- Previously limited to the U.S. market where this model is a great success (130 000 sales in 2013), the Ford Edge will also be marketed in Europe in 2015, at the same time as the new Ford Mondeo and Ford S-Max models. If this launch is the result of the One Ford program, which aims to market the same model on the largest possible number of markets, it is also the result of a pragmatic approach, conscious of the growing global success of SUVs.

- With this new 4.70 m long model, Ford will compete with European D segment SUVs, like the Nissan Murano, Hyundai Santa Fe and Kia Sorento. The Ford Edge (Based on the Ford Mondeo ) is bigger than the segment C Kuga (based on the Ford Focus) it will be imported from Canada (Oakville), but will offer a 4-cylinder diesel 2000 CC engine (an engine not so popular in North America). This engine is already assembled on other D segment models of Ford of Europe.

- Ford not only wants to target SUVs from generalist manufacturers but also those of Premium manufacturers. The Ford version was preferred to the Lincoln version because on the one hand the Lincoln brand (Premium brand competing with Cadillac) is totally unknown in Europe and on the other, U.S. Premium brands have struggled to establish themselves in Europe.
Ford may also market this model on the Chinese market in a near future.

- It should be noted that in 2013, Ford sold 60 000 SUVs in the European Union (against 63 000 in 2012 and 67 000 in 2011).

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- Since 2003 Argentina has experienced an almost continuous rise in vehicle registrations (apart from the decline in 2009, which affected all markets). The passenger car market increased from 110 000 in 2003 to 730 000 PC in 2013.

- However, the characteristics of the market did not meet the expectations of the Argentine government. Indeed, in 2013, nearly 63% of registered vehicles were produced outside of Argentina. In the government’s point of view, local production failed to take advantage of the growing market.

- To promote local production, at the beginning of 2014, the government introduced  a new 30% tax on vehicles whose retail price was greater than 170 000 pesos (15 000 Euros) and a tax of 50% for those sold above 18 000 Euros.

- This new tax has had two effects:

1.An artificial market growth at the end of 2013. Buyers bought vehicles before the end of the year (well before their re-purchase date) and took advantage of the good exchange rate between the dollar and the peso. In fact at the introduction of this tax, the value of the purchased vehicle was calculated on the basis of 1 dollar for 6.20 pesos while on the black market 1 dollar was worth 10 pesos. For the Argentine buyer, buying an expensive vehicle while benefiting from the exchange rate was a good deal.

2.For the Argentine government this measure had a real boomerang effect, indeed we can observe a noticeable decrease in the market since early 2014 : -6% in February and -32% in March? -33% in April and -38% in May. Over five months, the decrease exceeded 12%.

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- In the first quarter of 2014, the production of PC+UV in 7 Asian countries (Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia, India, Pakistan, Korea and Taiwan) decreased by 5.9% compared to the first quarter of 2013 reaching 3 274 000 units. The fall in Thailand and India was offset by sound production levels in Indonesia and Korea, which slowed the decline down to a minimum.

- If we breakdown the figures, the production of Thailand fell by 28.3% to 517 000 units. The production of passenger cars fell by 37% compared to the first quarter of 2013, year in which production volumes were artificially driven by orders for vehicles generated by the tax measures implemented by the state.

- Indonesia’s production volumes increased by 18.4% to 340 000 units. Sales were driven by the strong performance of Toyota, Suzuki and Honda. Malaysian production increased by 5% to 153 000 units, reflecting steady growth.

- Korean production increased by 3.7% to 1 155 000 units. For the month of March alone, Hyundai, with the launch of the new Sonata, increased by 24.2% its production level (compared to March 2013) to reach 178 000 units. India meanwhile decreased by 10% to 983 000 units. Toyota's production (in India) fell by 39% due to a strike. However, Nissan and Honda are growing thanks to the Go Datsun and Honda Amaze.

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