UK SALES APRIL - KIA - The brand remained strong although it still dropped, but by less than half the market average.

• Kia delivers 6,291 vehicles in April
• Kia in Top Ten brands for month and year
• Market down almost 20 per cent but Kia fall held to 8 per cent 

In a market down by almost 20 per cent during April demand from Kia customers allowed the brand to stay strong – seeing only an eight per cent fall compared to 2016.

With the brand’s popular Picanto model – its second biggest seller – in run-out ahead of the launch of the all-new model on 1 May, demand for Sportage, cee’d and the all-new Rio allowed Kia to deliver 6,291 vehicles to customers during the month – making Kia the ninth best-selling brand in the market.

And with sales for the year reaching 35,996 Kia also held ninth place in the best-selling list to the end of April. Although the April market fell dramatically Kia is still 16 per cent ahead of the 2016 performance for the year to date.

Paul Philpott, President and Chief Executive of Kia Motors (UK) Limited commented: “The vehicle excise duty changes coming into effect at the start of April was always going to have an effect on the month and because our ever-popular Picanto model was in run-out ahead of the all new model launched just this week, we expected our performance to drop off – but I am very pleased that demand for our other excellent vehicles remained strong amongst both retail and business customers.

“Initial response to the all-new Picanto is extremely positive and exciting and I expect our performance to come back strongly in the months ahead – especially as we have two other all-new models to launch this year. I was pleased to see that our year-to-date performance, up 16 per cent, is well ahead of the overall market’s one per cent improvement.

“And I am absolutely delighted that we are ninth in the best seller lists for both April and the year-to-date,” he commented.

WORLDWIDE SALES APRIL - MERCEDES - The brands show a whopping 10.1% growth over the month.

• New best-ever unit sales with 180,599 vehicles sold worldwide and double-digit growth in April (+10.1%)
• Continuation of strong sales growth in China (+35.3%)
• More than 250,000 units sold of the new E-Class Saloon and Estate since market launch

Mercedes-Benz achieved record unit sales for the 50th consecutive month in April. In the first month of the second quarter, 180,599 vehicles with the three-pointed star were delivered to customers, which is 10.1% more than in the same month of last year. Since the beginning of this year, unit sales have increased even faster. 

Compared with the first four months of 2016, 14.5% more vehicles have been sold this year: a total of 741,224 units. Mercedes-Benz was the premium brand with the most new cars registered in April in markets including Germany, Great Britain, Spain, Switzerland, Portugal, Japan, Australia, Taiwan, the USA and Canada.

“April was very successful for Mercedes-Benz: We achieved our 50th consecutive record month for unit sales and once again a double-digit growth,” stated Britta Seeger, Member of the Board of Management of Daimler AG responsible for Mercedes-Benz Cars Marketing & Sales. 

“With the new S-Class, which had its world premiere at the trade fair in Shanghai in April, we want to continue the story of our successful luxury saloon car. So far, we have delivered about four million S-Class Saloons to our customers.”

Mercedes-Benz unit sales by region and market

In Europe, Mercedes-Benz increased its unit sales in April by 3.9% to a new high of 75,928 vehicles. This growth was driven not only by a new record for unit sales and double-digit growth in Great Britain, but also in Spain, Belgium, Switzerland, Sweden, Portugal and Poland. 

In Germany, the domestic market, the Stuttgart-based company with the three-pointed star achieved a 5% increase in unit sales in the first four months of the year; 95,171 Mercedes-Benz vehicles were handed over to customers in that period.

In the Asia-Pacific region, a total of 68,485 vehicles were delivered to customers in the fourth month of this year (+29.8%) – more than ever before in an April. In China, 47,627 customers were delighted to receive their new Mercedes-Benz, which is an increase of 35.3% compared with the prior-year month. This means that the company achieved best-ever figures in its biggest sales market both in April and in the first four months of the year. This is also true for the markets South Korea, Australia, Taiwan and India.

Since the beginning of the year, Mercedes-Benz posted new record sales in the NAFTA region. In the period of January to April this year, 126,191 vehicles were handed over to customers (+3.5%). In each of the United States (+1.0%), Canada (+13.2%) and Mexico (+37.7%), more customers received a new Mercedes-Benz than ever before in the first four months of a year.

