The Hindu : Ford to increase dealer principals

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Oct 28, 2003

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Business

Ford to increase dealer principals

By Our Staff Correspondent

CHENNAI OCT. 27. The mid-size car segment has shown a growth of 35 per cent for the period April-September, according to David Friedman, Managing Director and President, Ford India. Transformation in the purchasing power of the consumer from small cars to mid-size cars and reduction in excise duty, have boosted sales in the mid-size segment.

About engine localisation, he said for Ford Ikon nearly 90 per cent was indigenised. For sports utility vehicles (SUVs) at present only 20 per cent was indigenised and the balance was imported from the Ford plant in Thailand.

The company has appointed Vinay Piparsania as Vice President, Marketing, Sales and Service. He takes over from Randy Shockley who is becoming Senior Advisor to support Ford Motor Company's sales and marketing activities in the ASEAN region.

Inaugurating the MPL Ford showroom in Chennai today, Mr. Friedman said the company was planning to increase the number of dealer principals from 88 dealership outlets in 71 cities to 94 dealer outlets in 75 cities by the end of 2003.

The dealer principal of MPL Ford, S. Ravindranathan, said MPL was the first Ford dealership to be set up in the country in 1996. With the new facility, MPL could house new variants of Ford car.

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