sold in January, sales in February went up by six percent.

The company said the growth seen in February was driven by the strong sales across the vehicle line-up.

“We’re off to a very strong start for the year, as customers continue to respond positively to our full line-up of Ford vehicles,” Ford Philippines president Randy Krieger said.

“So many new-to-Ford customers are appreciating our focus on the fuel efficiency, smart technology, quality and safety of our vehicles, which we’re supporting with an ongoing commitment to providing the very best Ford customer experience,” he said further.

Accounting for the bulk of the sales in February was the all-new Ranger with retail sales of 251 units.

The Ford Everest sports utility vehicle (SUV) came in second with 191 units sold last month.

Also contributing to the sales performance last month were the Focus with 87 units sold, the Explorer with sales of 64 units and the iconic Mustang with 13 units.

“By offering customers the widest range of Ford vehicles ever in the Philippines — which now covers a full line-up of segment-leading cars, SUVs and trucks — our brand is connecting with, and appealing to, a much wider variety of lives and lifestyles,” Krieger said.

To support the introduction of segment-leading  Ford vehicles, the company is committed to  further improving its customer experience through a wider network.

The company said it is on track to open new dealerships in different parts of the country to reach a total of 35 by the middle of this year.

The new dealerships will be located in Bohol, General Santos, Laoag, Zamboanga, Manila Bay and Baguio.