Ford secures major fleet deal with Qatar's Mowasalat

Under the agreement, Mowasalat will take delivery of 1,000 Ford Mondeos, and 675 units of Ford Explorer SUVs, Crown Victoria full-size sedans and Freestar minivans.

Better known as "The Transport Company" in Qatar, Mowaslat has been operating since October 2004. The company provides taxi and bus services, and runs coaches for private hire as well as limousine and VIP transport.

"Our mission is to become a regional leader in ground transport services, and a fleet acquisition of this size demonstrates the seriousness of our ambitions," said Quentin Fulljames-Curtis, Taxi and Limousine Director, Mowasalat. "The diversity of Ford's product line-up, the dedication of its dealer partner in Qatar, Almana Motors, and Ford's overall commitment to quality and service were significant factors in our decision to choose Ford, and we can't wait to get our new vehicles on the roads serving our customers."

Hussein Murad, Sales & Marketing director, Ford Middle East, said: "Fleet sales have always been, and will continue to be, an important part of our growth strategy for the region - and Ford fleet customers increasingly value the service and product excellence we deliver.

"The Ford Mondeo, Explorer, Crown Victoria and Freestar are all leaders and award winners in their respective segments," Murad added. "They lead for safety, comfort, styling, driving enjoyment as well as cost of ownership. It is quite gratifying to see the global success of our lineup reiterated in our region as major fleet customers see the value our products bring them."

Bader Almana, managing director of Almana Motors said:

"Our foothold in the Qatar market is growing continuously thanks to Ford's world-class product line-up. We are proud to be contributing to Mowasalat's growing fleet, and are confident that our products will offer them the highest levels of satisfaction."

Since its launch globally in 2000, Ford Mondeo has become one of the best selling fleet models in Europe and the Middle East and its popularity continues to grow, with major fleet deals across Saudi Arabia and the UAE.

Mondeo has won over 40 awards in Europe alone, including the No 1 spot in Auto Strassenverker Automotive magazine, the award for Best Fleet Car in the 2003 Fleet World Honours, 'Car of the Year' Award from Auto 1 (UK), BBC Top Gear, and Golden Steering Wheel (Germany), and What Car? (UK). Additionally, it has picked up over 20 other international awards.

In the Middle East, Mondeo is available in four models - Ambiente, Trend, Ghia, ST220 - in 4-door and station wagon body styles, available with a choice of 2L, 2.5L and 3L engines. The new Mondeo caters to a wide range of discerning customers who seek maximum value, dynamic drive, safety and sophistication for their motoring needs.