Ford Connects on the Streets: Find out what the automaker offers and launches

In January of this year, stronghold It announced the closure of all its manufacturing activities in the Brazilian market, including Close its main unit here, located in Kamakari, in Bahia.

Also the owner of the national brand troller, the company created hope that the jeep complex in Horizonte, Ceará, would survive, and be sold to another owner, which has not been confirmed. Ford is only interested in selling the assembly line and its industrial equipment, and The Troller brand and its products will also die by the end of this year.

Without the national factories, Ford lost most of its sales in the country, concentrated in the Ka-slot, the three-volume Ka Sedan and the EcoSport SUV, all made in Brazil.

In August, it only emerged as the 18th best-selling brand, according to Fenabrave. Now, the company has changed its strategy, working here with a 100% imported catalog.

What does Ford still offer?

Currently, Ford offers only four products to the public, all of which are made outside of Brazil.

The most expensive, but starting at R$188,990, is Watchman. The brand’s medium pickup truck is manufactured in Argentina And it fights with models like Toyota Hilux and Chevrolet S10. It also features single or double cab options and a 2.2 or 3.2 engine, both turbodiesel. It is worth noting that the neighboring country specializes in this sector and most of the medium pickup trucks actually come from there.

Direct from China, Ford matters or Area, a mid-range SUV that’s in the same class – and price range – as the Jeep Compass. The model is offered in a single version, the Titanium, and features such elements as independent emergency braking and adaptive cruise control. The 1.5 turbo engine is not the most powerful, providing 150 horsepower, much less than the main competitor. The price is also not the most attractive, starting at R$214,990.

The third model introduced with Ka and EcoSport in Ford stores before factories closed is the iconic model mustang. The sports coupe is imported from United StateWhich doesn’t help its R$545,000 price tag. However, the Mach 1 version shown here is one of the most capable versions on the track, with improved suspension and aerodynamics.

Nova Ford

NS Ford Bronco Sport This was the first launch of the brand after the end of its manufacturing activities in Brazil. And he has exactly the profile that the “new Ford” is striving for. It’s a mid-range SUV class, with higher margins, Imported from Mexico, which significantly reduces the tax burden.

The entire catalog of safety and connectivity technologies combined with the 2.0 turbo engine with all-wheel drive was a way to avoid close combat with the Jeep Compass, since the Bronco has much simpler options in the US that don’t get here. Cheaper copies will create more conflict. Bronco Sport will be released today for R$265,690.

However, the brand’s latest ad is an SUV. Ford will present again in Brazil CrossingPassenger van that can accommodate up to 19 people. Pricing hasn’t been decided yet, but the new one will arrive here with a 170-horsepower 2.0 turbodiesel and even a range maintenance assistant, rare equipment on working models. However, the truck is installed on Uruguay By outsourcing factory, Nordex, with imported components.

There is still a third release scheduled for 2022. Ford Maverick. It’s an intermediate truck like the Fiat Toro that shares the platform and line Mexican assembly With Bronco Sport.

In the US, the cheaper version costs the EcoSport to sell there ($19,995) and already has a hybrid drive capable of doing up to 17 km/l. However, for Brazil, the brand should adopt the same situation seen in the Bronco Sport, offering the more expensive and equipped versions.

Fleet aging

However, Ford’s sharp drop in sales doesn’t mean its cars are rarely seen on the streets. A survey conducted by the consulting firm Fraga Inteligência Automotiva revealed that the downsizing of the brand’s models in the total national fleet should take place very gradually.

Today, Ford is responsible for 10.03% of the current Brazilian fleet, including passenger cars and light commercial vehicles. Since the start of the brand’s operations in Brazil, which took place in 1919, and until December 2020, the company has sold 4,498,065 cars, over 2,200 copies of 40 different models. The Fiesta was the bestseller in the company’s history, with 1,265,063 units sold.

The Fraga Inteligência Automotiva survey showed that the reduction in the share of Ford cars in the touring fleet should be 14.31% by 2025. In just over three years, there are still 3,853,943 cars in service in Brazil.

The point is that without selling large quantities of 0 km cars and focusing on cars with low sales volume, but with higher profit margins, the retirement of very old cars will be greater than the registration of new models. The result should be a significant increase in the average lifespan of the brand’s vehicles running on our streets.

Today, of Ford vehicles in circulation, 37.28% have between 4 and 10 years of use. Models between the ages of 11-20 represent 26.69% of the total, while only 19.05% are over 20 years old.

Fraga information shows that in 2025, 44.52% of all Ford vehicles will fall between the ages of 11 and 20. Ford cars that can still be considered used, with up to 3 years of use, will represent only 6.42% of all brand cars in circulation.