Ford Introduces Ranger & Raptor To China
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Ford Motor Company is unveiling its trucks in China to meet the country’s budding pickup market. Ford President and CEO Mark Fields is in Shanghai this weekend to outline the automaker’s strategy. Pricing for the new F-150 Raptor will be announced along with plans to sell the Ranger in China next year.
Recently, shipments of the F-150 Raptor were sent to China while Ranger remains the best-selling midsize truck in Europe, South Africa, and New Zealand
“We?re very excited to bring Built Ford Tough, one of the world?s best loved and most successful brands, to customers in the world?s largest auto market,” Fields said.
Growing Demand
Although tucks represent barely two percent of the Chinese market, the winds of opportunity for Ford are still blowing. The automaker did exhaustive research, finding that Chinese customers thought most pickups fit the typical truck image: lacking features, not very comfortable etc. However, through television, film, and the internet, Chinese customers are more aware of the modern truck. Ford believes this creates potential growth in the market. “We see a significant white-space opportunity with Chinese buyers increasingly looking for more capable, more refined, and more stylish pickups,” Fields said.
In fact, China is currently the fourth largest truck market with 14 percent growth last year alone. Ford’s research also indicates that Chinese cu...
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