Ford of Europe Sales and Market Share Increase Slightly in September as Market Conditions Remain Challenging

• Ford’s market share in September in its traditional 19 European markets totalled 9.1 per cent – up 0.1 percentage points from a year ago. Total sales volume increased by 1.2 per cent, to 129,200 vehicles
• Ford’s September sales in its total 51 European markets grew 2.2 per cent compared with last year, or 3,400 units, to 154,400 vehicles
• Sales in Germany rose 20.4 per cent, to 23,000, in September – resulting in a market share increase of 0.8 percentage points to 7.5 per cent. Year-to-date, Ford sales in Germany are up 19.6 per cent
• Russia was Ford’s fourth-largest market by volume in September with sales totalling 11,100 vehicles, up 19.2 per cent from a year ago. Year-to-date, Ford sales in Russia are up 35 per cent
• Ford’s market share in Turkey for September reached 15.1 per cent, the highest for Ford in any European market. Ford’s year-to-date sales in Turkey are up 29.3 per cent
• Ford’s September commercial vehicle share of 10.7 per cent was up 0.6 percentage points compared with September 2010, and marked the Ford’s highest CV share since 2007

COLOGNE, Germany, Oct. 14, 2011 – Ford of Europe posted a slight increase in overall sales and market share in September as gains in Germany and Eastern Europe helped offset continuing weak market conditions in much of Western Europe.

Ford’s total sales in September in its traditional 19 European markets rose 1.2 per cent to 129,200 vehicles, resulting in a market share gain of 0.1 percentage points to 9.1 per cent.

Across its total 51 European markets, Ford sales grew 2.2 per cent in September to 154,400 vehicles.

"The strong performance of the Ford brand in Germany and in growth markets such as Russia and Turkey helped to offset the continuing weakness of many Western European markets," said Roelant de Waard, vice president, Marketing, Sales and Services, Ford of Europe. "The serious economic concerns in the Eurozone are clearly affecting consumer confidence and having an impact on industry incentive levels and product mix."

Vehicle model sales key facts

Customer demand for the new Ford C-MAX and Ford Focus models remained solid. Sales of the new Ford C-MAX totalled 91,300 vehicles in the nine months of the year -- the best September year-to-date and the best third quarter result for C-MAX since 2006. At the same time, the new Focus has sold more than 133,000 units after in its first six months on sale in Europe.

Ford’s share of the European commercial vehicle market reached 10.7 per cent in September, up 0.6 per cent over a year ago, and the highest level since September 2007. Sales of the Ford Transit rose 10 per cent in September compared with the same month last year.

The Fiesta (35,900), Focus (27,700) and Transit (16,100) were Ford’s best-selling models in September. 

Market sales key facts

Ford continued to make gains in the German market where its sales rose 20.4 per cent in September. This was driven by continued strong demand for C-MAX and Focus, which posted year-over-year sales increases in Germany of 153 per cent and 18.8 per cent respectively in September.

Ford’s market share in Germany rose to 0.8 per cent to 7.5 percentage points. Year-to-date, Ford sales in Germany increased 19.6 per cent or 32,000 units. Through September, Ford's market share in Germany is 7.4 per cent, up from 6.9 per cent last year.

In the UK, Ford sold 54,100 vehicles in September, down 4.3 per cent or 2,400 units, compared with September 2010. The UK was Ford’s largest market in Europe for September and year to date and Ford’s remains the UK’s overall market leader with a share of 15.2 per cent. 

Ford’s market share in Turkey for September (15.1 per cent) was the highest of any of Ford’s European region markets, and is up 0.1 percentage points compared with September 2010. Ford's year-to-date sales volume in Turkey rose 29.3 per cent to 96,900 units compared with the same period a year ago.

Russia was Ford’s fourth-largest market by sales volume in September, with sales of 11,100 vehicles, up 19.2 per cent. Year-to-date, Ford’s sales volume in Russia totalled 82,300 – a 35 per cent improvement on 2010. Ford's Eastern European markets were up by 18.1 per cent in September, and 23.7 per cent year-to-date.

In September, Ford retained market leadership in the UK and Turkey, and continued to be year-to-date No.1 brand in the UK, Ireland, Hungary and Turkey. Ford remained the top imported brand both for the month and year-to-date in Italy and the Czech Republic.

Ford increased its September market share in ten of its traditional 19 European markets, with the highest share gains in Denmark (up 3 percentage points to 11 per cent), Portugal (up 2.1 percentage points to 8.2 per cent), and Ireland (up 1.8 percentage points to 13.4 per cent).

Year-to-date

For the nine months of the year, Ford’s market share in its traditional 19 European markets was 8.4 per cent, 0.2 percentage points lower than in the same period 2010. The lower year-to-date share was influenced by the favorable impact of scrappage schemes, which were still in place in the early part of 2010 and helped to boost Ford's small car sales at the time.

Through the nine months of the year, Ford’s sales in these 51 markets totalled 1,204,800, up 2.7 per cent, or 31,700 vehicles, from a year ago.