- Ford was Europe's No.2 best-selling passenger car brand in July and year-to-date
- First half 2010 profit of $429 million is almost $1 billion better than last year and shows that Ford's business plan in Europe is working
- Ford's July and year-to-date sales volume and market share declined year-on-year given the slowdown in the European market and heavy competitive discounting
- Ford retained overall year-to-date market leadership in the UK, Denmark, Hungary, Ireland and Turkey
- Leading importer in Italy in July and year-to-date
- Significant year-to-date sales gains in Sweden, Denmark, Norway, up by 40, 38 and 25 per cent respectively
- Fiesta, Focus and Transit best-selling Ford vehicles year-to-date
- Fiesta sales momentum continued in July: Fiesta remains Ford's top-selling car in Europe, and Europe's No.2 best-selling car overall: 793,000 new Fiestas sold in Europe since launch, and more than 911,000 sold globally
- In the UK, Ford leads all major car market segments year-to-date 2010 with Fiesta, Focus, Mondeo, Galaxy and Transit
- Best year-to-date sales volume and share for Ka since 2002
- Ford's market share increased in three out of 19 main European markets in July and four of the 19 markets in the first seven months of 2010
COLOGNE, August 13, 2010 – Ford was Europe's No.2 best-selling passenger car brand in July and for the first seven months of 2010 – and maintained market leadership in the UK, Denmark, Hungary, Ireland and Turkey – despite the fourth consecutive month of industry decline following the ending of most scrappage schemes earlier in the year.
"I want to thank our customers for continuing to place their faith in the Ford brand and our best-ever product range," said Stephen Odell, Ford of Europe's newly-appointed chairman and CEO. "These are strengths that we are building upon further as the year progresses, with a raft of new products, technologies and customer-focused initiatives coming to market over the next few months."
"Our strategy of not chasing volume and share at the expense of profitability is also paying off. Ford made $429 million profit in the first half of 2010 – almost a $1 billion improvement over the same period last year – so our plan in Europe is definitely working."
July was the fourth month of decline in a row in the European new car industry.Ford sales of 97,800 new vehicles in its traditional 19 European markets was 28,100 lower compared to July 2009. Market share in Ford's traditional European markets was 8.3 per cent for the month, 0.7 percentage points down on July 2009.
"High discounts on new cars – as many of our competitors are continuing to offer – can have the negative effect of lowering the residual value, of a vehicle and imply a risk to the investment a customer has made when buying a new car," said Ingvar Sviggum, vice president, Marketing, Sales and Service, Ford of Europe. "I believe such unsustainable heavy discounting only damages brand reputation and further weakens the market."
Fiesta continues to be Europe's No.2 top-selling new car and Ford's best-selling new car, with 266,500 units sold during the first seven months of 2010. Since the latest generation Fiesta went on sale in October 2008, more than 911,000 Fiestas have been purchased by customers around the world, with 793,000 being sold in Europe.
Traditional 19 European markets year-to-date
Ford registered 815,100 vehicles in its traditional 19 European markets in the first seven months of 2010, 57,000 units or 6.5 per cent below 2009. Year-to-date July market share in the traditional main 19 European markets was 8.6 per cent, down by 0.5 percentage points compared to the same period in 2009. Ford's share increased in four of the traditional 19 European markets in the first seven months of 2010.
All 51 European markets in July and year-to-date
Ford of Europe sold 118,700 new vehicles in July across all its 51 markets, a reduction of 15.6 per cent or a decrease of 21,700 vehicles on the same month 2009. Year-to-date, 942,800 new Ford vehicles were registered, down by 54,200 on the first seven months of 2009. Compared to the same period 2009, Ford sales were 5.5 per cent lower.
July sales highlights
Market Performance:
- Market leader in the UK, Denmark and Turkey for the month.
- Ford's share in its main 19 European markets was 8.3 per cent for July, 0.7 ppts below last year.
- No.2 selling passenger car brand in July in Europe.
- Increased share in three of Ford's main 19 European markets.
- Ford's volume in France was down by 1,600 units versus July last year to 10,600, whilst market share fell slightly by 0.2 ppts to 5.3 per cent.
- Ford was again No.1 imported brand in Italy.
- Sweden's July volume of 1,500 was up 600 units on July 2009 – the highest July sales volume there since 2000 and the highest volume improvement of all Ford's traditional 19 European markets in July.
