Ford’s European sales down 16.3 percent in first half of 2009

Ford of Europe’s first-half new-car sales fell 16.3 percent amid a weak market, the carmaker said on Monday.

One bright spot was a 1.6 percent sales increase in Ford’s main 19 European markets in June, the first year-on-year monthly increase since December.

Ingvar Sviggum, Ford of Europe’s head of marketing, sales and service, said: “While June was a more positive month, we’re still a long way from a sustained and healthy market.”

Sviggum said the weak underlying market across Europe would be in a far worse condition without scrappage schemes, which are boosting sales in major markets such as Germany, the UK, Italy and Spain.

The lack of access to affordable credit and continuing fears over rising employment “continue to be huge hurdles to the market demand for new vehicles,” he added.

Source: Automotive News Europe