Nissan has been named one of the world's most valuable brands for 2015, rising up each year from 2011

• Nissan rises to 49^th place in Interbrand study, up from 56^th last year and 90^th place in 2011
• Value of the Nissan brand increases by 19% to $9.082 billion

Nissan has been named one of the world's most valuable brands for 2015, according to Interbrand, the world-leading brand consultancy. In the Best Global Brands Study, released today by Interbrand, Nissan ranked 49, up from 56 in 2014 and 90 with a brand valuation of $3.819B from the company’s inaugural appearance on the list in 2011. Nissan is the fastest-rising automotive brand in this year’s study.

“Nissan’s rapid ascent in five short years from place 90 to now 49 shows we’re playing in the right spaces and engaging with consumers while always remaining authentic”,  said Roel de Vries, Nissan Corporate Vice President and global head of Marketing and Brand Strategy. “Growing a global brand that’s exciting and innovative is an integral part of our company’s success.”

The study cited the strength of Nissan’s engagement with Millennials, effective sponsorship opportunities and customization offerings among the drivers of the company’s brand health and again named them a “Top Riser.” The value of the Nissan brand was estimated at $9.082 billion, an increase by 19% from last year's estimated value of more than $7.6 billion.

The study also applauded Nissan tapping into sponsorship opportunities to reach younger audiences, including the UEFA Champions League activation in 2015 and NBC’s “The Voice.” It also highlighted the company’s customization and personalization of products, citing the new US Juke Color Studio and innovative new ownership schemes for LEAF buyers in Europe as relevant ways to connect with today’s consumer.

The Best Global Brands study is Interbrand's annual report on the world's most valuable brands. Interbrand's method looks at the ongoing investment and management of the brand as a business asset, taking into account financial performance, the role of brand in the purchase decision process, and the strength of the brand.

Ford continues to be market leader for nearly 50 years.

UK market leader Ford has secured the two top sales positions for cars and commercial vehicles in July and for the year to date.

According to the official figures for the first half of 2014 from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT):

• Ford Fiesta and Focus are the number one and two best-selling cars
• Ford Transit and Transit Custom are number one and two best-selling CVs
• Transit is Britain’s fifth best-selling nameplate, ahead of many top-selling cars
• Ford’s year to date lead in total vehicle sales exceeds 63,000

Mark Ovenden, Ford of Britain chairman and managing director, said:  "Ford is in its 38^th consecutive year of car sales leadership and its 49^th consecutive year for commercial vehicles.  Ford Fiesta and Focus and Ford Transit and Transit Custom are at the core of this achievement but our extended Ford CV family and the introduction of new car models, the latest of which is the EcoSport, with, Edge, Mustang and Vignale to come, provide a basis for attracting many new customers and building on our leadership position.

“Delivering this success will rely on the continued support of our dealer partners, who make up the strongest network in the UK, as well as the company’s commitment to these new models and technologies.”

The official figures released by the SMMT today show that total car sales in July were up 6.6 per cent at 172,907, compared with July 2013. Ford’s July car sales were 23,647.  For the year to date (end July) total UK car sales were 1,460,172, up 10.1 per cent compared with the same period in 2013, while Ford car sales for this period were 197,201, up from 188,993.

With total registrations of 81,236 for the year to date, up 9.1 per cent compared with the same period in 2013, the Ford Fiesta was the UK best seller – more than 31,000 sales and 2.1 percentage points of market share ahead of its nearest non-Ford rival.

The Ford Kuga is Ford’s third best-selling model, after the Fiesta and Focus.  With sales of 2,154 in July, it secured 1.2 per cent of the total car market, up from 0.7 per cent in 2013.  With the Ford EcoSport now on sale and the launch of the Ford Edge due in 2015, Ford’s presence in this expanding sector is set to grow further.   

The strength in depth of Ford’s car range is further demonstrated by Fiesta, Focus, C-MAX and Galaxy all leading their segments in July while B-MAX and Kuga were second in segment.

UK commercial vehicle (CV) sales for the year to date were 203,965, up 12.8 per cent, compared with the same period in 2013.  Total sales and share of Ford CVs were up for July and for the year to date, compared with 2013, at 7,137 and 24.9 per cent and 46,223 and 22.7 per cent, respectively.

Ford medium commercial sales, headed by the industry-leading Ford Transit and Ford Transit Custom, reached 37,692 for the year to date up from 35,194.  Ford light commercial sales for the same period are up from 6,393 to 8,531, benefitting from the recent launches of the Ford Transit Connect and the Ford Transit Courier that are part of the extended Ford Transit family and, in this sector, join the segment-leading Ford Fiesta Van.