Ford Grows UK Share In Challenging 2008 Market

BRENTWOOD, Essex – January 8, 2009: Strong consumer demand for Ford's exciting new product line-up continues to increase the blue oval brand's market share, with major gains both last month and for the 2008 full year.

December 2008

Share of retail (non-fleet) car market soared by 1.9 percentage points to17.4 per cent year-on-year

Ford's accelerating popularity among private buyers drove total car share to 16.7 per cent (from 15.8 per cent in December 2007)

New Ford Fiesta is December's UK best seller – more Fiestas sold last month than in previous December

Full year

Total vehicle share rose 0.4 percentage points to 16.3 per cent

Car share grew 0.6 points to 15.1 per cent

Share of retail (non-fleet) car market rose by 1.4 points to 13.2 per cent

Ford Focus is UK's overall best selling car for 10th successive year

Ford enters the new year with one of the freshest and most exciting car ranges in its history, following 2008 introductions of the new Ford Focus, Kuga, Fiesta and Ka.

Ford Focus has been the UK's best seller every year since its 1998 debut and the new Ford Fiesta is already the favourite among retail, or private, buyers. Following its first appearance in the Bond "Quantum of Solace" film last autumn, the new Ford Ka goes on sale this month, followed this year by the exciting new Ford Focus RS.

Nigel Sharp, Ford of Britain managing director, said: "Ford's range of stylish, high-tech models, offering value and fuel efficiency, continues to attract customers to our showrooms even in these difficult times. Increasing retail sales proves that Ford has the right product mix at the right time."

Ford share enhanced
The challenging second half of 2008 saw industry sales for the year decrease by 272,212 cars – a reduction of 11.3 per cent.

In this reduced market, Ford took an increased share of car sales (up 0.6 to 15.1 per cent). Ford's volume dipped by 26,468 cars or 7.6 per cent – significantly less than the overall market drop.

Ford's popularity continues to accelerate among private buyers – driven by an unprecedented number of new 2008 products. Of the 3,900 total Ford Kuga registrations, 80 per cent were retail sales. The all-new Ford Fiesta helped Ford to achieve strong car share gains in the last three tough months of 2008.

October saw an increase of over three percentage points. In November an increase of over 5.2 percentage points was recorded and the trend continued into December with a car share of 16.7 per cent – 0.9 points up on the same period in 2007.

Low CO2 range
Frugal new Fiesta and Ka versions bring the total number of Fords emitting under 120g CO2/km to 51 models. Sales of these vehicles rose by 25 per cent through 2008 and will climb further thanks to the Ford Fiesta ECOnetic, complete with CO2 emissions at 98g/km exempting the car from road tax.