Ford reports it was Europe's second best-selling brand in March with 9.3% market share from strong sales of Focus, C-MAX models, best selling brand in U.K., Ireland, Turkey, Hungary, Denmark

Lorena Madrigal

COLOGNE, Germany , April 20, 2011 (press release) – * Ford was Europe’s No. 2 best-selling brand in March with a market share of 9.3 percent in its traditional 19 European markets
* The all-new Ford Focus is off to a strong start with more than 10,000 five-door models sold in March. The new Focus wagon and four-door model are now in production and will be available in European dealerships starting in late April
* The new C-MAX sold 14,700 units in March – its best March since 2007 – and has sold more than 45,000 since going on sale in at the end of last year
* Ford was the top-selling brand in the UK, Ireland, Turkey, Hungary and Denmark. Ford also posted its best monthly market share in Germany in the past two years
* Sales in Russia, Turkey and Eastern Europe grew in March by 44, 36 and 16 percent, compared with a year ago
* Sales of Ford's S-MAX and Galaxy, both updated in 2010, up 17 percent and 10 percent in March, respectively

Strong early sales of the all-new Ford Focus and C-MAX helped Ford Motor Company reach 9.3 percent market share in March in Europe’s traditional 19 markets.

Ford was the No. 2 best-selling brand in Europe in March and the top-selling brand in the UK, Ireland, Turkey, Hungary and Denmark. Overall, it was Ford’s highest market share for a month since March 2010, when the company achieved 10.4 percent share.

Overall, Ford unit sales in March were down 13.5 percent from March 2010, and 10 percent down in the first quarter compared with the same period last year. This reflected the fact that the market in Western Europe was weaker than a year ago, plus the favorable impact of scrappage schemes in the early part of 2010 which helped to boost the sale of Ford's small car sales in the first quarter of last year.

“The all-new Ford Focus is off to an outstanding sales start, and this even before we’ve rolled out the car across all our European markets and with the four-door and wagon derivatives still to come in late April and May,” said Roelant de Waard, vice president, Marketing, Sales and Service, Ford of Europe.

“Add to this the strong momentum of our recently launched Ford C-MAX, plus the freshened S-MAX and Galaxy, and you understand why we are looking ahead with great confidence. Success in the car industry is all about product, and we know we have one of the best and emotionally-appealing product ranges with probably the highest value for money in the industry."

The all-new Ford Focus five-door model sold more than 10,000 units in March as the new car continues to go on sale throughout Europe. March sales of the all-new C-MAX were 14,700, adding to more than 45,000 sales since launch at the end of last year.

The company’s sales in Germany jumped by 23 percent to 27,300, the highest volume percentage gain for Ford in any of its traditional 19 European markets. Ford’s market share in Germany was 7.6 percent – the best monthly share in the country since March 2009. Taking into consideration that March 2009 sales were boosted by Germany's national scrappage scheme, March 2011 was the best share for Ford in Germany for more than half a decade.

Ford retained market leadership in the UK, Denmark, Ireland, Turkey in March, and was market leader in the UK, Ireland, Hungary and Turkey for the first three months of the year. Ford also was No.1 imported brand in Italy in March and in the first quarter, and was No.1 imported brand in the Czech Republic in March.

Sales in Russia, Turkey and Eastern Europe continued to grow by 44, 36 and 16 percent, respectively year-on-year.

Ford's total European sales in its 50 markets were 193,100 units in March, down 18,900 units on March last year.

First Quarter 2011 sales

In the first quarter of 2011, 352,100 new Ford vehicles were registered, a decrease of 39,300 or 10 percent from the same period last year. First quarter market share in Ford's traditional 19 European markets was 8.5 percent, down 0.9 percentage points compared to 2010. Ford increased market share in Austria, Germany, Norway, Sweden and Turkey in the first quarter 2011.

Across its Euro 50 markets, Ford of Europe sold 411,400 vehicles in the first quarter 2011, down 19,000 or 4.4 percent compared to the same period 2010.


