Good news for Ford as the company has ramped up production of its new five-seat C-MAX and seven-seat Grand C-MAX to meet growing demand for the two minivans in the European market. The revamped schedule calls for an 18 percent increase in daily C-MAX production at the firm’s plant in Valencia, Spain.
Since its launch in Europe in 2010, sales of the new C-MAX have almost doubled over the same period a year ago surpassing the 100,000 mark. The new minivan has taken the top spot in its market segment in Italy with a 27 percent share and in Ireland with a 23 percent share, while Ford said the C-MAX has doubled its segment sales share in all of its traditional 19 European markets compared to 2010.
Ford added that 65 percent of buyers are opting for the high-series trim levels of the C-MAX, such as the Titanium models, compared to 32 percent over the same period a year ago.
“We expected a strong customer demand for the Ford C-MAX and Ford Grand C-MAX, but demand has exceeded our expectations,” said Roelant de Waard, vice president, Marketing, Sales and Service, Ford of Europe. “Sales of the all-new Ford C-MAX will contribute to our expectation that around 40 per cent of all the new vehicles we sell in Europe this year will be totally new or significantly freshened models.”
Ford plans to offer the 7-seat Grand C-MAX in North America.
PHOTO GALLERY
