By George Guimarães | Translated by Jorge Meditsch
Two years after stopping producing vehicles in Brazil after more than one hundred years in the country, Ford is acting locally, selling only imported products. At the end of 2022, it became clear that the largest sector explored by the now importer is light commercial vehicles.
Last year, this segment represented no less than 17.8 thousand of the 20.8 thousand Ford vehicles licensed in Brazil, 85% of the brand’s sales. The best-selling model was the Ranger, a large pickup made in Argentina, with 14.3 thousand units commercialized and fifth place in the category ranking, according to Fenabrave.
The Transit van, available for cargo or passengers, trailed the Ranger with slightly more than 2 thousand registers and the Maverick medium pickup claimed the third place. Available at the brand’s dealers since last year’s first quarter, the model produced in Mexico sold nearly 1.4 thousand units.
Ford’s lineup in Brazil now has eight versions of pickups, two of the Territory and Bronco SUVs and two of the sport-car Mustang. The brand has announced for the next months the launch of the automatic Transit, the hybrid Maverick and one more pickup, the F-150.
Therefore, until the end of 2023, its portfolio will include fifteen versions of vehicles – only four of them passenger cars. Even considering the Maverick customer uses it mostly for leisure, automobiles would be a minority, with five options.
Ford has, in fact, entered the niche brands sector regarding automobiles. The 3,018 sales last year position it in the 19th place of the sales ranking, just 0.19% of the segment. It is even behind the highly sophisticated and expansive Porsche, which sold over 3.2 thousand units (0.20%).
In the light commercial vehicle market, Ford finished 2022 in a better position. The 4.7% market share granted it 6th place, ahead of brands with direct competitors of the Ranger. That is the case of Nissan (2.3%), whose pickup, the Frontier, made in Argentina – a new generation version – sold only 8.2 thousand units.
Important reinforcements are coming. In the first quarter, it will be released a significantly upgraded Ranger, esthetically and mechanically. Daniel Justo, president of Ford in Brazil, promised nine other launches in 2023. Without talking numbers, he asserted Ford should grow over the market average this year.
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