Ford India sales up 71% in first 5 months of 2011
02 June 2011
The Figo (earlier post) helped Ford India increase sales for the first five months of 2011 by 71%, compared to the same period last year, with 51,420 wholesale units sold, including exports, from January to May 2011.
In May, Ford India sold more than 9,000 wholesale units—7,046 domestically, and more than 2,000 exported.
Based on continued high demand, the company began exporting the Figo to Bahrain and Kenya this month. Ford Figo remains in high demand in South Africa, where it was a runner up for South African Car of the Year.
Ford recently announced an investment of US$72 million to expand its powertrain facility in Chennai as well as to support its sales and export growth plans in the country, bringing Ford’s total investment in India to more than US$ 1 billion.
Ford India is also expanding its dealership network across the country.
It seems that GM is progressing quickly in China and Ford may do the same in India. Those may very be the two most aggressive vehicle markets for the next 10+ years. Good move by GM and Ford.
Posted by: HarveyD | 02 June 2011 at 08:01 AM
You go where product sells, if that is India and China then so be it. I would rather we go there then they come here. It was the idea to sell Pepsi to one billion Chinese in the 70s, instead they sold Walmart a trillion dollars in goods.
Posted by: SJC | 02 June 2011 at 10:25 AM
Trade direction and content are changing fast. It is getting harder to protect a niche market, specially where labor cost is too high.
Look at what is happening to commercial airplanes. Manufacturing is moving to EU and Asia, much the same way as car manufacturing.
New York City had to purchase low floor, 100+ passenger, articulated city buses (without bid) from a sole North American/Canadian source last week. It got a good deal at $702K/per unit. Depending on the drivers total salary/wage package and diesel fuel price, the total purchase cost can be recover in a bit less than 5 years. That's an excellent way to keep public transport fare low. Our city (where those articulated bus are built) is buying many more. With 50% less drivers required, it keeps the drivers union at bay for a while. Hybrid and electric versions should be out soon.
Posted by: HarveyD | 02 June 2011 at 12:33 PM
I can not see hiring more drivers being a problem. With 14 million people out of work, I would imagine a few would consider driving a bus. Unions help workers get a decent wage, they are what helped build the middle class after WWII.
Posted by: SJC | 04 June 2011 at 12:24 PM