Ford Motor Co. marks a milestone as the latest Fiesta goes past the half million sales point only a year after it debuted. Ford is preparing to bring the fuel-efficient, global car to the US and other key Asian Pacific markets next year. If the reception to the Fiesta in the various countries is any indication, then it is bound to reap more successes wherever it goes. In October 2008, the new Fiesta went on sale in Germany and it quickly became the second best selling car for all markets in Europe and the leader in the European small car segment. Definitely, the new Fiesta has contributed much to Ford of Europe’s market share gains, which are up 0.5 percentage points this year through September to 9.2 percent, the highest since 1999. After its European introduction, the Fiesta was launched in South Africa , Australia , New Zealand and China . At the end of September 2009, global retail sales of the car reached 470,000 units, with 430,000 sales in Europe and 40,000 in the Asia Pacific region. In October, there continued to be a strong demand for the model, pushing the total number beyond 500,000. The Fiesta will make its North American debut at the Los Angeles auto show in December. It arrives in North American dealer showrooms next summer.
