Ford Fiesta winning hearts and minds - and wallets - in Europe
2009 Ford Fiesta - Click above for a high-res gallery
The Ford Fiesta has already won us over -– twice – and we can't even buy the car yet. But European buyers are nabbing so many Fiestas that the Blue Oval is now enjoying a 10% market share in Europe based on the strength of the compact's sales alongside the Focus and Transit. It's the first time that Ford has had a double-digit European market share since September 2001, and it keeps Ford solidly in the number two spot overall behind Volkswagen.
In all but three of Europe's 19 markets, Ford says it has improved its showing. Already this year, there have been 108,000 Fiestas sold, with 52,800 of those coming in March alone. The market share triumph is even sweeter seeing that overall industry sales took a double-digit fall, but Ford is getting more of what's left. There was no cheating with fleet sales, either: retail sales were up 13% year-on-year. Only France, Switzerland, and Italy showed declines. Appreciate the tip, Preston.
Gallery: Ford Fiesta in NYC
[Source: Ford]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 4)
GusTurbo 1:31PM (4/16/2009)
I can only hope that it is as big of a hit here as it is in Europe.
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thipps 2:28PM (4/16/2009)
FORD, GM are starting to kick ass with there products. numbers will follow. it just takes some time. so happy for some american companies to start making some great cars that make people think different about there company. Its horrible to think that some of the people responsible for this change like example Bob Lutz are gone now because of "pressure" from you know who. Mr. CEO of the usa
Xcountryflyer 2:31PM (4/16/2009)
News like this makes me smile. I am so glad that at least one of the American auto veterans is showing some success from class-competitive vehicles. I hope that Ford's success makes it over the Atlantic
geo.stewart 2:42PM (4/16/2009)
must...have...3...door....
EU_reader 2:42PM (4/16/2009)
@thipps
are you almost done with ****?
Lutz => retired
thipps 2:48PM (4/16/2009)
yes true he did retire, but if you dont think it had something to do with "pressure" put on him by the government then i dont know what i can tell you. same thing with Rick Wagner.
montoym 3:33PM (4/16/2009)
The fact that Ford is #2 behind VW in market share should be telling.
Everyone has these high hopes for the Fiesta and assume that it will do well here because it does well overseas.
Well, VW is #1 in market share overseas and isn't even close here in the US.
Plus, Europeans are far more accepting of small cars than we Americans. The Fiesta would be in the same size class as the Mini Cooper and we all know how well Minis sell(50K/yr is not significant considering the competition). Granted, a lot of that can be chalked up to price, but I still see the next-gen Focus being a much larger hit here than the Fiesta.
Time will tell.
Rich 4:32PM (4/16/2009)
monotym: agreed, but you're off with the Mini comparison. That car isn't anywhere close to being a market leader in the UK or Europe.
montoym 8:15PM (4/16/2009)
I never said the Mini was a market leader in Europe or the UK. Frankly, I have no idea what their sales are like there.
In the US however(where it sells the 50k/yr figure I mentioned), it is considered to be a great success despite selling in far fewer numbers than its competition.
It is in the same size class as the Fiesta and thus that was the reason for my comparison. Plus, both are hatchbacks making it even more relevent and we all know how well hatchbacks sell in the US. That's yet another reason why looking at European sales figures is a bad comparison, they love hatchbacks there while the large majority of Americans don't.
So again, just because the Fiesta is a hit in Europe says virtually nothing about its potential here.
Mr.Oak 9:42PM (4/16/2009)
Thipps: Either you are an ignorant sloff or boldface LIAR. Mr. Lutz announced his retirement around February 9th. 2009. The president essentially fired Wagoner on or about March 29th, 2009.
You ought to be ashamed.
the_MVP_X 1:35PM (4/16/2009)
euro trash
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StickShift 1:40PM (4/16/2009)
In after ignorance.
ken_aisin 1:50PM (4/16/2009)
In terms of styling, it looks better than anything you can find on the U.S. Ford site.
greenchile505 2:52PM (4/16/2009)
One's man's trash is another man' treasure.
Europeans are pretty good at styling. After all they've been doing it much longer than *US.
*(pun intended).
jakecarolan 1:38PM (4/16/2009)
Hot dog! I'm all kinds of annoyed that it's gonna take Ford a year or so to start selling them here in the States. After losing out on the Fiesta Movement, I'm despairing the wait.
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Alex 1:38PM (4/16/2009)
i am anxiously awaiting its arival on our shores.
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Metar 7:15PM (4/16/2009)
Clarkson-style, with British marines and all?
manuelmondragon 1:44PM (4/16/2009)
much better that "the world car of the year"
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Kitko 2:11PM (4/16/2009)
It must be, under the body, it's a basically a Mazda2, the last year's World Car of the Year.
Cornholio 1:40PM (4/16/2009)
Ford, I'll say it again - don't screw up the US version of this car. I wan the EXACT car shown in the photos. Cheapen it out with steelie wheels and plastic hubcaps, a jacked up ride height and soft US-spec suspension, and a decontented interior, and you'll screw the pooch. Leave it as is, price it competatively (read: NOT cheapest) and you'll have a winner.
So, what's it gonna be? We're waiting....
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