Ford Expands retail strategy across South African auto dealers

Ford Motor Company is expanding a new retail concept across South Africa as the automaker adapts its dealership network to changing customer habits in the digital age. 

Across the auto industry, buyers are increasingly starting their vehicle search online, comparing models, prices and features before stepping into a showroom.

Yet dealerships remain an important part of the purchase process, where customers see vehicles up close, ask questions and build confidence before making a decision. 

Ford’s latest retail initiative aims to bring those two experiences together.

The company has begun rolling out Ford Signature 2.0, a new dealership format designed to connect digital browsing with in-person service while creating a more relaxed and welcoming environment for customers. 

The concept marks the biggest update to Ford’s retail experience since the Trustmark dealership standard introduced more than two decades ago.

It builds on the earlier Signature model while reflecting how consumer expectations and the automotive business have changed in recent years. 

For Ford, the goal is simple: make dealerships easier to navigate, more comfortable to visit and better equipped to serve customers wherever they begin their buying journey.

A dealership experience built around hospitality 

According to Elena Ford, the company’s chief dealer engagement officer, the focus is not only on the design of the buildings but also on how customers feel when they walk through the doors. 

“At its core, Signature 2.0 is about how our dealerships feel,” Ford said. “We want customers to feel welcomed and valued from the moment they connect with the Ford brand.” 

The new format is built around four key ideas: Hospitality First, Sales and Service Anywhere, Discover Ford, and Operations Excellence.

The aim is to create showrooms where customers can easily explore vehicles, learn about technology and speak with staff in a setting that feels more personal than transactional. 

Ford says the design also draws on behavioral research and customer feedback to improve how people move through the dealership and how digital tools support conversations about vehicles and services.

South Africa rollout underway 

The rollout in South Africa will happen in stages as dealers upgrade their facilities.

Ford expects 14 dealerships in the country to meet the Signature 2.0 standard by the end of 2026, with most of the network adopting the format by 2028. 

Neale Hill, president of Ford in Africa, said dealer investment has played an important role in moving the project forward. 

Globally, Ford plans to open more than 55 dealerships in 21 countries in 2026 under the new retail format.

That will build on the 19 locations launched last year, as the company continues modernizing its global dealership network.