Ford continues to dominate UK sales

UK market leader Ford has increased its car and commercial vehicle (CV) sales for March and the year to date, compared with 2012.  Ford’s retail car sales and share were also up for March and for the year to date, compared with 2012, with the Ford Fiesta outselling its nearest rival in retail sales by more than two to one.

According to the official sales figures from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders
(SMMT):

First quarter 2013 highlights:

• Ford leads UK market: total vehicle sales 102,686, share 15.0 per cent
• Ford Fiesta and Ford Focus are the UK’s number one and two best sellers
• Ford extends its retail car sales lead by 19.8 per cent over its nearest rival
• Ford CV sales and share up compared with 2012

March 2013 highlights:

• Ford total vehicle sales 66,013, or 14.9 per cent market share
• Ford Fiesta is clear leader in overall and retail car sales
• Ford extends its retail car sales lead by 22.4 per cent over its nearest rival
• Ford CV sales and share up compared with 2012

Mark Ovenden, Ford of Britain managing director, said:  "The important March sales month, when the number plate change boosts registrations, has provided more positive news for the UK market and seen Ford’s car and CV ranges continue their terrific 2013 sales record.

“Vigorous consumer demand is also driving up our share of more profitable retail sales thanks to our latest and most exciting range of vehicles and the UK’s strongest dealer network.  This range has been strengthened further this year with the launches of the new Ford Fiesta, the Ford Transit Custom, the Ford Kuga and the headline-grabbing new Ford Fiesta ST."

The official figures released by the SMMT today show that total car sales in March were up 5.9 per cent to 394,806 units, compared with March 2012. Ford car sales of 54,702 were up from 53,830 in March 2012.  For the year to date (end March) total UK car sales were 605,198, up 7.4 per cent compared with 2012, while Ford car sales for this period were 84,347, up from 82,848 in 2012.

With a total of 22,748 registrations the Ford Fiesta was the UK best seller in March - 6,579 sales and 1.7 percentage points of market share ahead of its nearest rival - and for the year to date with sales up from 31,695 to 34,309, compared with the same period in 2012.

Excluding large cars, which were in reduced supply for a period, all Ford cars have increased sales and share for the year to date, compared with 2012.  This includes Ford Ka, Ford Fiesta, Ford B-MAX, Ford Focus, Ford C-MAX and Ford Kuga.

UK CV sales in March were up 6.5 per cent, compared with March 2012.  Total sales of Ford CVs in March were up from 10,534 to 11,649, compared with the same month last year, with share up from 22.0 to 22.8 per cent.

Ford medium commercial sales, headed by the industry-leading Ford Transit, were up from 8,676 to 10,025 and Ford’s share of MCV sales was 32.1 per cent up from 30.2 per cent in March 2012. The Ford Transit is the seventh best-selling vehicle in the UK.

Ford Transit leads all the CV segments in which it competes with its share of the one tonne segment bolstered by the introduction of the Transit Custom and the Tourneo Custom, which notched up sales of 1,327 and 144, respectively, in March.  Ford Fiesta van outsells its closest rival by more than two to one, taking 65.8 per cent of its segment in March and 67.5 per cent for the year to date.