Ford is not the force it once was in Europe: in the past 10 years, the American giant has gone from being the second-biggest car brand in Europe (after Volkswagen), with sales of just over one million, all the way down to 12th last year after sales halved.
Its market share dropped from 7.0% to 3.7%, according to European automotive industry group ACEA.
Arresting the slide is the immediate task of newly appointed Ford of Europe president Jim Baumbick. An American development engineer who did a stint overseeing the Focus and Kuga in Germany, Baumbick is the first to hold that title since Briton Stuart Rowley departed in 2022, signifying a renewed focus on Ford's European product strategy.
In Ford's largest European market, the UK, the change in the Blue Oval's fortunes has been stark. In 40 years the brand has gone from leading the market with a 26.5% share to fourth with a 5.8% share in the first nine months of this year, according to the SMMT.
The drop has hit the brand's dealers hardest. Back when the Peoples Ford dealer group was established in 1983, Ford took four slots in the UK top 10, led by the best-selling Escort. The brand can still boast the UK's best-selling car with the Puma, but one hit model is not enough to generate the sales needed.
Last year, Peoples ended more than 40 years of brand exclusivity with Ford to strike partnerships with Chinese newcomers BYD and Chery-owned Omoda and Jaecoo. "Ford's decision to stop Fiesta production and go all in on electric vehicles has proved to be challenging," said chairman Brian Gilda.
Other dealers are having to do the same as Ford works to achieve its goal for this year of halving its retail network in the UK from 400 sites in 2020.
Gilda's decision has proven wise. The combined UK market share of BYD, Omoda and Jaecoo in September beat that of Ford, underlining the seriousness of the threat presented by the Chinese to established volume players.
Market troubles
Over the years, Ford has shrunk its model range. In the coming weeks it will end production of the Focus, which becomes the latest to depart the line-up after the Fiesta, S-Max and Galaxy in 2023, the Mondeo in 2021 and the Ka in 2019.
Whereas American rival General Motors waved the white flag and exited Europe in 2017 (although it is now relaunching here), Ford's aim has been to reverse a chronic run of unprofitability in the region by moving from being a 'generalist brand selling multiple cars at tight or negative margins to one with fewer but theoretically more profitable 'hero cars'.
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