The local unit of United States automaker Ford expects its sales to rise 20 per cent this year from 42,956 units sold in 2003 on the back of greater sales of the existing models and the launch of a new car.
"We target to clock a 20 per cent sales rise in 2004 which will be driven by Ikon, as the mid-size car segment has caught up. We will also be launching a new model this year," its director (sales) Vinay Piparsania said in New Delhi.
The company sold 18,558 units of Ikon in the calendar year 2003, which also should go up by 20 per cent this year, he said, declining to give details of the new model to be launched.
Ford India makes the Ikon at its plant near Chennai and imports luxury car Mondeo from a sister company in Belgium.
The company also assembles sports-utility-vehicle Endeavour which is being brought as semi-knocked-down kits from Auto Alliance (an equal joint venture between Ford and Mazda) in Thailand.
So far, the company has sold 179 units of Endeavour.
Asked whether the company would bring down prices in view of the five per cent cut in peak customs duty and abolition of four per cent SAD on non-agriculture goods, Piparsania said there would not be any price cut.
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