News from Ford
January car market slides 66% as Ford regains top spot
Ford chief: “Economic suicide” to ignore scrappage scheme
“Pent-up demand for the exciting new Fiesta and our offer on the best-selling Focus has seen Ford take the No.1 spot in January, but in this haemorrhaging market there’s little cause for celebration,” commented Eddie Murphy of Ford Ireland.
“The Government cannot just stand by and watch the market implode,” he continued. “At this rate the industry will fall short of 65,000 units in 2009 and the Government will suffer a €1.0 billion shortfall in projected revenue from the sector. It has to look at a scrappage scheme to help ignite the market, much as it is doing in Germany, for example. It is tantamount to economic suicide to allow the opportunity pass here.”
Sales of vans plummeted by 76% in January, with Ford again the top-selling brand.
Ford chief: “Economic suicide” to ignore scrappage scheme
Cork, 2 February 2009 – Official figures for January show the car market in Ireland fell by 66% over the same period in 2008. According to the Society of the Irish Motor Industry (SIMI), 15,929 cars were registered last month, down from 47,609 in January of last year. Ford, with a 17.9% share, was market leader, ahead of Toyota.
With 2,853 units, Ford’s was the strongest showing of any major brand. Sales were down 54% on last January, with Toyota down 64% (2,270 units, 14.3% share) and Nissan down 61.5% at 1,479 units (9.3% share).
Car Sales January 2009
| Cars | |
|
Ford |
2,853 (17.9%) |
|
Toyota |
2,270 (14.3%) |
|
Nissan |
1,479 (9.3%) |
|
VW |
1,242 (7.8%) |
|
Opel |
1,158 (7.3%) |
|
Totals |
15,929 |
“Pent-up demand for the exciting new Fiesta and our offer on the best-selling Focus has seen Ford take the No.1 spot in January, but in this haemorrhaging market there’s little cause for celebration,” commented Eddie Murphy of Ford Ireland.
“The Government cannot just stand by and watch the market implode,” he continued. “At this rate the industry will fall short of 65,000 units in 2009 and the Government will suffer a €1.0 billion shortfall in projected revenue from the sector. It has to look at a scrappage scheme to help ignite the market, much as it is doing in Germany, for example. It is tantamount to economic suicide to allow the opportunity pass here.”
Sales of vans plummeted by 76% in January, with Ford again the top-selling brand.