COLOGNE, Germany – Strong early sales of the all-new Focus and C-MAX helped Ford Motor Company reach 9.3 percent market share in March in Europe’s traditional 19 markets.

Ford was the No. 2 best-selling brand in Europe in March and the top-selling brand in the UK, Ireland, Turkey, Hungary and Denmark. Overall, it was Ford’s highest market share for a month since March 2010, when the company achieved 10.4 percent share.

Overall, Ford unit sales in March were down 13.5 percent from March 2010, and 10 per cent down in the first quarter compared with the same period last year. This reflected the fact that the market in Western Europe was weaker than a year ago, plus the favourable impact of scrappage schemes in the early part of 2010 which helped to boost the sale of Ford's small car sales in the first quarter of last year.

“The all-new Focus is off to an outstanding sales start, and this even before we’ve rolled out the car across all our European markets and with the four-door and wagon derivatives still to come in late April and May,” said Roelant de Waard, vice president, Marketing, Sales and Service, Ford of Europe.

“Add to this the strong momentum of our recently launched C-MAX, plus the freshened S-MAX and Galaxy, and you understand why we are looking ahead with great confidence. Success in the car industry is all about product, and we know we have one of the best and emotionally-appealing product ranges with probably the highest value for money in the industry."

The all-new Focus five-door model sold more than 10,000 units in March as the new car continues to go on sale throughout Europe. March sales of the new C-MAX were 14,700, adding to more than 45,000 sales since launch at the end of last year.

The company’s sales in Germany jumped by 23 per cent to 27,300, the highest volume percentage gain for Ford in any of its traditional 19 European markets. Ford’s market share in Germany was 7.6 per cent – the best monthly share in the country since March 2009.

Taking into consideration that March 2009 sales were boosted by Germany's national scrappage scheme, March 2011 was the best share for Ford in Germany for more than half a decade.

Ford retained market leadership in the UK, Denmark, Ireland, Turkey in March, and was market leader in the UK, Ireland, Hungary and Turkey for the first three months of the year. Ford also was No.1 imported brand in Italy in March and in the first quarter, and was No.1 imported brand in the Czech Republic in March.

Sales in Russia, Turkey and Eastern Europe continued to grow by 44, 36 and 16 per cent, respectively year-on-year. 
Ford's total European sales in its 50 markets were 193,100 units in March, down 18,900 units on March last year.

First Quarter 2011 sales

In the first quarter of 2011, 352,100 new Ford vehicles were registered, a decrease of 39,300 or 10 per cent from the same period last year. First quarter market share in Ford's traditional 19 European markets was 8.5 per cent, down 0.9 percentage points compared to 2010. Ford increased market share in Austria, Germany, Norway, Sweden and Turkey in the first quarter 2011.

Across its Euro 50 markets, Ford of Europe sold 411,400 vehicles in the first quarter 2011, down 19,000 or 4.4 percent compared to the same period 2010.