Ford says it is planning an aggressive new product rollout for high-growth markets in the Middle East and Africa.

At a ‘Go Further’ event in Johannesburg, the company said that 25 new vehicles are coming to the Middle East and Africa – including 17 in South Africa and Sub-Saharan Africa – by 2016.

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The Ford event (which echoes other Ford ‘Go Further’ events around the world) was attended by 1,000 employees, Ford dealers, suppliers, government officials, and media.

The company also confirmed that several additional vehicles from its global portfolio will come to Middle East & Africa in the near term – including the iconic American sports car, the Ford Mustang.

“Today, we are accelerating the introduction of our new products in Middle East & Africa, leveraging our One Ford plan – with a full family of vehicles offering the very best quality, fuel efficiency, safety, smart design and value,” said Jim Benintende, president, Ford Middle East & Africa. “Middle East & Africa spans Saudi Arabia to South Africa, and from Nigeria to Kenya, so customer tastes are as diverse as our markets. Thanks to our One Ford plan, we can offer vehicles and technology that customers want and value, tailored to the needs of our markets.”

The ‘product acceleration’ announcement comes six months after Ford realigned the four regions of North Africa, Sub-Saharan Africa, South Africa and the Middle East into a new single Ford Middle East & Africa business unit.

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“The total Middle East and Africa car market is expected to grow 40 percent by the end of the decade to 5.5 million vehicles,” Benintende said. “Middle East and Africa is the final frontier for global automotive growth and we are putting the infrastructure and people in place to participate in this growth with the introduction of new products, leveraging our One Ford global strengths.”

“Our vision is to become the first choice for mobility in Africa and our event today underscores our commitment to serve customers throughout Africa,” said Jeff Nemeth, president and CEO of Ford Sub-Sahara African Region. “Staying connected is more important than ever for customers globally and in Africa. Our cars and trucks have technology that allows drivers to stay connected safely, with hands on the wheel and eyes on the road.”

At the Go Further event, Ford showed images of the Figo Concept that previews Ford’s next-generation, compact, smart small vehicle. Figo Concept suggests a production version with capability and powertrain features customers want at an affordable price point, the company maintains.

See also: DELHI SHOW: Ford shows Figo Concept