Mercedes-Benz unit sales by model

The C-Class continued to be in strong demand and was the best-selling Mercedes-Benz model last month. A total of 33,666 customers took delivery of their new C-Class Saloon or Estate in April. The long-wheelbase version of the C-Class Saloon, which is sold exclusively in China, recorded best-ever sales figures once again in April.

The E-Class is as popular as ever. In April, 28,827 customers decided in favour of the E-Class Saloon or Estate, which is 52.4% more than in the prior-year month. This was a new April record for the two models. The success story of the new E-Class started a year ago with the market launch of the Saloon in Europe. Since then, more than 250,000 new E-Class Saloons and Estate models have been sold.

The SUVs from Mercedes-Benz posted best-ever unit sales in April and in the first four months of the year: 59,739 customers took delivery of their new SUV last month (+5.5%) and a total of 247,877 since the beginning of the year (+13.3%). The GLC made a major contribution to this success. Demand will be additionally boosted by the new GLA, which has been available from dealerships in Europe since April.

smart

This April, 10,952 customers decided in favour of a two-seat or four-seat urban microcar from smart; the number since the beginning of the year is 45,108. The smart brand set sales records in the first four months of the year in China and Great Britain, two of its largest markets. Worldwide, the convertible version of the smart achieved particularly strong growth since the beginning of the year. Sales of the smart cabrio electric drive will now start in Europe this May.

Overview of sales by Mercedes-Benz Cars

	April 2017	Change in %	Jan. – April 2017	Change in %
Mercedes-Benz	180,599	+10.1	741,224	+14.5
smart	10,952	-9.4	45,108	-5.1
Mercedes-Benz Cars	191,551	+8.7	786,332	+13.1
Mercedes-Benz unit sales in the region/market
Europe	75,928	+3.9	309,257	+9.0
- thereof Germany	24,577	-4.7	95,171	+5.0
Asia-Pacific	68,485	+29.8	287,903	+27.9
- thereof China	47,627	+35.3	192,574	+36.8
NAFTA	32,049	-5.9	126,191	+3.5
- thereof USA	26,932	-7.9	106,073	+1.0

UK SALES APRIL - The Blue Oval remains the UK #1 brand as it has done every year for many decades.

Ford was the UK market leader in total vehicle, car and commercial vehicle (CV) sales in April, and also led retail sales across both car and CV sectors .

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

April 2017 highlights:

• Ford total vehicle sales 23,062 (13.2 per cent share, and 4.5 percentage points ahead of nearest rival)
• Ford Fiesta is UK best-seller, Ford Transit Custom leads CV sales
• Ford has five models in the UK top 20 – Fiesta (1st), Focus (5th), Transit Custom (12th), Kuga (18th) and Transit (19th)
• Ford Fiesta, C-MAX, Mondeo, Fiesta Van, Transit Courier, Transit Custom, Tourneo Custom and Transit lead their respective segments 

Andy Barratt, Ford of Britain chairman and managing director, said: “Following our record sales performance in March, and the rush to avoid the VED tax rise, April was always going to be a slower month. Fiesta and Transit Custom continue to reinforce our long-standing leadership position in the UK, delivered through the strongest UK dealer network. Five vehicles in the UK top 20 and eight Ford vehicles leading their segments firmly underline the success of our exciting model range. 

“The UK car market remains strong and we continue to see significant growth in our EcoSport and Kuga models which have been enjoying robust sales this year, and this summer we see the most technologically advanced next generation Fiesta Ford arriving in dealerships.” 

The official figures released by the SMMT today show that total car sales in April were down 19.8 per cent to 152,076 units, compared with April 2016, following record sales in March. Ford vehicle sales were 16,183, 2,838 registrations ahead of its nearest rival. 

Ford maintains its lead in retail car sales, which most accurately reflect the preferences of private buyers. For April, Ford is 2.3 percentage points of retail car sales share ahead of its nearest rival and for the year to date, the lead is 5.0 percentage points. 

The Ford Fiesta remains the UK’s best-seller with 4,957 registrations in April, and led retail sales with 2,268 registrations and 1.7 percentage points of share ahead of its nearest rival. 