- Highest share gains in the traditional 19 European region were delivered in Denmark (up 1.4 ppts; market share at 10.4 per cent, the highest since July 1997), Belgium (up 1.0 ppts; share at 7.5 per cent, the best July share since 2001) and Sweden (up 0.9 ppts, at 6.5 per cent).
Model Performance:
- Fiesta (28,600), Focus (18,700), and Transit (11,300) were Ford of Europe's three top-selling vehicles (19 main European markets).
- New Fiesta sales were at 28,600, making the Fiesta Europe's No.2 best-selling car overall in July, an achievement which external sources are expected to confirm later this month.
- Fiesta was also the best-selling foreign vehicle for the month in Italy.
- Only 22 months after its debut, more than 911,000 customers have purchased the new Fiesta around the world, with 793,000 cars being sold in Europe.
- S-MAX and Transit had a strong month in July, with S-MAX sales soaring by 15.2 per cent; and Transit by 24.5 per cent versus July 2009. S-MAX July share of 0.43 per cent was the highest since July 2007, whilst Transit July share of 13.7 per cent was the highest since 2001.
- C-MAX and S-MAX were the top-selling imported products in their segments in France.
- Retail sales accounted for 68 per cent of Ka, 65 per cent of Fiesta, 62 per cent of Kuga, and 66 per cent of Fusion sales in July 2010.
July year-to-date 2010 performance
Market Performance:
- No.2 selling passenger car brand in Europe year-to-date.
- Market leader in the UK, Denmark, Ireland, Hungary and Turkey.
- Ford's share increased in four of its main 19 European markets.
- In France, registrations slightly decreased to 87,000, down by 1,500 units or 1.7 per cent lower on 2009.
- Year-to-date July sales volume in Spain rose to 64,400, up by 20.4 per cent or 10,900 on the same period 2009 – the highest July YTD volume improvement in Ford's five largest markets (UK, France, Italy, Germany and Spain).
- Leading import brand in Italy in the first seven months of 2010.
- In the first seven months of 2010, Switzerland reported a volume of 11,300, up by 1,500 units or an increase of 15.1 per cent on the same period 2009 and the highest year-to-date July volume there since 2001. Share of 5.9 per cent was the best July year-to-date share since 1999.
- Ireland had registrations of 11,600, up by 2,500 or an increase of 26.8 per cent on the first seven months 2009.
- Scandinavian markets continue to perform well in the first seven months of 2010. Sweden had registrations of 11,600, up by 3,300 units, an increase of 39.9 per cent on 2009 and the highest year-to-date volume improvement in all of Ford's 19 markets, also the highest July volume there since July year-to-date 2007. In Denmark registrations rose 2,800 units or 37.8 per cent to 10,200. Norway's sales volume was at 7,800, up by 1,500 or an increase of 24.6 per cent on the first seven months of 2009.
- The highest share gains of all 19 markets in the first seven months of 2010 were in Denmark (+1.0 ppts at 10.8 per cent share, the best July year-to-date share result since 1997), Switzerland (+0.4 ppts to 5.9 per cent, the highest YTD July share since 1999), and Sweden (+0.3 ppts to 6.3 per cent), the best July year-to-date share there since 2002.
- Year-to-date 2010, Turkey's share was at 15.6 per cent, up 1.9 ppts on the same period 2009.
Model Performance:
- The three best-selling vehicles year-to-date 2010 were the new Fiesta (266,500), Focus (164,000) and Transit (75,100).
- In the first seven months of 2010, new Fiesta remained the best-selling foreign vehicle in Italy and the second best-selling vehicle in Europe.
- 65,900 new Ford Ka vehicles have been delivered to Ford customers this year, up 3,600 units or 5.9 per cent on the first seven months of 2009. Share and sales volume were the best since 2002.
- Kuga has been a hit with customers in the first seven months of 2010 with sales of 44,800, up by 9,200 or 25.7 per cent on the first seven months of 2009 – the highest volume improvement of a Ford vehicle in the main 19 markets year-to-date July 2010.
- Ford segment-leading in the UK with Fiesta, Focus, Mondeo and Galaxy year-to-date.
- C-MAX and S-MAX were the best-selling foreign vehicles in their segment in France.
- Fiesta remained No.1 best-selling car in the UK year-to-date, ahead of the Focus in No.2 position, while Transit was the best-selling commercial vehicle year-to-date 2010.
