Uganda’s leading automobile dealers, Motorcare Uganda Limited, proved that they are the definitive providers of new car solutions in the country by launching Uganda’s most environmentally-friendly monster pickup, the New Next-Gen Ford Ranger.
Unveiled Friday at the Motorcare head office at Kitgum House Jinja road, Kampala, the New Next-Gen Ford Ranger is fitted with a 2000cc engine, making it the most pocket-friendly ride. With it, therefore, owners will save immensely on the menacing fuel costs, while fully enjoying the enviable experience which comes with cruising the latest family pickup with a touch of class!
The Customer’s Choice
In a statement released Friday, Yassine Ibn Seddik, the Northern and Sub-Saharan Africa General Field Manager for Ford Motor Company, revealed that the new Ford Ranger is the customer’s dream because it was made after Ford engineers and designers teamed up with customers around the world to create this pickup which users can rely on for work, family, and play.
“Customer input was key to developing the Next-Generation Ranger’s rugged new look. Ford spent a lot of time with owners around the globe, conducting more than 5,000 interviews and dozens of customer workshops to understand how customers used their pickups and what they wanted and expected in the new Ranger,” Seddik said.
And indeed, the Ford’s exquisite features prove that it was made with the Ugandan customer also at heart. This is because on top of a fuel-friendly engine which enables the driver to use just 2 liters of fuel per 15 kilometres, Ford’s latest pickup is also built for the rough terrain. This therefore makes it the perfect car for a typical Ugandan navigating the current harsh economy which is also characterized by many bad roads both upcountry and in Kampala, which is lately being trolled as Africa’s ‘Pothole City’.
Franco Moras, the Vehicle Safety manager, Ford Australia noted that the latest new Ford pickup is the ultimate family car, offering improved safety features and carriage space for more luggage for a travelling family.
“The new Next Generation Ranger enjoys a solid safety heritage thanks to its Built Ford Tough lineage, and our testing efforts have gone above and beyond requirements to ensure the Ranger’s safety is robust and fitting to our customers around the globe,” Moras said. He added, “Customers want to be able to travel safely with their friends and family and be able to move their cargo with confidence. The next-generation Ranger not only delivers on the ability to help them tackle whatever they want at work or with family and friends, but it helps them do that with the safety and peace of mind they want, thanks to the numerous new driver assistance technologies and safety features the new model offers.”
Great Optimism
Richard Musani, the General Manager, Sales and Marketing at Motorcare Uganda, expressed delight at the introduction of the New Next-Gen Ford Ranger, saying it comes at the right time when the consumption of new cars is growing in the country.
“We are thrilled to introduce the Next Generation Ranger into the Ugandan Market. The Next Gen Ranger Delivers High-Tech Features, Smart Connectivity, More Safety, Enhanced Capability and Versatility for Work, Family and Play,” he said.
On the market opportunities, Musani expressed optimism that Uganda’s automotive industry is steadily progressing and continues to register growth because of the demand from new and existing customers, hence creating an opportunity for industry players like Motorcare to innovate and design cars that not only promise convenience and the ability to navigate tough terrains but a car that also promises progress in one’s life pursuits.
“Currently, we are approximately 45 million Ugandans and according to the Ministry of Works and Transport statistics, as of 30th June 2020, a total of 1,361,861 motor vehicles are registered on the e-tax platform while 940,160 are yet to be validated on the e-tax bringing the total number to 2,302,021 motor vehicles.”
“This representation which might have grown by 5% to date is an opportunity for Motorcare to not only innovate quality cars but also collaborate with individuals, and business entities like large corporate institutions to make these cars more accessible to their teams so that they can execute their tasks efficiently especially teams that are always on the roads,” he said.
Increased customer experience
Addressing invited guests, Florence Makada, the Managing Director Motorcare Uganda, urged customers to expect even an improved experience with Motorcare services, saying the addition of the New Ranger to their offerings is proof of their growth from strength to strength.
“Having served this market for over 27 years now, we have seen it all; that’s the reason we’re growing from strength to strength. We are thrilled to have Ford as an addition to our Family of brands at Motorcare Uganda. Our customers now have an array of choices and can visit our recently opened showroom dedicated for Ford at Kitgum House,” she said. She added that Motorcare now boasts the best aftersales Services for Ford and their other brands including the Hyundai, which are available both at their upcountry outlets and at the Motorcare main showroom at Jinja Road traffic Lights.
“For two consecutive years we have been voted the best car dealers in terms of sales and aftersales services in the Sub-Saharan region. This has been due to our consistency in keeping our standards top notch through building capacity of our staff; in fact, as we speak now, one of our technicians, who is also the best in Africa, is currently in Japan,” Makada said.
Perfect Christmas Gift
Mads Kjaer, the owner Kjaer Group (the owners of Motorcare Uganda) called upon Ugandans to hurry and acquire the new Next-Gen Ford Ranger pickup, calling it the prefect Christmas gift for any car lover.
He revealed that the pickup which was launched Friday is the last one remaining in stock this year, with more cars expected to come in next year.
He expressed commitment by Motorcare to improve their customer experience, saying the company has since acquired the entre Kitgum House space with a view to turn it into a ‘3S’ one-stop-center to offer Sales, Service and Spare Parts for all their car brands like the Ford, Hyundai, among others, with effect from December 1, 2023.
Environmental masterstroke
The Guest of Honour, Gen. Edward Katumba Wamala, the Minister of Works and Transport, who was represented by the Chief Mechanical Engineer at Ministry of Works, Tony Kavuma, thanked Motorcare for putting the environment at the heart of their business by adding onto their brand offerings an environmentally-friendly car. Thanking Motorcare for supporting the Government, he emphasized the need to train drivers so as to lower the car’s maintenance costs.
“Government has invested substantially in transport infrastructure and services. A number of Government Ministries, Departments and agencies have procured a number of vehicles and equipment. This is a huge investment where Government has spent approximately one million dollars. This investment needs to be preserved through proper use and care; especially training drivers because poor drivers can increase the cost of maintenance by 20%.,” he said.
How To Acquire The New next-Gen Ford Ranger
With Uganda importing 2500 new cars per year, the Ford enjoys a sizeable share of the same, with its pickups ranking as the second most sold new cars on the market.
According to Richard Musani, the new Next-Gen Ford Ranger is priced at between $45,000 and $90,000. This can be bought in a single purchase but for customers that cannot fork out lumpsum dimes to acquire this car, they can explore the company’s Asset Financing Loan and Leasing options.
One such option is where one pays 10% of the total car price and the 90% is paid in the form of a loan by Stanbic Bank. The customer then finances their loan with the bank on mutually agreed terms. The other option for customers who may not wish to fully own the ford is the Full Maintenance Leasing arrangement where a customer pays a monthly or annual rental fee and drives a car. The customer in this arrangement will only pay fuel costs as maintenance will be done by Motorcare.