UK light commercial vehicle sales in April were down 17.5 per cent at 24,028 compared with April 2016. Ford light and medium commercials sales were 7,092, representing a market share of 29.5 per cent, up from 28.9 per cent in April 2015, and 16.5 per cent ahead of nearest rival. Transit Custom and Transit placed first and second in total CV sales, with Ford’s range of commercial vehicles leading total retail sales. 

The full availability of Ford’s extended CV family has helped deliver these significant increases in sales and share. Fiesta Van, Transit Courier, Transit Connect, Transit Custom, and Transit all placed in the top three in their respective market segments. 

USA SALES APRIL - KIA - The Korean brand has taken a massive drop in sales for the month.

Kia Motors America today announced April sales of 53,358 units, led by the Forte nameplate with 10,496 units sold, the highest monthly sales total in company history for the family of compact cars, going through each model, starting with the Rio which took a huge nose dive on the same month a year ago, yes the Forte did grow but only slightly.

The Optima, Cadenza and K900 all took dips, but the sales drop was helped with nearly 3000 (2939) units being sold by the all new NIRO hybrid car, The Sportage sook a huge drop, losing 2,000 units, 1,000 units down on the Sorento, and another over 2,300 drop on the Soul model.

The Sedona grew, but only slightly, so for the month for Kia, the Forte, NIRO and Sedona were the only positive points with all other models losing sales over the same month one year ago, which is really not great news for the brand.

	MONTH OF APRIL		YEAR-TO-DATE
Model	2017	2016	2017	2016
Rio	1,463	2,523	4,535	7,889
Forte	10,496	9,740	35,558	33,662
Optima	10,731	11,224	37,676	40,992
Cadenza	500	533	1,625	2,085
K900	39	77	147	323
Niro	2,939	N/A	7,828	N/A
Sportage	5,672	7,645	21,086	25,112
Sorento	9,317	10,353	30,092	35,046
Sedona	3,019	2,896	9,437	13,127
Soul	9,182	11,517	33,102	44,593
Total

USA SALES APRIL - PORSCHE - The sports car and SUV Brand grows by 2.2% over the same month a year ago.

Porsche Cars North America, Inc. (PCNA), importer and distributor in the United States of Porsche 911, 718 Boxster and Cayman, Panamera, Cayenne, and Macan model lines, today announced April 2017 sales of 5,529 vehicles. This is a 2.2 percent increase over April 2016. Year-to-date, sales are up 3.4 percent over last year with 18,247 vehicles.

Panamera sales were particularly strong with 1,098 deliveries in the new model's first full month on the market, a remarkable 196 percent increase over April of last year. Boxster deliveries stood at 319, a 42.4 percent increase over last year.

"We are pleased to see such a strong start for our new Panamera, surpassing the 1,000 unit per month mark for the first time ever," remarked Klaus Zellmer, President and Chief Executive Officer of PCNA. "April is always a strong month for Porsche, and 2017 is no different."

Porsche Approved Certified Pre-Owned (CPO) vehicle sales in the U.S. were 1,641, a 9.6 percent increase compared to the same period last year. Year-to-date, CPO sales are up 10.6 percent and stand at 5,947 for the first four months of 2017.

Model	April Sales		Year-to-Date
	2017	2016	2017	2016
ALL 911	940	1,023	2,958	3,182
ALL BOXSTER/CAYMAN	534	673	1,640	2,167
ALL PANAMERA	1,098	371	1,715	1,334
ALL CAYENNE	1,257	1,466	4,897	5,483
ALL MACAN	1,700	1,877	7,037	5,481
GRAND TOTALS	5,529	5,411	18,247	17,648

*918 Spyder sales are reflected in 2016 grand total figures.

USA SALES APRIL - MERCEDES - a rathe large decrease hits the three pointed star in the month.

Mercedes-Benz USA (MBUSA) today reported April sales volume at 26,932 units, decreasing 7.9% from the 29,236 vehicles sold during the same month last year. On a year-to-date basis, Mercedes-Benz retails totaled 106,073 units, increasing 1.0% from the previous year, which was a record for MBUSA. Adding 2,193 units for Vans and 365 units for smart, MBUSA achieved a grand total of 29,490 vehicles for the month, down 8.7% from last year, and up 0.5% year-to-date (117,125).

