Ford Trucks launch sets Lagos fair aglow

• Coscharis targets waste disposal firms, others with Ford trucks

The 16th edition of the Lagos Motor Fair may have come and gone but highlights of the six-day show still dominate discussions in the auto industry in Nigeria.
The launch of new models by automakers/assemblers and dealers is not new at auto shows; indeed, it is usually the dominant features of such event globally. But the unveiling of Ford Trucks by Coscharis Motors Plc was no doubt one of the highpoints of the last Lagos Motor Fair.
It also stole the show as the launch came shortly after the opening ceremony with the Director-General of the NADDC, Jelani Aliyu, performing the function.
Aliyu in his remarks said he was impressed with the presence of the new brand in the country, noting that it was a bright side of the nation’s auto policy of attracting more credible players to the market.
Visitors to the auto fair held at the Federal Palace Hotel Victoria Island would not miss the magnificent figures of three Ford heavy-duty trucks on display outside the fair arena along with an array of high capacity buses, which could not be accommodated within the cozy room where flashy sedans, small gas-powered buses and SUVs were exhibited.
The new Ford trucks brought to the fair ground will surely interest state waste management agencies and private operators of waste evacuation and disposal.
Auto analysts, mostly journalists, at the fair note that the coming of the Ford Trucks into the waste disposal truck market will enrich competition as the new entrants are said to offer owners real value for their money.
According to Coscharis Motors, its partnership with Ford Trucks to sell and represent the global automaker in after-sale service in Nigeria is aimed at offering more value to the country’s truck market by extending the products and services to all truck users in the market.
It described Ford Trucks as one of the largest international heavy-duty truck manufacturers in the world, adding that Ford hoped to strengthen its position in Africa with the new arrangement.

President of Coscharis Group, Dr Cosmas Maduka, said, “The inclusion of Ford trucks into our existing portfolio is to reconfirm our vision to continually create value for our numerous stakeholders across board when it comes to all spheres of the automotive sector.
“We are excited to have a respected brand like the Ford Trucks which afford us play in the truck segment in Nigeria and add value to our stakeholders in the construction, logistics, waste management and other related line of business that will require our various models of trucks to delight them.”
Vice President of Ford Trucks, Serhan Turfan, was quoted as saying, “We believe that Coscharis will represent our brand in Nigeria excellently by building on our steady presence in the region and this is why we have committed to the new facility in Lagos, which is an important milestone for our operations in Nigeria.
“We are very pleased to partner with Coscharis, a leading respected brand name in the automobile sector in Nigeria, to expand our services for our customers in Nigeria. Coscharis, a strong partner of Ford for years, not only in distribution but also in assembly, offers to customers complete solutions including finance with Coscharis Mobility, the exclusive representative of Sixth in Nigeria. “With our new partner, we are committed to providing the highest level of customer service and competitive after-sale solutions through dedicated facilities for sales, service, and parts. We believe Coscharis will represent our brand in the best possible way in Nigeria.”
General Manager, Marketing and Communications, Coscharis Group, Abiona Babarinde, spoke on the record of the brand and they decided to bring the trucks to the fair.
He said, “With Ford Trucks’ almost 60 years of experience in truck manufacturing and product development for international markets, we are glad to announce the confidence Ford Trucks reposed in us to represent them in Nigeria. Being part of the Auto fair is a strategic move to showcase what Ford Trucks and Coscharis have on offer in order to jointly delight the heavy duty truck customer.”
A statement by Coscharis also listed a range of vehicles being produced by Ford Trucks such as tractors, construction trucks and distribution trucks weighing over 16 tons.
It added, “Our 2019 International Truck of the Year (IToY) award-winning F-MAX has brought critical acclaim and high global demand.
“Ford commercial vehicles’ proven track record of quality, durability and efficiency underpins Ford Trucks’ international product strategy. At Ford Trucks, we combine more than half a century of design and production experience with expertise in market-specific product development, to engineer the main components of our vehicles, including the all-new engines.”