Ford leading in New Zealand

Ford leading in New Zealand

· With 27.1 per cent year on year growth through July, Ford leads the top five automotive brands in New Zealand

· Award-winning1 Ford Ranger was the overall top-selling vehicle in July, outselling the Toyota Hilux

· Ford named one of the most trusted automotive brands in New Zealand

10 August 2012 – More and more Kiwis are getting behind the Blue Oval this year. Year on year growth figures for the top five automotive brands sold in New Zealand show Ford in the number one position, growing at 27.1 per cent over sales this time last year.2

“We put it down to simply having a fantastic line-up of smart, safe and fuel efficient vehicles New Zealanders want to drive,” said Neale Hill, Managing Director Ford New Zealand. “It’s a great time to be in a Ford.”

The all new Ranger is currently leading the growth for Ford with more customers buying Ford Rangers in July than any other vehicle. NZ Autocar’s Car of the Year, the Ford Ranger, beat the Toyota HiLux which has enjoyed a top spot in ute sales for a number of years.

“I feel like we’ve won a gold medal,” said Neale Hill, Managing Director Ford New Zealand. “We were confident before launch that we had a fantastic truck for Kiwis and it’s been great to see the demand, customer feedback and now the results in July confirm that.

“While winning over customers is certainly a good feeling, it’s even better to be getting our supply back on track and to be delivering Rangers to customers. It’s been a test of patience for everyone so to be where we are now, and seeing more and more Rangers on the road, is a very good feeling indeed.”

Meanwhile the latest Readers Digest New Zealand Brand survey has placed Ford as one of the most trusted automotive brands in New Zealand. The Blue Oval earned the number two spot as Highly Commended in the survey. The Readers Digest annual survey polls more than 1200 New Zealanders on brands across a number of categories.

1Launched in late 2011, the all-new Ford Ranger has won numerous awards including:

AMI Insurance NZ Autocar – OVERALL CAR OF THE YEAR 2011
AMI Insurance NZ Autocar - SUV of the Year 2011
NZ 4WD Magazine – Overall 4WD of the Year 2011
NZ 4WD Magazine – Utility 4WD of the Year 2011
NZ Herald Driven Magazine – Ute of the Year 2011
NZ Company Vehicle Magazine – Ute of the Year 2011

2 Growth figure is year-on-year growth, January 2012 through to end of July 2012 compared with the same period in 2011
brands include Ford and Lincoln. The company provides financial services through Ford Motor Credit Company. For more information regarding Ford’s products in New Zealand, please visit www.ford.co.nz

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