Sales success for Ford’s Thai-bound Territory

THE first 50 of 100 Australian-made Ford Territory SUVs exported to Thailand in June to test the waters for export have been sold.

Buoyed by the initial take-up, Ford Australia is keen to put more Territorys on a ship to Thailand next year, but will monitor its progress to gauge whether there is long-term promise for the vehicle there.

Ford sells a single variant of the Territory in Thailand, the top-spec Titanium TDCi with V6 a turbo-diesel engine.

It is priced at the equivalent of $94,000 in Thailand, compared with $62,740 plus on-road costs in Australia.

The $30,000 price difference is courtesy of steep taxes on cars in the Kingdom and comes despite the presence of a free-trade agreement with Australia because they are ‘non-tariff duties’.

A local Ford representative at this week’s Bangkok Motor Expo – aimed at getting deals done on the show stand – told GoAuto at least one Territory had found a home on the event’s opening day.

He did not expect Ford to sell out of Territorys by the end of this year, but anticipated the car’s success would result in another shipment from Australia some time in 2013.

From top: Thai promotional ad featuring Patee Sarasin Territory on the Ford stand at the Bangkok Motor Expo.

Ford Australia public affairs director Sinead Phipps confirmed that around 50 Territorys had been sold in Thailand to date, which she regarded as “absolutely” a success considering the shipment only docked there in late July.

“It is very much a premium niche vehicle over there and some of those sold were pre-orders from the original Bangkok motor show in April,” she said.

Ms Phipps said a decision on whether to export more Territorys to Thailand would not be made until the New Year.

“Once they sell the others we will certainly be keen to (send another shipment) but we just have to make sure there is enough of a market there for us.”

A quick comparison of the Territory’s price tag with other vehicles at the show revealed it costs about the same as smaller luxury SUVs such as the Audi Q3 and BMW X1.

The German compact SUVs are priced between $44,800 and $57,800 in Australia, significantly less expensive than the Thai-equivalent Territory Titanium’s local price.

Nevertheless, GoAuto observed the Territory to be one of the busier exhibits on Ford’s stand at the expo, with mainly older male show-goers making enquiries and most asking to look at the 2.7-litre diesel engine under the bonnet.

Ford Australia’s venerable 4.0-litre straight-six petrol is not available on the Thai-bound Territory because the government there imposes a 60 per cent registration penalty on cars with engines larger than 3.0 litres, which is reduced to 50 per cent for engines over 2.0 litres.

Also on Ford’s stand was the rugged Everest SUV, which is built in Thailand and based on the previous-generation Ranger one-tonne ute.

Ford Australia, which designed and engineered the current-generation PX series Ranger, is working on a follow-up to the Everest but the Thai Ford representative said that vehicle is still two years away.

He said he expected the replacement will retain the Everest nameplate, at least in Thailand.