The chief executive of U.S. Ford Motor Co. said Friday that his company will
step up its drive to boost sales in South Korea by widening the car line-up and
expanding the dealership network.
"Ford is a growing company operating
in a growing global automotive market and South Korea represents a key
opportunity for Ford," Alan Mulally, the president and chief executive officer
of Ford, said in a press meeting in Seoul.
"Our growth plan reflects Ford's
commitment to provide South Korean customers with a full family of best-in-class
products and a retail experience that is second to none."
He said Ford
will roll out six new models in South Korea this year, where sales of foreign
cars are ballooning in recent years. The new models include the new Taurus, New
Mustang, All-New Escape, All-New Fusion and Focus diesel.
Nearly all
of the new cars will be equipped with Ford's high-performing EcoBoost engines or
diesel or hybrid engines in order to meet South Korean drivers' demand for
higher fuel efficiency, he noted.
Sales of foreign-made cars have been
steadily increasing in South Korea for years, with a total of 105,037 units sold
last year, a 16 percent on-year gain. In the first six months of 2012, 62,239
foreign vehicles were sold in South Korea.
Ford Sales & Service
Korea Co., the local unit of the U.S. automaker, currently has two dealers in
the country that sold 4,184 units of vehicles last year, including Lincoln brand
cars, up 4.1 percent on-year. Ford ranked sixth among foreign car brands and
placed first among U.S. brands in the country in 2011.
Its sales
reached 2,276 units in the January-June period of 2012.
Apart from the
release of new cars, Ford Korea said it will also invest at least 51 billion won
(US$45 million) into expanding its dealership network, as 15 new shops and
service centers are expected to open this year. It will also offer a five-year
and 100,000 kilometer warranty.
"The level of investments being made
in providing state-of-the-art facilities, convenient service, and outstanding
customer experiences is at an all-time high in South Korea," said Chung Jae-hee,
the president of Ford Korea.
"Ford has big plans for this market, and
is more committed than ever to bringing class-leading products and technologies
to Korean customers and providing them with a world-class ownership
experience."
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Alan Mulally, the president and chief executive officer of
Ford Motor Co., speaks at a press meeting in Seoul on Aug. 31.
(Yonhap) |