Ford is making a bold push to reverse years of declining sales in Europe, announcing plans to launch seven new models on the continent by 2029 as it faces mounting pressure from Chinese rivals and a rapidly shifting automotive landscape.
"Our plan is to actually grow our market share... in a marketplace that is almost fracturing in terms of the number of competitors," Jim Baumbick, Ford's European president, told Reuters. "We need to stand out in a crowd."
Five of the seven new models will be passenger cars, including a small electric car and a small electric SUV to be built at a Renault plant in northern France using the French automaker's technology. The remaining three will be SUVs offered in both hybrid and fully electric variants. Ford also confirmed it will launch a fully electric Transit van designed for urban areas later this year.
The announcements come as Ford's European standing has suffered a dramatic decline. Just a decade ago, the American automaker was Europe's fourth largest car brand, selling more than one million vehicles across the continent. Last year, it sold just over 426 000 cars and slipped to eighth place, behind Mercedes-Benz, according to industry lobby group ACEA.
The company has also been restructuring its European operations, closing its Saarlouis plant in Germany and cutting jobs at its Cologne factory.
Meanwhile, Chinese competitors are surging ahead. Whilst Ford achieved sales growth of just 0.1% in Europe last year, BYD's sales grew by almost 270%, with brands such as BYD and Chery rapidly expanding their foothold on the continent.
Ford also used the announcement to criticise European emissions legislation, arguing that "CO2 targets must reflect actual consumer demand" and calling for regulations that support plug-in hybrids and extended-range electric vehicles alongside fully electric cars.
In the commercial vehicle sector, the company has fared better, remaining one of Europe's biggest brands. Ford announced it will immediately begin selling its Ranger Super Duty in Europe, targeting emergency services, forestry, mining and military customers. "By using commercial, off-the-shelf solutions from Ford, governments can access world-class technology at a fraction of the time and cost," the company said.
Whether any of the new European models will reach South African shores remains to be seen, though given the local market's traditional alignment with Ford's European line-up, the prospect is not entirely out of the question.
Staff Writer
Reporting from the front lines of the automotive industry, delivering expert analysis and the technical updates that drive the South African motor sector forward.
