Foray continues its March to success

While some people are predicting tough times for consumers, Foray Motor Group had a magnificent March sales result, with more than 1,000 new vehicles delivered to buyers.

But group sales manager Tom Croft reports that around 75 per cent of them went to private retail customers, indicating that a strong market still exists across central southern England.

“Overall, the group was more than 12 per cent above the target set by Ford for the first quarter in a market that fell nationally by 2.4 per cent and where a softening of demand was reported in the private sector.

“While the largest individual volume was processed by our Salisbury and Andover dealerships we also had a magnificent result from newly-acquired English Ford at Poole, where the team managed to beat its target by 20 per cent.

“In view of the big changes at Poole resulting from the dealership passing into Foray ownership from Pendragon Group and bringing Foray into the top 10 Ford dealerships in the UK, the staff there are to be congratulated on their strong performance.

“In the West Country, our dealerships in Bridgwater, Dorchester, Taunton, and Yeovil also performed well but there is still some scope for improving new car sales in Dorchester.

“Ford Focus and Fiesta were the cars in big demand through Foray, just as they were nationally, while we also saw good results for S-MAX and Galaxy MPVs as well as the Mondeo, which is now enjoying increased popularity with private buyers and is no longer considered just a fleet car.

“Used car demand in March was also good in what is always regarded as a new car month and we are now well placed with a broad selection of one-owner part exchange cars to satisfy the traditionally strong used car market in April and May. These will be all the more attractive thanks to some zero per cent and low rate finance we are currently offering.

“Within a few weeks, the new Kuga four-wheel drive SUV will be in all Foray’s Ford showrooms and this will renew interest in the Ford range after the recently-launched Focus and ahead of the striking new Fiesta’s arrival later in the year.

“So much fresh product from Ford means that customers have plenty to attract them – by the time the Fiesta arrives virtually the whole range will have been improved or replaced in just two years.”