Ford sales jump 48% in February

MANILA, Philippines - Sales of the local unit of American car manufacturer Ford Motor Co. went up 48 percent year-on-year in February on the back of the strong demand for the Ranger as well as the Everest, Explorer and Fiesta vehicle models.

According to Ford Philippines, it sold 1,277 units for the month of February, higher than the 865 units sold in the same month last year.

The company noted last month’s performance was the highest ever seen for February.

Driving the positive sales performance was the Ranger pickup with retail sales of 647 units in February, a 158-percent jump from the same month a year ago.

The firm’s sports utility vehicles (SUV) likewise supported the higher sales.

The Everest posted retail sales of 233 units last month, up 22 percent from the same month a year ago.

Sales of the Explorer grew 89 percent year-on-year to 121 units in February.

Another vehicle model which helped the company achieve an increase in sales was the Fiesta which had retail sales of 184 units in February, a 16 percent rise from the same month last year.

“Our full showroom of global Ford vehicles in the Philippines continues to appeal to a wide range of lives and lifestyles – customers who want and appreciate the segment-leading combinations of safety, quality, fuel efficiency, smart technologies and value for money that our vehicles deliver,” Ford Philippines managing director Kay Hart said.

In line with supporting growth in sales, Ford is conducting promotional activities for its new vehicle model, the EcoSport compact SUV.

To help drive customer demand for the new vehicle leading to the start of customer deliveries in April, the company started holding roadshows in major malls last month.

“Initial customer response to the all-new EcoSport has been terrific. Its maneuverability, compact size but spacious interior and abundant storage capacity, as well as smart safety features and technologies, such as our SYNC in-car connectivity system, make it the perfect urban SUV,” Hart said.