FORD is on target to increase its share of the UK fleet market despite slashing rental volumes by around a third. The 'big three' manufacturers - Ford, Vauxhall and Rover - have seen sales come under pressure from other established fleet manufacturers and a range of newcomers to the fleet market.

Last year Ford sold 207,287 vehicles into the fleet market, according to Society of Motor Manufacturer and Traders' figures, to take a 21.7% market share. And in the first six months of this year Ford fleet sales totalled 114,283 with the manufacturer taking a 21.88% market share.

The pressure the leading fleet manufacturers are under is reflected in the SMMT figures which reveal that in 1992 Ford's fleet market share totalled 28.49% with Ford selling 189,472 vehicles to fleets. The manufacturer's record fleet volume was in 1994 when 236,001 vehicles were sold, but market share in the five years since the 1992 'high' has dwindled.