Retail New Car Buyers Back Ford's Drive For Value

Ford has reaped the rewards of offering outstanding value to private motorists by dominating the retail car market - with a share over 90 per cent ahead of its nearest rival. More than one in eight new cars bought privately so far this year were Fords.

Ford highlights from figures released today by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) include:

• Launch of the all-new Focus helped strong retail (non-fleet) sales. The 5,534 Focus models registered privately in the first two months of 2005 are 30 per cent up on last year.
• This success for Focus led to Ford capturing 12.8 per cent of retail sales year-to-date. Number two in this market managed 6.7 per cent.
• Overall Focus remains on top as the UK's best selling car, and also the number one choice among company car drivers.
• Ford leads the 2005 new car and commercial vehicle markets, as at end of February.
• Fiesta's overall share of the small car segment is up versus a year ago. Fiesta is retail bestseller.
• Mondeo is best selling diesel 2005 to date, leading a boom market which has risen for 53 successive months.
• In the commercial sector, Ranger volumes are up by almost five per cent for the versatile pick-up.

Paul Thomas, Ford Britain Managing Director, said: "We said Ford's retail performance would accelerate when announcing our February sale prices. I'm delighted private buyers responded so well and snapped up the cars on offer so quickly. Now all eyes are on March and already thousands of motorists are enjoying their new '05'-plated Fords."

In a traditionally lean February ahead of the new '05' plate on sale from March, Ford sold 11,709 cars and 3,905 commercial vehicles.