Following the recently concluded Lagos Motor Show, Coscharis Motors, has described Ford trucks as having found a home in Nigeria’s Heavy Duty Commercial Vehicle (HDCV) sector, since they were first unveiled a year ago.
According to Abiona Babarinde, general manager, Marketing and Communications, Coscharis Group, Ford trucks are in the market to help address specific logistics shortages in the areas of long and short-distance haulage, construction, mines, refuse disposal, and other areas. The company also prides itself with providing after-sales services, which for the Ford Trucks is seeing Coscharis invest in a facility with OEM-trained technicians, with provision of original parts and OEM-recommended equipment.
“This is to show that the brand has truly come to stay in Nigeria,” said Babarinde, recalling that since the brand’s formal introduction into the market at last year’s edition of the Lagos Motor Fair, it has made remarkable inroads into the Nigerian HDVC market.
At the fair, Coscharis Motors featured two products from the Construction Series, namely, Tipper and Concrete Mixer; and one from the Tractor Series, the Tractor Head. The specifications for the trucks were 4×2, 6×4 and 8×4 Construction and Tractor series, powered by Ecotorq 12.7L automatic transmission engine, producing up to 2150 Nm of torque and up to 430 PS power among other features.
“Coscharis Motors has invested heavily on an ultra-modern sales and aftersales facility for Ford Trucks products, which is being set up in Ikeja and will soon be launched, to add zest to our product and service offerings to our esteemed Ford Trucks customers,” Babarinde said.
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Helyn Osandu, general manager, Sales, Ford Trucks, Coscharis Motors added that purchasing Ford trucks products shouldn’t be a problem as the company has a flexible finance scheme through Coscharis Mobility and several other financial institutions, where customers can purchase the trucks with equity contributions as low as 30% of the price of the trucks, while the balance is spread over a period of time.
Fidelis Achiv, director, R&D, National Automotive Design and Development Council (NADDC), who was also in attendance said NADDC is more interested in seeing the trucks fully assembled in Nigeria to ensure technology transfer and job creation, among other things.
“Our doors are wide open to Coscharis Motors and all other local assemblers, to give them all the necessary support required to make this happen,” Achiv stated.
Ford Trucks, among the world’s well-known heavy truck manufacturers, has developed tractors, construction trucks, and distribution trucks weighing more than 16 tons, among other vehicles.
