Ford Sales in Europe Rise in First Quarter on New Product; 10th Straight Month and 4th Consecutive Quarter of Sales Growth

Ford is off to a strong sales start in Europe in 2014, posting year-over-year sales improvements for the tenth straight month in March and the fourth consecutive quarter.

While industry sales volumes grew by 10 percent in March and 8 percent in the first quarter, Ford outpaced the overall market with 12 and 11 percent sales volumes increases, respectively*.

“Our first quarter sales results show that our plan to invest in product and launch more new vehicles – 10 alone in 2014 – is beginning to have a very positive impact with customers,” said Roelant de Waard, vice president, Marketing, Sales and Service, Ford of Europe. “Just as important as absolute sales growth, we are growing our business with retail customers and desirable fleet customers.”

Ford sales volumes to European retail and fleet customers increased by one percentage point to 73 percent of total sales in the first quarter*, two percentage points above industry average. Likewise, Ford sales in less profitable market segments – such as daily rentals and dealer registrations – declined year-over-year to 27 percent in the first quarter, down from 28 per cent a year ago.

Ford sales in the UK – Ford’s biggest European market by sales volume – grew by 13 percent in March and 11 percent in the first quarter, making Ford again the clear market leader. In Germany, Ford sales improved by 19 percent in March and 24 percent in the first quarter, while market share was up 0.8 of a percentage point in March and 1.0 percentage point year-to-date.

Ford’s commercial vehicle sales totalled about 50,000 in the first quarter, up 10 percent. CV market share was 10.4 percent*, up 0.2 percentage points and the highest for Ford since 1998.

More than 326,000 vehicles were sold by Ford in its main 22 European markets in the first quarter of the year. Fiesta and Focus were the No. 1 and No. 2 top-selling Ford vehicles for the first three months of the year. Fiesta sales were up by 7 percent, and Ford recently announced it had increased daily production of the car at its Cologne plant by 200 units to 1,850 units to cope with the increased demand.

The Ford Kuga was the third best-selling Ford vehicle in Europe, with sales of 23,400 (main 22 European markets) up by 56 percent compared to the first three months of 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.

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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