Ford’s European Sales In February Outpace Market Growth

Ford vehicle sales volume and all key market shares – total vehicle, retail, and commercial vehicle – improved again in February compared to a year ago.

“Our sales and share performance in February marked another step forward for Ford as we progress in our plan to return to profitability in Europe in 2015,” said Roelant de Waard, vice president, Marketing, Sales and Service, Ford of Europe.

“We recently just started selling our all-new Transit two-tonne van and we just unveiled the new Focus, which goes on sale later this year. These are just two of the 10 new vehicles we will launch in Europe in 2014. It’s this constant new vehicle momentum that is driving our business in a positive direction.”

In a total industry that saw sales grow by 8 percent, Ford outpaced the overall market with an 11.6 percent increase in sales*. February marked the ninth successive month of Ford sales volume growth in Europe, while Ford total vehicle share also was up by 0.2 of a percentage point to 7.0 percent.

Ford’s focus on improving its sales and share in the key retail segment of the market continued to reap benefits in February with retail sales volume growing by 9.7 percent, and retail share up 0.1 of a percentage point to 7.2 percent**. February was the 13th successive month of retail share growth for Ford in Europe.

Ford CV sales volume rose by 15.8 percent, and CV share at 9.7 percent for the first two months of the year was the company’s highest for the period since 1998. Year-to-date, Ford is Europe’s No. 4 best-selling CV brand, compared with No. 7 in the same period last year.

* Effective January 2014, Ford of Europe reports its sales for the 20 European markets where it is represented through National Sales Companies. Previously, Ford referenced 19 countries. Romania has been added as the 20th market. Ford of Europe has also introduced a market share for the total of the 50 European markets it operates in. Detailed list of markets see further down.

** UK, Germany, France, Italy, Spain. Italy data are preliminary. See table further down. Both Ford and industry volume in these markets represents 75 to 80% of the Europe 20 volume.

Ford Motor Company, a global automotive industry leader based in Dearborn, Mich., manufactures or distributes automobiles across six continents. With about 181,000 employees and 65 plants worldwide, the company’s automotive brands include Ford and Lincoln. The company provides financial services through Ford Motor Credit Company. For more information about Ford and its products worldwide please visit www.corporate.ford.com.

Ford of Europe is responsible for producing, selling and servicing Ford brand vehicles in 50 individual markets and employs approximately 47,000 employees at its wholly owned facilities and approximately 67,000 people when joint ventures and unconsolidated businesses are included. In addition to Ford Motor Credit Company, Ford Europe operations include Ford Customer Service Division and 22 manufacturing facilities (13 wholly owned or consolidated joint venture facilities and nine unconsolidated joint venture facilities). The first Ford cars were shipped to Europe in 1903 – the same year Ford Motor Company was founded. European production started in 1911.

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