Ford and Lincoln products have seen their sales in the GCC jump by 55 percent so far this year at a time when the region's industry performance was relatively flat, according to Ford Middle East's managing director, Larry Prein.

Speaking to the media at the Dubai International Motorshow's opening day, Prein said the company is well on its way to set another record year, thanks to its strong products, expanding dealer network and increasing customer satisfaction levels.

The all-new 2012 Ford Focus and the all-new Ford Ranger 1-tonne pickup truck are making regional debut at the show. They are joined by the extensive lineup of new-gen Ford models such as the all-new Ford Explorer, Edge, Taurus, Mustang, and F-Series.

“We delivered a solid performance this year and we're very pleased with the results. Clearly our solid product line-up is leading the way for our growth and this marks another proof point in the ongoing success of the One Ford plan," said Prein. "We continue to serve our customers by offering them the products and technologies that they want, while continuously working with our dealers on delivering some of the best vehicle ownership experiences in the region.

"We currently offer a strong contender in almost every segment, from the B-Car Figo thru to the Explorer mid-size SUV, and the heavy duty F-Series trucks. It’s more than evident that the models we have introduced recently are striking a chord with customers and we’re certain this trend will continue well into 2012 as customers increasingly look to Ford as a preferred option," Prein said.

The outlook for 2012 remains positive for Ford according to Prein, thanks to continued network expansions and major regional investments to help support Ford's growing customer base and dealerships.

Ford is planning to open additional facilities in Saudi Arabia next year, with expansions also planned in Iraq and elsewhere throughout the region. But perhaps one of the most important areas that Ford Middle East has been taking actions on this year is customer service and after sales. "As our dealer network and customer base expand, it is only natural that we increase our focus on customer service and the after sales experience," Prein added.

"We have invested in major customer satisfaction initiatives over the past year or so, such as our increased product engineering and testing actions as well as ongoing dealer training efforts. This week we take it forward and register an important milestone in Ford Motor Company's history in the Middle East with the opening of our Middle East Parts Distribution Center in Jebel Ali from which we will support our entire regional network and provide parts faster." – TradeArabia News Service