Car sales by Ford in July outpaced the market – with sales up 38.2 per cent against July 2012.  According to the official sales figures from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT):

• Ford gained its best total vehicle share (16.5 per cent) for four years in July
• The Fiesta and Focus topped the sales charts in July and for the year to date
• Ford retail car sales and share up in July and for the year to date
• Ford Fiesta leads retail sales, outselling nearest rival by more than two to one

The official figures released by the SMMT yesterday show that total UK car sales in July were up 12.7 per cent to 162,228, compared with July 2012. Ford car sales of 25,597 were up 38.2 per cent from 18,468 in July 2012.  For the year to date (end July) total UK car sales were 1,325,851 up 10.3 per cent compared with 2012, while Ford car sales for this period were 188,993, up 11.9 per cent from 168,149 for the same period in 2012.

Mark Ovenden, Ford of Britain chairman and managing director, said: "Car sales are continuing their positive trend in the UK and Ford sales are ahead of overall market growth with private customers driving up our share of more profitable retail sales.  Ford's best-ever model range is at the heart of this success, which was underlined in July with every nameplate, from Ka through to Galaxy, increasing sales compared with July 2012."

Ford's share of car sales increased by 2.8 percentage points to 15.8 per cent in July, compared with July 2012, and its retail car sales share for the month was up 2.7 percentage points at 13.8 per cent.

Ford Fiesta remained the UK's best-selling car in July, increasing its market share by 0.4 percentage points to 5.7 per cent, compared with July 2012.  Sales of the new Ford Fiesta ST are exceeding expectations with more than 3,000 orders placed since it went on sale at the end of March, a sales rate double the projected target.

The Ford Focus secured the number two slot, taking its market share up 1.2 percentage points to 4.5 per cent, compared with July 2012.  Sales success across the Ford model range saw the Ford Ka, Fiesta, B-MAX, Focus, C-MAX and Kuga all increase sales and share in July and for the year to date, compared with the same periods in 2012.

UK Commercial Vehicle (CV) sales in July were down 1.6 per cent, compared with July 2012, while CV sales for the year to date were up 4.3 per cent.  Total sales of Ford CVs for the year to date were up from 39,974 to 41,587, compared with the same period last year. 

Ford medium commercial sales for the year to date, headed by the industry-leading Ford Transit, were up from 33,159 to 35,194 and Ford's share of MCV sales for the year to date was 31.8 per cent up from 31.6 per cent, compared with the same period in 2012.  In the month Transit was the UK's seventh best-selling vehicle, outpacing many car rivals.

Ford Transit leads the One Tonne, Two Tonne and 3.5-6.0 tonne CV segments, its share of the one tonne segment boosted by the introduction of the Transit Custom and the Tourneo Custom.  Ford Fiesta van also leads its segment, taking a 59.7 per cent share for the year to date.