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Ford of Europe Sales Increased by 0.5% November 2010


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COLOGNE, December 13, 2010 – Ford of Europe sales across its 51 markets increased by 0.5 per cent in November due to strong sales momentum in Eastern Europe and in Russia and Turkey, offsetting a continuing weak market in Western Europe, particularly in the south of Europe.

Ford sales in Turkey, Russia and Eastern Europe rose by 146, 84 and 78 per cent, respectively. Sales performance in the UK and Germany was strong, with Ford's share rising by 0.5 and 0.1 per cent respectively in these markets.

Ford's all-new C-MAX models are developing strong sales momentum in Europe. Still being launched across Europe, 6,700 customers have so far purchased the new vehicles just a few weeks after the first market launches.
 
"We're pleased to see our sales improvement in November in what is still a very weak market overall in Western Europe – especially with the strengthening of our position in the key markets of the UK and Germany – and the significant sales gains made in Turkey, Russia and Eastern Europe ," said Ingvar Sviggum, vice-president, Marketing, Sales and Service, Ford of Europe.

"Our product range continues to go from strength-from-strength. The C-MAX models are just coming online and have recorded good early sales. Fiesta sales remain strong, and we have the refreshed CD portfolio of Mondeo, S-MAX and Galaxy. Taken together with the all-new Ford Focus which will be in our dealerships from early next year, and we have one of the freshest and most attractive product portfolios in the industry. We're confident that more and more customers will make us their No.1 choice," said Mr. Sviggum.

In November, the company saw its commercial vehiclemarket share rising to the highest in any month since 2007 across its traditional 19 European markets in the month of November – to 8.9 per cent, up from 8.2 per cent in November 2009.

Ford also remained Europe's No.2 best-selling passenger carbrand year-to-date (Euro 19) continued to retain overall market leadership in the UK, Denmark, Hungary, Ireland and Turkey, whilst it was No.1 imported brand in Italy and the Czech Republic year-to-date.

Ford's success comes despite continued heavy discounting by some competitors and despite the lowest November year-to-date industry volumes across Ford's key 19 European markets since 1997. Total European new car sales slipped for the eighth successive month in November, down by 5.2 per cent to 1,234,600 units.

In the month of November, Ford registered 100,500 new vehicles in its main 19 European markets 12,400 units, or 10.9 per cent, lower than in November 2009. Market share in these countries was 8.1 per cent, 0.5 percentage points down on the same month 2009.

Ford's 19 European markets: year-to-date
Ford registered 1,196,000 new Ford vehicles in the eleven months of 2010 – a decrease of 134,900 units or 10.1 per cent from last year. Year-to-date November market share in Ford's main 19 European markets was 8.5 per cent, a decrease of 0.6 percentage points on the same period in 2009.

All 51 European markets: November and year-to-date
Across its 51 markets, Ford of Europe sold 125,900 new vehicles in November, up 0.5 per cent, or 600 vehicles, on the same month last year. For the year-to-date, 1,416,600 new Ford vehicles have been registered, representing a reduction of 103,300 compared to the same period in 2009, or a decline of 6.9 per cent compared to 2009.

November sales highlights (Euro 19 plus Russia and Turkey)
Market Performance:

  • Market share in Russia was at 4.8 per cent, up by 0.5 ppts. November sales in Russia were at 8,800 units, an increase of 83.8 per cent or 4,000 units on 2009, whilst Turkey reported a sales gain of 146.4 per cent to 11,400, up by 6,800 versus November 2009. 
  • Market leader in the UK, Denmark, Ireland, Hungary and Turkey for the month.  
  • Ford's share in its main 19 European markets was 8.1 per cent for November, 0.5 ppts below last year.
  • Commercial Vehicle share of 8.9 per cent was the best CV November share since 2007.
  • Increased share in eight of Ford's main 19 European markets plus in Russia.  
  • In Britain, where Ford is retaining market leadership, market share for the month was up by 0.5 per cent, to 15.3 per cent, the highest of all main European 19 markets in November.
  • Ford's volume in Germany was down by 600 units versus November last year to 20,800, while market share rose by 0.1 ppts to 7.2 per cent.
  • Ford was again No.1 imported brand in Italy. 
  • Denmark's volume of 1,900 was up 1,100 units or 135.6 per cent on November 2009.
  • Highest share gains in the traditional 19 European region were delivered in Denmark (up 3.8 ppts; market share at 11.4 per cent, the highest since 1994 and the highest share improvement of all Ford's 19 European markets in November, Switzerland (up 0.7 ppts, with share at 6.2 per cent, the greatest November share since 1998) and Greece (up 0.6 ppts; share at 8.2 per cent).

