Renault overtakes Ford to become Europe’s second largest car brand

Renault has overtaken Ford as Europe’s second best-selling car brand in the first half of 2016.

Figures released by the ACEA (European Automobile Manufacturers' Association) revealed that Renault’s European growth of 14.2% in the first half of 2016, compared with same period in 2015, helped push it above Ford in the listings. Both brands are still some way behind  Volkswagen, though.

Despite its slip to third place, Ford still managed growth of 4.8% over the first half of 2015. The 527,502 cars it registered during the first half of 2016 weren’t enough to beat the 561,238 Renault shifted, yet the previous year Ford registered over 11,000 more cars than Renault over the same period.

Renault’s growth could be due to its expanding model line-up; an array of new products including the Kadjar, which competes in one of the most hotly competitive and best-selling areas of the UK market, will have bolstered sales.

The fight for second place is set to continue in the coming months with Ford’s product launches; its Edge large SUV beat Renault’s new Koleos to market, although the new Megane’s release is likely to threaten Focus sales, too. To complicate the struggle for second place further, there’s a new Ford Fiesta – the UK’s current best-selling car – on its way.

In the UK, Renault’s new registrations grew by just under 21% year-on-year during the first half, but slipped in July – down 31% over July 2015. Ford also faltered – albeit not so substantially – with a 7.75% downturn in July 2016 compared to July 2015.

Industry commentators remarked that the disheartening figures were likely to be an expected and routine slump ahead of the introduction of the new 66-plate registration coming in September, while others suggested that Brexit may have dented consumers’ confidence in buying a new car.

Meanwhile, Volkswagen retains its place atop the leaderboard, with registrations just shy of 850,000; far ahead of Ford and Renault, despite growth of just 0.1%.

It should be noted that the figures are for registered cars under Renault only, rather than Renault and Dacia.