Ford C-Max Lifts Businesscar Award As Sales Double

BRENTWOOD, UNITED KINGDOM – Jan 26, 2012: The new Ford C-MAX range has marked surging sales by picking up its first BusinessCar award.

The five-seat Ford C-MAX and its seven-seat Grand C-MAX sibling attracted accolades in recognition of their style, efficiency and practicality according to BusinessCar readers.

In their first full year on sale, almost 19,000 Ford C-MAX models were sold in 2011 in the UK, compared with 8,357 the prior year.

Their success meant Ford C-MAX constituted almost one in five of all compact MPVs registered in the UK last year – up from 7.6 per cent in 2010.

There was also good news at the BusinessCar awards for Ford’s larger S-MAX MPV, which was declared best MPV for the sixth year running. Launched in 2006, Ford S-MAX has won the title every year since.

BusinessCar editor Paul Barker said: "Ford has deservedly taken both MPV awards thanks to a pair of products that successfully combine practicality and efficiency with a sense of style not previously available in a sector aimed squarely at family transport.

"Both the Ford C-MAX and S-MAX offer good running costs as well as great handling and are deserved winners of this award, decided by the readers of BusinessCar – the very people using these products for their business and their company drivers."

Kevin Griffin, Ford Britain fleet director, welcomed the awards: “Our new Ford C-MAX proves that even in an extremely competitive market and difficult economy, customers respond to great new vehicles. The only way to double sales and share in a year is to win new customers from the competition and that’s what C-MAX is doing, while S-MAX has carved itself a whole new segment – the sports seven-seat coupé.”

The seven-seat Ford Grand C-MAX accounts for 40 per cent of overall C-MAX volumes in the UK. Twin rear sliding doors reveal an innovative walk-through seating concept, where the second row middle seat folds under the outer seat to enable easy access to the third row.

Ford C-MAX, available from £17,445, will this year become available with the new ultra-efficient 1.0-litre 125PS Ford EcoBoost petrol engine, which combines impressive performance with outstanding fuel economy and CO2 emissions.

Further recognition for Ford’s new MPV range came from Carbuzz.co.uk, which ranked five-seat C-MAX first, with Grand C-MAX fourth and S-MAX fifth. “The C-Max is the best handling car in its class, the steering is precise and well-weighted, while plenty of grip and minimal lean means the C-Max belies its bulk,” said Carbuzz (www.carbuzz.co.uk/blog/Best-MPV).