"While we're outpacing last year, we saw some challenges in April due to limits on availability of some of our most popular model lines (GLC, CLA and GLA) during model changeover," said Dietmar Exler, president and CEO of MBUSA. "That said, we are looking for another record year."

Mercedes-Benz volume leaders in April included the C-Class, GLE and E-Class (including the CLS) model lines. The C-Class took the lead at 7,821, followed by the GLE sales of 4,468. The E-Class rounded out the top three with 4,059 units sold.

Mercedes-AMG high-performance models sold 3,130 units in April, with a total of 11,469 units sold year-to-date (up 48.3%).

Separately, Mercedes-Benz Certified Pre-Owned (MBCPO) models recorded sales of 9,874 vehicles in April, a decrease of -1.8% when compared to the same month last year (10,054). On a year-to-date basis, MBCPO sold 40,352 vehicles, and increase of 2.5% over 2016 (39,357).

Ford annouces tha the Fiesta became Europes best selling car in March, not bad considering its a run out model.

• Ford Fiesta is the best-selling car in Europe, according to Ford analysis of March 2017 industry data; 47,000 Ford Fiestas sold in March*
• Ford sold 199,900 vehicles in March, up 14 per cent year-over-year, to become the second best-selling vehicle brand in Europe
• Technologically advanced all-new Ford Fiesta goes on sale across Europe this summer 

The Ford Fiesta is the best-selling car in Europe, according to Ford analysis of March 2017 industry data. 

Customers purchased 47,000 Fiestas in March, a 12 per cent increase year-over-year,* to overtake the Volkswagen Golf as the region’s top-selling passenger car. 

The Ford Fiesta has been the UK best-seller for eight years and, in a record sales month in the UK, it notched up 25,428 sales. 

Almost 70 per cent of Fiesta sales in March were high-specification models, including 17 per cent in top specification Titanium series. Fiesta sales helped fuel a new car registration boom in Europe that saw a record 1.93 million sales in March – a 10.8 per cent increase year-over-year. Europe has now overtaken the U.S. to become the world's second largest region for new car registrations.** 

Ford sold 199,900 vehicles in Europe in March (up 14 per cent year-over-year), including 156,200 passenger vehicles (up 16 per cent year-over-year). This makes Ford the second best-selling vehicle brand in Europe with a total vehicle market share of 9.2 per cent. 

“Fiesta was again our best-selling vehicle in March, making up 12 per cent of Ford total vehicle sales. Customers continue to be attracted by Fiesta’s distinctive style, powerful but fuel-efficient engines, and class-leading fun to drive character,” said Roelant de Waard, Vice President, Marketing, Sales and Service, Ford of Europe. “March was a stand-out month for Ford in Europe, with sales increases across the board.” 

Of Europe’s five largest markets for car sales – Germany, the U.K., France, Italy and Spain – Spain recorded the most significant growth for Fiesta with sales increasing 97 per cent year-over-year in March. In Italy, Fiesta sales increased 21 per cent and in Germany 18 per cent year-over year. The UK – where Fiesta is the best-selling vehicle nameplate of all time – saw a sales increase of 8 per cent year-over-year, while Hungary, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Romania, Switzerland and the Netherlands also recorded significant increases in Fiesta registrations. 

All-new Fiesta

The all-new Ford Fiesta goes on sale in Europe this summer offering four distinctive versions, including the stylish Fiesta Titanium, the Ford Performance-inspired Fiesta ST-Line and the upscale Fiesta Vignale. 

An all-new Fiesta Active crossover – the first in a new line-up of Active vehicles to be rolled out across the Ford range in years to come – and the next-generation Ford Fiesta ST, powered by an all-new 200PS, three-cylinder, 1.5-litre EcoBoost engine, will follow in early 2018. 

Featuring the most sophisticated driver assistance technologies and connectivity features ever in a volume small car in Europe, all-new Fiesta debuts an enhanced Pedestrian Detection system that can help prevent collisions at night; and the first Ford Active Park Assist system that can deliver brake interventions to prevent low-speed bumps when parking hands-free. 

Cutting-edge powertrains include Ford’s multi-award winning 1.0-litre EcoBoost petrol engine offering up to 140PS, and a 1.5-litre TDCi diesel offering 120PS – the first high-power diesel Fiesta powertrain.