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Ford's Hybrid, Marching Ahead

Somewhat oblivious to the economic climate, Ford's hybrids (and not only theirs, we're sure) have kept on appealing to the American consumers, as they sold this year some 73 percent more vehicles than in 2008.
Well, that's not entirely reliable data. In 2008, the Ford hybrid offering was much poorer than it is in 2009. The 73 percent increase in units sold is however important thanks to the fact that over a half of those buying a Ford hybrid are new to the brand. Even more, Ford takes pride in the fact they are experiencing a steep climb, while the rest of the hybrid vehicle industry is battling a 14 percent drop.

Hybrid customers increasingly are considering Ford,” David Finnegan, Ford hybrid marketing manager said in a release. “More than 60 percent of Fusion Hybrid sales have been from non-Ford owners, and more than half of those are customers coming from import brands, mostly from Toyota and Honda.

Ford is offering today hybrid version for the Fusion and Escape, as well as for the Mercury Milan and Mariner. Last month, the manufacturer sold 26,016 vehicles, making the ninth month of the year a very successful month for Ford in all its markets and segments.

In Europe, the brand managed to top the 10 percent market share threshold, selling 152,600 new vehicles. Ford has to thank Fiesta for the achievement, and not the hybrids. In China, Ford reported a 79 percent increase in sales (119,338 units). Also without the hybrids....

And bringing them to these other two regions in the following years can do nothing more than increase those numbers. It remains to be seen how fast will Ford react and ship them both to Europe and Asia.
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About the author: Daniel Patrascu
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Daniel loves writing (or so he claims), and he uses this skill to offer readers a "behind the scenes" look at the automotive industry. He also enjoys talking about space exploration and robots, because in his view the only way forward for humanity is away from this planet, in metal bodies.
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