The carmaker’s sales rose 7.2% in April – broadly in line with industry growth of 7.3% – and 11.2% in the first four months of the year, outpacing industry of 8.6%.

The company’s total vehicle market share was flat at 7.9% in April and rose by 0.2% to 8.1% year-to-date. As a result, Ford retained its number 2 slot in the sales leagues for total vehicle and passenger car sales for both periods.

“The positive momentum in the market is improving, and we’re now projecting a total industry of 15.2 to 15.7 million units for 2015, up from our previous guidance of 14.8 million to 15.3 million units,” said Peter Fleet, vice president, Sales, Ford of Europe.

“We’re taking advantage of this growth in the market with our new vehicles, with sales of the all-new Mondeo up 69% year-over-year, and customer orders for the Fiesta – Europe’s best-selling small car for the past three years, and again in the first quarter of 2015 – up by almost 40% last month.”

Highlights included Mondeo sales – up 69%; Kuga – up 25%; and commercial vehicles – up 36% in April.