Ford Motor Company Confident Of Ending 2014 On A Positive Note

SHAH ALAM (Selangor, Malaysia), July 23 (Bernama) -- Ford Motor Company is confident of ending the year on a positive note based on last year's performance which was the best annual record in 20 years where sales rose 50 per cent to 10,660 units. Contributing to this superlative performance was the Ford Ranger variant which contributed up to 50 per cent of sales in Malaysia while the Fiesta variant accounted for 30 per cent and other Ford vehicles made up the remaining 20 per cent, its Sales and Marketing Director, Veemala Rethinasamy, said. Veemala said Ford began a product-led transformation in 2010 with the launch of the Fiesta variant, which has re-energised its brand. "Between 2010 to 2013, we posted a growth rate of 270 per cent and that has put Ford amongst the top 10 automotive players in Malaysia," she said. "Meanwhile, our first half sales from January through June 2014 was up 25 per cent to 6,520 units and we are on track in achieving the year-end target," she told a media conference after launching Ford's Commercial Vehicle, "Transit," here Tuesday. The addition of Transit, a full-sized commercial van, would help Ford achieve the target, she said. Transit, a proven workhorse, is an ideal choice for fleet customers, inclusive of small and medium enterprises and the public sector alike, Veemala said. "We did really well globally with the Transit and we feel that we can emulate the success here in Malaysia," she said. She said Ford Transit is the best in its class due to its combination of power, fuel efficiency, safety and cargo capacity. Ford Transit, assembled at Sime Darby's Inokom facility in Kulim, Malaysia's northern state of Kedah, is well equipped to meet the unique needs of commercial and government fleets. --BERNAMA