Ford Leads Way as U.K. Auto Sales Hit 10-Year High

The U.K. auto industry finishes 2014 with its 34^th consecutive month of growth as annual sales climb 9.3% to 2,476,435 units, the fourth-best total on record and the best result since 2004.

The commercial-vehicle market grew 11.0% to 363,155 units in 2014, the highest level since 2007.

Car sales beat the European Union average of 5.7% growth to maintain the U.K. as the second-largest market in EU after Germany.

A national scrappage scheme made Spain the only market in the EU top five to exceed the U.K.’s level of growth, posting an 18.1% increase.

December car deliveries rose 8.7% to 166,198 units, while CVs fell 10.6% year-on-year to 29,389.

The Ford Fiesta was the U.K.’s top-selling model with 131,254 units in 2014 as its sales exceeded the total of all but five rival automakers. The Ford Focus followed with 85,140 deliveries, edging out the Vauxhall Corsa’s 81,783.

The Corsa topped December sales with 8,074 units, ahead of the Fiesta (7,507) and Focus (6,196).

Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders CEO Mike Hawes says U.K. sales returned to pre-recession levels in 2014.

“Pent-up demand from the recession years combined with confidence in the economy saw consumer demand for the latest models grow consistently and strongly,” Hawes says in a statement. “For the market as a whole, we expect a more stable 2015 as demand levels off.”

There was a dramatic increase in the plug-in car market, which saw volumes quadruple from 3,586 units in 2013 to 14,498 in 2014.

Hawes says increased choice, coupled with a growing desire for reduced costs and greater efficiency, boosted plug-in sales. More than 20 models now are available, compared with just six in 2011, and each of the U.K.’s 10 best-selling brands has an ultra-low-emissions vehicle in its model range.

The CV segment saw the van market leading the growth, climbing 18.7% to 321,686 units while truck sales tumbled 26.2% to 41,469 due to revisions in emissions legislation.

“A continued demand for vans has seen the commercial-vehicle market in 2014 return to pre-recession levels, reflecting the growing confidence of many businesses in the U.K.,” Hawes says.

“The truck market has been distorted by the introduction of Euro-6 emissions regulations at the start of the year and new-type approval legislation at year end, which affected fleet renewal patterns and caused a drop in registrations.

“The outlook for 2015 is bright, however, with stability expected to return to the market.”

Ford marked 38 consecutive years of car-sales leadership and 49 years atop the CV charts in 2014. Its sales lead increased in all sectors: total vehicle, cars and commercial vehicles.

Ford delivered 326,643 cars in the U.K. last year, up from 310,865 in 2013. Its sales lead over its nearest rival increased 1% to 57,466.

Ford’s CV sales lead of 52,884 in 2014 was up 27.6% from 2013, while the blue oval’s total sales advantage of 109,075 units was up 18%.

The Ford Transit has led the U.K. CV sector from its launch in 1965, helping Ford’s overall CV range claim a 23.5% market share in 2014, up from 20.9% in 2013.

General Motors’ Vauxhall brand sold a record 127,398 cars last year, finishing with a flourish by posting 23,162 deliveries for a 14% share.

Vauxhall Chairman and Managing Director Tim Tozer says he expects more of the same this year with the new Corsa in showrooms, Adam Grand Slam coming soon and the all-new Viva arriving in the spring.

BMW U.K. saw both the BMW and Mini brands setting records as deliveries rose a combined 8.1% to 202,539 units. BMW improved 9.8% to 148,878 units, while Mini rose 3.3% to 53,661.

CEO Graeme Grieve says it was the first time U.K. sales topped 200,000 units, crediting the new BMW 2-Series and 4-Series models and the new Mini 3- and 5-door hatch models.

Bentley also saw a record year with global sales growing 9% year-on-year to 11,020 units.

Chairman and CEO Wolfgang Dürheimer says the key regions of the Americas (3,186 units), China (2,670), Europe including the U.K. (2,926), and the Middle East (1,263), all saw strong performance, with the Americas remaining the Volkswagen-owned luxury brand’s No.1 market.

Rolls-Royce put up record sales results for a fifth consecutive year, with 4,063 cars sold globally, surpassing 4,000 deliveries for the first time in its 111-year history.

There was double-digit growth in most regions – North America (up 30%), the Middle East (up 20%) and Europe (up 40%). The U.S. remained the BMW-owned brand’s most significant individual market.

Nissan U.K. sales gained 17% to a record 138,338 units, good for sixth place in 2014. Its U.K.-built Juke (39,263) and all-electric Leaf broke sales records while the Qashqai, which arrived in showrooms in January, found more than 47,000 buyers.

Including LCVs, Nissan’s sales rose 16% to 148,607 units.

Hyundai U.K., delivering a record 82,159 units last year, has seen sales more than triple since 2008. President and CEO Tony Whitehorn says sales of the i10 exceeded 25,000 units, making Hyundai the first South Korean manufacturer to reach that U.K. milestone with a single model.

Sister company Kia ended 2014 with a record 77,525 sales despite introducing only one all-new product, the new Kia Soul.

Renault’s U.K. sales jumped 43.7% to 66,334 units, a 3-year high. It had the fastest-growing B-segment range with combined sales of the new Clio hatchback, Captur CUV and all-electric Zoe up 65.9% and representing 50,499 units of the total. Renault’s EV surge was augmented by sales of 1,286 Z.E. models, up 90.2% from 2013.

Suzuki U.K. marked a record year with a 13% sales improvement to 37,395 units as deliveries of the Swift supermini topped 11,000 for its best year since the current model was introduced in 2010.

Mazda U.K. boosted its deliveries 21% to 37,784 units, delivering on a promise to dealers at the beginning of the year that it would outperform the market. Sales Director Peter Allibon says Mazda’s strong performance was underpinned by success in both retail and fleet sectors.