Ford's top-selling car range secured 15.6% of the January market, up 0.3 percentage points compared with January 2011, while Ford commercial vehicles (CVs) maintained overall leadership of the CV market, according to the official sales figures from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT), which can be viewed HERE. 

Mark Ovenden, Ford Britain managing director (Inset), said: 'Ford’s car range is proving its strong customer appeal, starting the year with a sales performance that extends our lead in total car sales including sales to private customers, an indicator that the quality of our market share also continues to be enhanced.

'This year our best-ever range of vehicles has benefitted already from the introductions of the new Ford Ranger and the highly fuel-efficient, 125PS EcoBoost engine in Ford Focus. We will continue to launch new models and ingenious technologies that meet our customers’ increasingly sophisticated needs: a typical example is the recently announced Ford B-MAX with its exciting, innovative design that provides unique access for drivers, passengers and luggage.'

The official figures released by the SMMT today show that total car sales last month were up marginally 0.03% to 128,853 units, compared with January 2011.

Ford car sales of 20,061 were up 2.0%, from 19,657 in January 2011.

Significantly, Ford's retail car market share in January was 14.6%, 1.5 percentage points up from the same month in 2011.  Ford increased its retail car sales lead over its nearest rival by 69%, from 2,268 to 3,843, and it increased its total car sales lead 83%, from 4,346 to 7,951.

Sales of the UK’s best-selling Ford Fiesta range were 7,824 – up from 5,844 in January 2011.  Fiesta also increased its share of car sales from 4.5% to 6.1%.  There were also increases in sales and share for the Ford Ka, the Ford C-MAX range and the Ford Mondeo.

UK commercial vehicle sales were down 7.6%, compared with January 2011.  The LCV and MCV segments in which Ford competes were down 58.9 and 9.9%, respectively.  Sales of Ford commercials in January were down from 4,675 to 3,845, compared with the same month last year.

Ford medium commercials, headed by the industry-leading Ford Transit, accounted for around one-in-four sales in that segment in January.  Ford’s share of MCV sales was 24.3%, down from 27.3% in January 2011.  Ford’s share of light commercial sales was 48.7%, up from 21.9% in January 2011.