New Ford of Europe boss faces gruelling rebuild

Sales have halved since 2015 – and now the Chinese are eating its lunch

The sprawling Peoples Ford dealership in Prescot, a west Liverpool suburb, last year hoisted a new name onto its distinctive teepee structure: BYD.
A little farther towards the Mersey and even closer to Ford’s Halewood transmission and e-motor plant, Peoples Ford Speke was shrunk down at the same time in order to make space for another Chinese newcomer: Omoda/Jaecoo.
When the Peoples Ford dealer group was established back in 1983, Ford was the UK’s largest brand by far, with 29% of the market. 
The Escort Mk3 – built in Halewood in the plant now belonging to JLR – sat astride the charts ahead of the Cortina in second.
But the world is now a very different place. In the first nine months, Ford was only the UK’s fourth biggest brand, with a 5.8% share.
Peoples – named for the accessibility of the pioneering Ford Model T – made the decision last year to end its 40-year solus relationship with Ford. “Ford’s decision