Ranger sets half-year record in Asia-Pacific

Sales of the Ford Ranger have increased a massive 21 per cent in Asia Pacific thanks to half-year sales records in Australia and New Zealand. Year-on-year, retail sales of the Ranger in the first six months increased to a record 63,525 units – up 21 per cent compared to the first six months of 2016. Ford said the record was driven by high Australian sales, which rose 19 per cent to 21,638 vehicles. Sales also increased in other markets across Asia-Pacific – New Zealand sales in the first half of the year rose 24 per cent to a record volume of 4,980 vehicles, and the Ranger remains the highest-selling new vehicle overall in the country. The fastest-growing market was in Thailand, where sales jumped 51 per cent to 20,230 vehicles and a market share of 11.7 per cent. In the Philippines, year-on-year sales rose 16 per cent to 4,596 vehicles, another record, where it held 25 per cent of the market segment. Sales held steady in Vietnam, up two per cent to 6,985. This growth may lag behind other Asia-Pacific nations, but with a 57 per cent segment share, it’s difficult to see how much further the Ranger could expand into the Vietnamese vehicle market. In other markets, including Taiwan, Cambodia and New Caledonia, the Ranger was also the top-selling ute for the first half of the year. “Demand for Ford Ranger continues to rise as consumer needs evolve towards a versatile vehicle that can be used for both work and play,” said Graeme Whickman, President and CEO of Ford Australia, adding that “we expect demand will continue to rise.”