Ford Lio Ho Motor Co (
"The mid-sized sedan market [ranging from 1.6-liter to 2.0-liter] is the most competitive and significant segment, making up 44 percent of the total auto market this year," said Jeff Lee (
Ford Lio Ho, which is 70 percent owned by Detroit-based Ford Motor Co, is slated to launch a revamped 1.8-liter Focus passenger car in the middle of next month, with a price tag of NT$589,000 or above, depending on various interior features.
Unlike its predecessor introduced in 2001, the new Focus is a four-door model and will be assembled here in Taiwan. Over half of the component parts used will be sourced domestically.
Ford has sold over 4 million Focus cars since they hit the market in 1998. In Taiwan, Ford Lio Ho sells around 100 Focus units per month, the company said.
As of the end of last month, Toyota Altis sedans led in the 1.8-liter market in Taiwan, with new car registrations totaling 30,566 units, followed by Nissan Sentra sedans at 11,728 units and the Mitsubishi Lancer at 4,623 units, according to government figures.
Currently, 1.8-liter-grade vehicles accounted for half of the mid-sized segment in Taiwan this year and the figure is expected to reach over 50 percent next year, Lee said.
Ford's latest move does not seem to worry its competitors.
"Though the model, which has earned a reputation in the European market, could garner attention, we don't expect it to have a great influence on other players," said an official at a larger rival, who spoke on condition of anonymity.
"Instead, Ford should watch out for the potential impact on its group of the newly launched Mazda 3 sedans that target a similar customer segment," the official said.
Toyota Motor Corp last month launched its Wish recreational vehicles, and the No. 3 seller Yulon-Nissan Motor Corp (裕隆日產) launched its new Teana sedan this month.
In addition, China Motor Corp (中華汽車) plans to introduce Mitsubishi Grunder sedans later this year.
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