Middle East is already huge by its size for the luxury carmakers, and the Africa for some basic four-wheelers. Now, the layman’s Ford also wants to have a piece of them soon in the near future. With the plans laid of getting more aggressive, Ford announced to bring in 25 new vehicles to Middle East & Africa – including 17 in South Africa and Sub-Saharan Africa – by 2016. These will also include the globally renowned Ford Mustang to the fleet.
“Today, we are accelerating the introduction of our new products in Middle East & Africa, leveraging our One Ford plan – with a full family of vehicles offering the very best quality, fuel efficiency, safety, smart design and value,” said Jim Benintende, president, Ford Middle East & Africa. “Middle East & Africa spans Saudi Arabia to South Africa, and from Nigeria to Kenya, so customer tastes are as diverse as our markets. Thanks to our One Ford plan, we can offer vehicles and technology that customers want and value, tailored to the needs of our markets.”
Ford’s Middle East & Africa product offensive saw the company announce:
- New Focus – a sleeker, more advanced and more refined version the world’s best-selling nameplate – goes on sale in Middle East & Africa in 2015
- New Fusion, a striking new version of Ford’s large car featuring premium design and craftsmanship, and smart technology, also goes on sale in Middle East this year and Africa next year
- The Ford Mustang, the iconic American sports car, is coming to Middle East & Africa in 2015
- An acceleration of the rollout of new technologies in Middle East & Africa including EcoBoost engines, SYNC in-car connectivity, inflatable rear seat belts, MyKey and other driver assist technologies
“The total Middle East and Africa car market is expected to grow 40 percent by the end of the decade to 5.5 million vehicles,” Benintende said. “Middle East & Africa is the final frontier for global automotive growth and we are putting the infrastructure and people in place to participate in this growth with the introduction of new products, leveraging our One Ford global strengths.”
Over the next two years South Africa will see a major expansion of Ford’s vehicle and technology wherein total 17 vehicles inclusive of refresh and new will be launched. New Ford Focus, Fusion, Ranger XL-Plus, Transit and Mustang are some of the models to name for now.
“Our vision is to become the first choice for mobility in Africa and our event today underscores our commitment to serve customers throughout Africa,” said Jeff Nemeth, president and CEO of Ford Sub-Sahara African Region. “Staying connected is more important than ever for customers globally and in Africa. Our cars and trucks have technology that allows drivers to stay connected safely, with hands on the wheel and eyes on the road.”
For the Mustang, Blue Oval logoed automaker said to bring it with both an EcoBoost engine as well as its hallmark V8 powertrain, in the markets of Middle East and Africa by next year.
“The all-new Mustang is out of the stable,” says Benintende. “The Mustang is uniquely Ford and has a huge fan base in the Middle East – the second largest market outside North America – as well as Africa. Now those fans have something to look forward to and we look forward to providing more details in the near future.”