Model Performance:

  • Fiesta (28,200), Focus (22,400), and Transit (11,300) were Ford of Europe's three top-selling vehicles.
  • Fiesta was also the best-selling foreign vehicle for the month in Italy, whilst Kuga was leading the off-road segment in Spain for the month of November.
  • Since its market debut in October 2008, 1,084,000 customers have purchased the Fiesta around the world, with more than 904,000 cars being sold in Europe.  
  • New C-MAX sales at 4,600 in November, now totaling 6,700 units in 2010.
  • S-MAX and Transit had another strong month in October, with S-MAX sales soaring by 27.6 per cent to 4,500 (up by 1,000), the highest November volume since 2007 and share since 2006. Transit sales jumped by 23.3 per cent or 2,100 to 11,300 units, the largest November volume for Transit since 2007, whilst Transit November share was the highest since 2006.  
  • S-MAX was the top-selling imported products in their segments in France.
  • Retail sales accounted for 77 per cent of Fusion, 71 per cent of Ka, 70 per cent of Fiesta, and 63 per cent of Kuga sales in November 2010.

November year-to-date 2010 performance
Market Performance:

  • No.2 top-selling passenger car brand in Europe year-to-date.  
  • Market leader in the UK, Denmark, Ireland, Hungary and Turkey.   
  • Ford's share was at 8.5 per cent, down by 0.6 ppts on the eleven months of 2009.
  • Ford's share increased in four of its main 19 European markets, plus in Turkey.
  • Year-to-date November sales volume in Spain rose to 85,300, slightly down by 1.4 per cent or 1,200 on the same period 2009 – yet the highest November YTD volume improvement in Ford's five major markets (Britain, France, Germany, Italy and Spain).
  • Leading import brand in the Czech Republic and Italy for the eleven months of 2010.
  • In the eleven months of 2010, Switzerland reported a volume of 16,700, up by 2,000 units or an increase of 13.6 per cent on the same period 2009.
  • Scandinavian markets are going from strength to strength in the eleven months of 2010. Denmark had registrations of 16,200, up by 5,000 units, an increase of 44.1 per cent on 2009 and the highest year-to-date volume improvement in all of Ford's 19 markets. In Sweden registrations rose 5,500 units or 40 per cent to 19,300. Norway's sales volume was at 13,500, up by 2,600 or an increase of 24.2 per cent on the eleven months of 2009.
  • The highest share gains of all 19 markets in the eleven months of 2010 were in Denmark (+0.9 ppts at 10.4 per cent share, the highest market November YTD share there since 1997), Switzerland (+0.3 ppts to 5.8 per cent, the highest YTD November share since 1999), and Sweden (+0.3 ppts to 6.5 per cent, the best November year-to-date share there since 2002).
  • Year-to-date 2010, Turkey's share was at 15.5 per cent, up by 0.8 ppts on the same period 2009. Sales in Turkey increased by 27,500 units to 98,700 in the eleven months of 2010 – 38.6 per cent sales plus on the same period 2009.

Model Performance:

  • The three best-selling vehicles year-to-date 2010 were the Fiesta (376,900), Focus (242,800) and Transit (119,800).
  • Year-to-date Transit share was the highest YTD November share since 2006.
  • In the eleven months of 2010, Fiesta remained the best-selling foreign vehicle in Italy.
  • Kuga has been a hit with customers in the eleven months of 2010 with sales of 67,000, up by 8,800 or 15 per cent on the eleven months of 2009 – the highest volume improvement of a Ford vehicle in the main 19 markets year-to-date November 2010 and the best year-to-date November volume and share for Kuga since launch in February 2008. Also, Kuga was leading the off-read segment in Spain in the eleven months of 2010.
  • 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, while Transit was the best-selling commercial vehicle year-to-date 2010.