Romcar, the domestic importer of Ford motor cars, projects sales amounting to 12,500 units this year, up 61% against the 7,750 vehicles sold last year, stated Teodor Brusalis, the company's sales manager. According to data released by the Association of Automotive Manufacturers and Importers (APIA), Ford registered nine-month sales of 9,190 vehicles, of which 6,830 were cars. Romcar representatives estimate sales of 15,000 units next year, as a result of the expansion of the dealer network to smaller cities. "It is too early to say the market will see a boom next year, but there is no sign of a slump either. For 2007, we estimate that the domestic automotive market will grow by 20%, due to an expansion of the network to small cities around the country," stated Brusalis. Brusalis added that in big cities, where the market is already saturated, the dealers' battle would be fought with new model launches. Romcar representatives said the growth of automotive market next year depends on how fast Romania's economy rallies to the EU's stipulations. "We do not know what will happen with excises or custom duties. Other countries that have been through accession witnessed chaos for a month or two afterwards, as no one knew what would happen," said Brusalis. According to him, the rise in Ford sales this year was caused by the increasing quality of the dealer network, effective product positioning, and an improvement in the brand's image through the extended warranty programmes and through Ford-Support. The most successful models on the market were the Fiesta, the Mondeo and the Tranzit utility vehicle.
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