The Auto Channel
The Largest Independent Automotive Research Resource
The Largest Independent Automotive Research Resource
Official Website of the New Car Buyer

Ford of Europe Sets Sales Record in First Half of 2008


PHOTO (select to view enlarged photo)

- Ford of Europe sold a record 1,003,700 vehicles in its 51 markets during the first half of 2008

- Ford Transit commercial vehicle sales hit first-half record of 99,400 vehicles in the Euro 19 markets

- June market share in Euro 19 markets was 8.8 percent, up 0.6 percent compared with the same period last year

- Ford sales in Germany increased by 16.9 percent in June

COLOGNE, Germany, July 15 -- Ford of Europe's sales in its main 51 markets rose by almost two percent to a record 1,003,700 vehicles in the first half of this year.

"Surpassing the one million mark after only six months of the year is confirmation of how well our products are being received by an increasing number of customers," said Ingvar Sviggum, vice president, Marketing, Sales & Service, Ford of Europe. "We are also very pleased that despite a general softening of the industry and the challenging economic environment we increased our market share to 8.8 percent in the Euro 19 markets.

"With the new Kuga compact crossover currently arriving in European dealerships and the all-new Fiesta going into production next month, we are preparing the groundwork to further improve our market position," he added.

June

The top-selling models in June across the Euro 19 markets were the Focus (33,200 vehicles), Fiesta (30,600 vehicles) and Mondeo (14,300 vehicles). The Kuga continued its strong start with sales of 2,800 vehicles.

The Fiesta was the best-selling imported car in Italy with 6,700 vehicles sold, and Ford was Italy's best-selling imported vehicle brand, achieving a 7.9 percent market share. In France, the Fiesta, S-MAX and C-MAX were the best-selling vehicles in their segments.

Britain was the company's top market in June, with 37,200 vehicles sold for a market-leading share of 15.3 percent.

Sales in Germany increased by 16.9 percent to 23,900 vehicles, while France improved by 9.5 percent to 15,700 vehicles.

Half Year

In the first six months of this year, Ford of Europe sold 823,400 vehicles in the Euro 19 markets. Twelve of those markets posted increases. Britain was the company's top region, selling 235,500 vehicles for a share of 16.2 percent. Among other successes, Germany sold 118,500 vehicles, an increase of 5.8 percent, and France sold 80,900 vehicles, up 13.7 percent. Ford leads the market in Spain this year, with a share of 10.0 percent, up 0.5 percent from 2007.

First-half sales in Russia increased 19.8 percent to 97,300 vehicles. Turkey improved by 3.8 percent, to 38,700 vehicles, while sales in Ford's 30 European Direct Markets soared by 39.4 percent to 44,400 vehicles.

In the first half of the year, Transit sales were up 7,500 to a record 99,400 vehicles sold in the Euro 19 markets.

  June and first-half 2008 total sales volume

                        June 08                June YTD 08
  Euro 19(1)            140,300                823,400
  changes vs. 07        down 7,300 / (4.9)     down 10,800 / (1.3) %
                        % vs. June 07          vs. June YTD 07

  Euro 21 (Euro 19 +.   166,800                959,400
  Russia and Turkey)    down 2,200 / (1.3)     up 6,600 / 0.7 % vs.
  changes vs. 07        % vs. June 07          June YTD 07

  EDM 30(2)             8,600                  44,400
  changes vs. 07        up 3,000 / 52.7 %      up 12,500 / 39.4 % vs.
                        vs. June 07            June YTD 07

  Total EURO 51 (EURO   175,400                1,003,700
  21 + EDM 30)          up 800 / 0.4 % vs.     up 19,200 /1.9 % vs.
  changes vs. 07        June 07                June YTD 07

(1) The Euro 19 markets are: Austria, Belgium, Britain, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland.

(2) European Direct Markets are: Albania, Algeria, Andorra, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Bosnia, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Egypt, Georgia, Gibraltar, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Libya, Macedonia, Malta, Moldova, Montenegro, Morocco, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Tunisia, Ukraine, Uzbekistan.

  June and first half 2008 total market share(3)

                        June 08                June YTD 08
  Euro 19(3)            8.8 %                  8.7 %
  changes vs. 07        up 0.6 ppts. vs.       +/- 0.0 ppts. vs. June
                        June 07                YTD 07

  Euro 21 (incl.        8.4 %                  8.5 %
  Russia and Turkey)    up 0.3 ppts. vs.       down 0.2 ppts. vs. June
  changes vs. 07        June 07                YTD 07

(3) Not available for EDM, where we base our share on non-domestic sales volumes.

  June sales by vehicle line (Euro 19)(4)

  Model              June 08   o(u) June 07   June YTD 08   o(u) June YTD 07

  Ka                  5,700           500       30,600            1,400
  Fiesta             30,600        (2,100)     181,200          (18,000)
  Fusion              7,800           100       39,500           (3,800)
  Focus              33,200        (3,200)     204,500          (13,200)
  Focus Coupe-
   Cabriolet          1,500           800        7,200            3,500
  C-MAX              10,600        (2,700)      63,900           (1,500)
  Kuga                2,800         2,800        5,500            5,500
  Mondeo             14,300         5,700       91,700           79,600
  S-MAX               5,800          (800)      32,000           (9,200)
  Galaxy              3,200           100       18,100           (2,200)
  Transit            17,100          (300)      99,400            7,500
  Transit Connect     5,400        (2,600)      34,500           (5,900)
  Ranger              1,300          (700)       9,700             (400)

(4) Figures do not include vehicles such as the Fiesta van, Maverick, Explorer imports and Turkish-built Cargo heavy trucks.