Ford’s trucks and commercial vehicles continue to underpin Ford’s success in the Middle East, with support for the Built Ford Tough F-150, Super Duty, Ranger and Transit van key to the company’s growth in the region.
Internationally, the F-series celebrated its 44th consecutive year as America’s best-selling truck, and it’s clear that markets in the Middle East echo that sentiment. The F-150 was Ford’s best-selling vehicle in Kuwait, Bahrain, Oman, Qatar and the UAE in 2020, and remains a firm favourite with Ford truck fan across the region, accounting for 50 percent of Ford’s truck and van business.
Globally, F-Series sales totalled 787,422 in 2020, making it America’s best-selling pickup for the 44th straight year, whilst the Ranger sales totalled 101,486 registering an increase of 13.3%.
“2020 was certainly a tough year for the automotive industry with the challenges Covid-19 created but our teams were able to provide excellent support for our distributors and customers across the region, and we were able to close 2020 on a positive note,” said Chris Noel, Managing Director, Ford Middle East. “The results are a testament to our commitment to the region to delivering quality products that cater to the everyday needs of our customers.”
Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Kuwait remain the top three market in terms of sales for Ford in the Middle East. Saudi Arabia (54 percent of total sales volume), the United Arab Emirates (17 percent) and Kuwait (15 percent) remain the region’s most active markets in terms of sales.
While support for the F-150 was strong, sales in 2020 also indicated growing interest in Ford’s mid-sized Ranger pickup. In fact, the South Africa-built Ranger outsold the F-150 in Saudi Arabia for the first time ever – with significant sales gains also recorded in Qatar, Kuwait and Bahrain.
Region-wide, both Ranger and Super Duty – Ford’s heavy duty full-sized pick-up – each recorded an 11 percent boost in year-on-year sales. Super Duty sales grew significantly in Bahrain and Oman, and in Jordan, it was the best-selling Ford vehicle.
Ford Transit has been America’s best-selling commercial van since its first full year of sales in 2015. For the year, Transit outsold its second-place competitor by 139 percent with a 38 percent share of the full-size van segment making Ford the best-selling maker of commercial vans for 42 years straight, with 2020 van sales totalling 203,153 vehicles. Middle East regional sales of Transit remained strong. Sales in Saudi Arabia grew by over 80 percent, while the UAE and Kuwait were also significant markets for Transit.