AUGUST 2012 NAAMSA RETAIL SALES – Ford Motor Company

AUGUST 2012 NAAMSA RETAIL SALES

Ford Motor Company of Southern Africa’s response

An Mp3 Audio File from Dean Stoneley, Vice President, Sales Marketing and Service, commenting on August Naamsa figures.

• Ranger demand continues to exceed supply
• Dealer channel continues to drive FMCSA sales
• Mazda BT-50 exceeds first full-month sales forecast
• SA new vehicle market still exceeding general forecasts

PRETORIA, South Africa, 04 September, 2012 – Ford Motor Company of Southern Africa (FMCSA) consolidated its position during August with preparations and planning for longer-term sales results. While the company’s results told a slow-down story on paper, the market demand continued to either exceeded supply or forecast.

“August was always going to be a slower sales month for FMCSA due to logistical planning to allow second shift production in Silverton to commence,” said FMCSA’s Vice President Marketing, Sales and Service, Dean Stoneley. “It was also impacted by supply constraints beyond our control.”

Ford Ranger sales settled to 1 238 units as the Silverton plant prepares for second shift operation that will allow production capacity at the Pretoria plant to increase to meet demand from local and particularly export markets. FMCSA exports have increased five-fold since August last year.

The production effects also hampered Mazda BT-50 sales slightly, although the new vehicle exceeded forecast sales, planned as a result of the expected logistical investment. Mazda BT-50 is manufactured alongside Ford Ranger at FMCSA’s Silverton Assembly Plant.

Severe snowfalls and derailments restricted supply of Figo and imported products to the dealer network during the month. “This obviously impacted further on our overall sales numbers during the month,” said Stoneley. “But with supply back to normal during September, we expect to be able to catch up on much of the demand that we were unable to supply during August.”

South Africa’s new vehicle market – up 9,4% on August 2011 – continues to defy most market forecasts. Rentals sales were largely responsible for much of the market growth. “FMCSA continues to concentrate on sales through the dealer channel where we continue to perform well as the third- and fourth-best seller directly to customers in the passenger and light commercial vehicle market respectively.”

According to the National Association of Automobile Manufacturers of SA (Naamsa), the market ended August on 56 253 units. “Carrying on at this rate, we can comfortably expect the new vehicle market to go through the 600 000 unit level this year,” concluded Stoneley.

TOP PERFORMING: NEW PASSENGER VEHICLES – August 2012

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TOP PERFORMING: NEW LIGHT COMMERCIAL VEHICLES – August 2012

Source: Naamsa