BRENTWOOD, Essex, 7 January, 2016 – Ford increased its UK market lead in 2015 while recording 39 consecutive years of car sales leadership and 50 years of UK commercial vehicle (CV) sales leadership.  Ford is carrying significant sales momentum into 2016, outpacing UK industry growth in all sectors: total vehicle, cars and commercial vehicles (CVs).

Highlights of the official full-year 2015 figures issued today by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) include:

• Ford is the number one UK car brand for 39 successive years.
• Ford commercial vehicles have been the UK's favourite for 50 years.
• Ford’s sales lead increased across all sectors: total vehicle, cars and CVs.
• Fiesta is the UK best seller for the seventh successive year.
• Ford CV sales are the second highest ever, comfortably exceeding 100,000.
• Ford recorded highest ever retail car sales share in December.

Andy Barratt, Ford of Britain chairman and managing director, said:  "Ford has consistently provided UK customers with the most appealing vehicle range and the best after-sales support, supplied through the strongest dealer network.  This year has seen a transformation across the network with 57 new flagship FordStores now open representing a combined investment of over £50 million by these dealers.

“In 2015, Ford extended its sales lead in a fiercely competitive market and launched a number of award-winning vehicles and technologies.  The latest vehicles to be recognised in this way are the Ford Fiesta ST and the Ford S-MAX – category winners in the Sunday Times Top 100 Cars.

We aim to reinforce our sales lead in 2016, after very encouraging results in November and December that saw Ford exceed overall sales growth in all sectors of the market."

According to the official SMMT figures, full year car sales in the UK in 2015 were up 6.3 per cent at 2,633,503 registrations, compared with 2014.  Ford sold 335,267 cars in the UK last year, up from 326,643 in 2014.  Ford’s car sales lead in 2015, over its nearest rival, increased by 14.0 per cent to 65,501.

Ford is also the clear leader in retail car sales, which most accurately reflect the preferences of private buyers.  At 14.9 per cent, Ford’s December retail car sales share was its best ever, 7.2 percentage points ahead of its nearest rival.  For the full year, Ford’s retail car sales share was 12.3 per cent, a lead of 4.3 percentage points.

Ford Fiesta’s total registrations of 133,434 in 2015, up from 131,254 in 2014, made it the UK best-seller by a significant margin: 41,357 sales and 1.6 percentage points of market share ahead of its nearest competitor.

Ford Kuga sales are at the highest level since it was launched with three times as many sold compared with five years ago.  Kuga registrations in December were 2,444, up 36.2 per cent, compared with December 2014, and Kuga sales for the full year were 32,936, up 35.2 per cent, compared with 2014.

Ford Transit has led the UK CV sector from its launch in 1965 and Ford’s CV range secured a 24.8 per cent share in 2015, up from 23.5 per cent in 2014.  Ford’s CV sales lead of 61,041 in 2015 increased by 38.8 per cent compared with 2014, while Ford’s UK total vehicle 2015 sales lead of 126,609 units increased by 16.1 per cent compared with 2013.

Ford’s fresh and extended CV range helped deliver Ford’s second best ever commercial sales in 2015.  UK CV sales in 2015 were 429,576 up 16.5 per cent, compared with 2014.  Ford CV sales in 2015 were 106,356 up 22.9 per cent, compared with 2014.

The December registration figures released by the SMMT show that UK car sales were up by 8.4 per cent at 180,077 units, compared with December 2014.  Ford car sales were 23,261, up 13.4 per cent, compared with December 2014.

UK commercial vehicle sales in December were up 20.3 per cent at 35,565, compared with December 2014.  Sales of Ford CVs were up 28.3 per cent at 8,165, compared with December 2014.