(February 10, 2014) BRENTWOOD, Essex, UK — Ford’s increased commercial vehicle sales in 2013 drove the company to its highest market share since 2007. The UK accounted for more than 38 per cent of Ford’s European CV sales in 2013.

Ford recorded a UK market share of 20.9 per cent, selling 72,238 commercial vehicles in 2013 (5,781 more than the previous year). The company’s European market share increased to 9.2 per cent from 8.5 per cent the prior year, the biggest share increase of any automaker in Europe.

Ford’s sales growth was driven in particular by demand for the new Ford Transit Custom and the Ford Ranger pick-up. Ford sold 41,500 Transit Custom vans across Europe in its first full year of production (10,939 in the UK), and 15,400 Ford Ranger pickups across Europe (4,310 in the UK).

This year Ford will complete its 24-month renewal and expansion of its CV line-up. Having launched the new Ford Fiesta Van and all-new Ford Transit Custom in 2013, the new range is finalized with the introduction of the all-new Ford Transit Connect, Ford Transit (two-ton model) and Ford Transit Courier in the first half of this year.

Ford Dunton Technical Centre in Essex is Ford’s global center of excellence for commercial vehicles, employing over 3,000 highly skilled designers and engineers. Ford Dagenham produces the 1.5, 1.6 and 2.2-liter diesel engines available across the new Ford CV line-up.

In the UK

    Transit has led the UK CV market for 48 consecutive years, since 1965
    More than seven million Transit vans have been sold globally since 1965 - 2.2 million of these in the UK
    Over 700,000 are still on UK roads – one in four vans in the UK is a Transit
    Transit is Ford’s third best-selling vehicle after Fiesta and Focus
    Transit was overall sixth best-selling vehicle in the UK in 2013 (cars and vans)
    Ford won a record number of UK CV awards in 2013 (27)
    Ford is launching 110 Transit Centers across the UK by 2014

The Ford Transit Connect was last year named “International Van of the Year 2014,” making Ford the first single manufacturer to win the award for two consecutive years, after the Ford Transit Custom was named the winner last year.

“Ford now has the freshest commercial vehicle line-up in Europe, and our latest products are bringing significantly more customers into Ford showrooms and Transit Centers,” said Kevin Griffin, director, Commercial Vehicle Marketing and Sales, Ford of Europe. “With more all-new products coming on stream this year, we are confident that our share growth will continue.”