March sales highlights (Euro 19 plus Russia and Turkey)

Market Performance:

* March sales in Russia were at 10,600 units, an increase of 44 percent or 3,200 units on 2010, while Turkey reported a sales gain of 36 percent 11,400, up by 3,000 versus March 2010. Eastern European sales were up 16 percent.
* Market leader in the UK, Denmark, Ireland and Turkey and No.1 imported brand in Italy and the Czech Republic.
* Ford's share in its 19 European markets was 9.3 percent for March, 1.1 ppts below last year.
* Commercial Vehicle market share of 10.4 percent was up by 0.6 ppts - the best CV March share for Ford in its Euro 19 markets since 2008.
* Increased share in four of Ford's main 19 European markets, including Germany, Greece, Norway and Switzerland, plus in Romania.
* Germany reported sales of 27,300 for the month of March, up by 5,100 units or 23 ppts on 2010 - the highest increase for the six major markets (UK, France, Germany, Italy, Russia and Spain).
* Highest share gains in the 19 European region were delivered in Greece (up 1.5 ppts, with share at 10.5 percent), Germany (up 0.7 ppts; share at 7.6.percent, and the highest share since 2009 – without considering scrappage schemes this was the best monthly share since 2005) and Switzerland (up 0.3 ppts; share at 6.2 percent, the highest March share there since 1999)

Model Performance:

* New C-MAX sales soared to 14,700 in March, now totaling more than 45,000 units since its market entry in late 2010, the best March C-MAX volume since 2008.
* S-MAX and Galaxy had another strong month in March, with S-MAX sales being up by 800 units to 5,700 or 17 percent, the highest March volume since 2008, whilst Galaxy saw sales of 3,200, up by 300 units on 2010, an increase of 10 percent on March 2010.
* Fiesta (49,900), Focus (24,100), and Transit (18,500) were Ford's top-selling models (Euro 19).
* Fiesta was best-selling foreign vehicle for the month in Italy and France.
* Since its market debut in October 2008, 1,350,000 customers have purchased the Fiesta around the world, with more than 1,077,000 cars having been sold in Europe.
* Transit sales soared to 18,500 units (up by 1,500 on March 2010) or an increase of 9 percent, the largest March volume for Transit since 2008.

Year-to-date March 2011 performance (Euro 19 plus Russia and Turkey)

Market Performance:

* Market leader in the UK, Hungary, Ireland and Turkey.
* Ford's share was at 8.5 percent, down by 0.9 ppts on the first quarter of 2010.
* Germany's first quarter 2011 volume grew to 62,100, up by 21 percent or 10,700 units, the highest first quarter sales since 2009.
* Ford's share increased in four of its main 19 European markets, plus in Turkey.
* Leading import brand in Italy for the first quarter 2011.
* Scandinavian markets are going from strength to strength in the first three months of 2011. Sweden had registrations of 5,400, up by 1,000 units, an increase of 24 percent on 2009 and the highest year-to-date March volume improvement there since 2002. Norway's sales volume was at 3,700 up by 700, representing an increase of 21.4 percent on the first quarter 2010, the highest first quarter sales since 1999.
* The highest share gains of all 19 markets year-to-date 2011 were in Norway (+ 0.5 ppts at 8.6 percent share), Germany (+ 0.4 ppts, at 7.4 percent) and Sweden (+ 0.2 ppts to 6.7 percent).
* For the first quarter of 2011 sales in Turkey increased by 11,700 units to 27,900 – a 73 percent sales plus on the same period 2010. 2011 first quarter sales for Ford in Russia were at 20,900, up by 42 percent or 6,100 units on the same period 2010.

Model Performance:

* The three best-selling vehicles in the first quarter of 2011 were the Fiesta (100,900), Focus (57,900) and Transit (37,800).
* Year-to-date March Transit share was the highest first quarter share since 2008.
* In the first quarter of 2011, Fiesta remained the best-selling foreign vehicle in Italy.
* Fiesta was the UK's No.1 selling car year-to-date, while Transit was the best-selling commercial vehicle in the first quarter of 2011, and saw the best Q1 sales in Germany since 1995.
* Still being launched across Europe, all-new C-MAX sales achieved 32,800 - the highest volume improvement of a Ford vehicle in the main 19 markets for the first quarter of 2011. In Spain, C-MAX sales were up 111 percent on the first quarter 2011, whilst in Germany C-MAX saw a
sales increase of 140 percent on the same period 2010.
* C-MAX and S-MAX were the best-selling foreign vehicles in their segment in France.

* All content is copyrighted by Industry Intelligence, or the original respective author or source. You may not recirculate, redistrubte or publish the analysis and presentation included in the service without Industry Intelligence's prior written consent. Please review our terms of use.