Ford Gains Market Share in Europe

- Ford leads the industry across Europe's main 19 markets with 9.9 percent market share

- March sales across these 19 markets was 187,400

- Including Turkey, market share was 10 percent and sales were 195,100

- Across all Ford's 51 European markets, sales broke the 500,000 barrier during the first quarter of 2008

- Ford took first quarter sales leadership in the UK and Spain

- Record Ford commercial vehicle sales in the quarter.

COLOGNE, Germany, April 15 -- Ford of Europe strengthened its leadership position in March across Europe's 19 main markets, increasing its market share to 9.9 percent despite soft overall industry sales.

Ford sold 187,400 vehicles in the 19 markets last month. When strong sales in Russia, Turkey and the 30 Ford European Direct Markets are added, total sales for the month were 221,100.

Ford sales across all its 51 markets grew by 7,500 during the first quarter of the year to reach 501,500 vehicles.

Market Highlights

The company's top-performing market in March was the UK, where the March registration plate change boosted sales to 83,460 (+1,840), the highest Ford total there since the country's bi-annual plate change system was introduced in 1999.

Elsewhere, Ford was the leading imported brand in France in March, with sales up 13 percent to 14,500. In Spain, Ford was market leader in the first quarter with a 10.3 percent market share, up 0.8 percent versus prior year. In the Netherlands, Ford took market leadership in March with an 8.8 percent market share, up 0.5 percent versus 2007.

Turkey and Russia also continued to grow, Turkey by 11 percent to 7,700 units and Russia by 7.5 percent to 17,800 units -- a record March for Russia.

Best-Selling Vehicle Models in March

The Fiesta was Ford of Europe's top-selling model in March (46,800) across the 19 European markets followed by the Focus (44,600). Mondeo sales soared to 18,700.

And it was not only Ford cars that were in demand. March commercial vehicle sales increased across these same 19 territories to 34,700. The Transit led the sales charge, selling over 23,100 units.

First Quarter Sales and Market Share

Commercial vehicle sales reached an all-time record across the Euro 19 markets during the quarter (77,400), with Transit sales alone accounting for 51,000 of that total.

Ford of Europe first quarter market share across the main Euro 19 markets was 8.9 percent.

The best-performing Ford market during the first quarter was the UK with sales of 131,340. Among other successes France boosted its sales by over 4,300, to 38,670.

"Despite last month's slowdown in the European market, we finished the first quarter with higher year-over-year sales. With our range of high quality new models continuing to resonate with both the media and the public, we are in a strong position to build on that positive start to the year," said Ingvar Sviggum, vice president, marketing, sales and service, Ford of Europe.

"With more than 20 new or improved models, including the Kuga and, of course, the new Fiesta, arriving in showrooms this year, we are confident of maintaining our sales momentum in the months ahead," he added.

  Notes to Editors:

  -- Ford of Europe's market share refers to 19 European markets - excluding
     Turkey and Russia (as the other main markets) and the 30 European
     Direct Markets (EDM), where we base our share on non-domestic sales
     volume.
  -- From this month, we are also reporting our sales performance (passenger
     cars and commercial vehicles) for the total region for which Ford of
     Europe is responsible (51 markets in total).
  -- Sales data for specific car lines refer to the Euro 19 markets
     (excluding Turkey and Russia).
  -- The Euro 19 markets are: Austria, Belgium, Britain, Czech Republic,
     Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy,
     Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland.
  -- European Direct Markets include: Albania, Algeria, Andorra, Armenia,
     Azerbaijan, Belarus, Bosnia, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Egypt, Georgia,
     Gibraltar, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Libya, Macedonia, Malta, Moldova,
     Montenegro, Morocco, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Tajikistan,
     Turkmenistan, Tunisia, Ukraine, Uzbekistan.

Ford Motor Company , a global automotive industry leader based in Dearborn, Mich., manufactures or distributes automobiles in 200 markets across six continents. With about 245,000 employees and about 100 plants worldwide, the company's core and affiliated automotive brands include Ford, Jaguar, Land Rover, Lincoln, Mercury, Volvo and Mazda. The company provides financial services through Ford Motor Credit Company. For more information regarding Ford's products, please visit www.ford.com.