UK SALES MAY - FORD - The Blue Oval remains the UK number brand for another year.

Ford drives its sales leadership through the month of May, heading total vehicle, car and commercial vehicle (CV) sales in the UK.

Highlights of the May sales figures issued today by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) include:

• Ford Fiesta is the UK best-seller
• Transit Custom and Transit first and second in CV sales
• Transit CV range is second in UK total vehicle sales
• Ford has four models in the UK Top 20 – Fiesta (1st), Focus (4th), Transit Custom (9th) and Kuga (19th)
• Six Ford models lead their respective segments; Ford Fiesta, Fiesta Van, Transit Custom, Tourneo Custom, Transit and the Ford Ranger

Andy Barratt, Ford of Britain chairman and managing director, said: “It’s an exciting time as we continue to build on our successes and prepare to launch the all-new Fiesta. A real testament to the strength of the Fiesta, now in its ninth year as the UK’s favourite car, was its win at the 2017 Honest John Awards. 

Fiesta was awarded best small hatchback, beating four shortlisted competitors all newer than our current Fiesta, which will be replaced this year with our most technologically advanced model yet. Every successive Fiesta model has improved on the one before, and this new Fiesta is simply outstanding.”

Managing editor of HonestJohn.co.uk, Dan Powell said: “All Fiestas are good to drive, practical and powered by Ford's efficient range of petrol and diesel engines. In our opinion, few small hatchbacks come close to matching the everyday usability of the Fiesta.”

The official figures released by the SMMT today show that industry car sales in May were down 8.5 per cent to 186,265 units, compared with May 2016. Ford car sales were 20,514, 4,858 registrations ahead of its nearest rival. For the year to date (end May) total UK car sales were 1,158,357, down 0.6 per cent compared with the same period in 2016. Ford car sales for this period were 141,221, down 0.2 per cent, 49,715 registrations ahead of its nearest rival.

Ford is also the clear leader in retail car sales, which most accurately reflect the preferences of private buyers. For May, Ford’s retail car sales share was 10.8 per cent, 2.7 percentage points ahead of its nearest rival, and for the year to date, Ford’s retail car sales share was 11.9 per cent, a lead of 4.8 percentage points.

The Ford Fiesta is the UK top seller and in May it recorded 7,617 registrations, 2,168 sales and 1.2 percentage points of share ahead of its nearest rival. With total registrations of 50,779 for the year to date, the Ford Fiesta is the UK best seller by a significant margin – 19,017 sales and 1.8 percentage points of market share ahead of its nearest competitor.

UK light commercial vehicle (LCV) sales in May were down 5.3 per cent at 26,982 compared with May 2016. Ford LCV sales were up 2.3% at 9,433 registrations, up from 9,218 in the same month on 2016.

For the year to date total UK LCV sales were down 5.0 per cent at 147,577, compared with the same period in 2016. Total sales of Ford CVs for the year to date were up 1.6 per cent at 59,779 compared with 2016.

Demand for pick-up vehicles grew 26.2 per cent and the Ford Ranger, with segment leadership, recorded sales of 1,169 and 29.9 per cent market share, 445 registrations and 11.4 per cent ahead of its nearest rival.