Polestar hits global sales target of 29,000 cars in 2021 and continues to deliver on ambitious growth plans ahead of proposed listing

POLESTAR - Polestar, the pure-play, premium electric car company, confirms that it continues to deliver on ambitious global sales, market, and retail expansion plans that underpin significant growth targets for the coming years. The company delivered on its global sales target of 29,000 vehicles in 2021, representing year-on-year growth exceeding 185%. Polestar’s proposed business combination with Gores Guggenheim, Inc. (Nasdaq: GGPI, GGPIW, and GGPIU), is expected to close in the first half of 2022.

Polestar increased its global presence from 10 to 19 markets in 2021, with growth in Europe and Asia Pacific. In the first half of 2022, Polestar plans to add Spain, Portugal and Ireland to its European market footprint, and enter the Middle East with presence in the UAE, Kuwait and Israel. By the end of 2023, Polestar aims to be operating in at least 30 global markets.

“We are delivering on our targets,” says Thomas Ingenlath, Polestar CEO. “It is a hugely exciting time for the brand, with new markets and models to support the ambitious growth plans we have set for ourselves. Thanks to the relentless dedication of Polestar employees across the globe, we are progressing with confidence towards our proposed public listing.”

 

Mike Whittington, Polestar’s Head of Sales, adds: “With strong new market launches and the fantastic reception of an expanded Polestar 2 model line-up, we have seen interest in Polestar and vehicle sales increase in all our markets. Our order intake is strong and we are looking forward to further growth in our sales volume again in 2022.”

 

Additionally, Polestar’s retail footprint more than doubled in 2021 to 100 locations globally and the company aims to have 150 in operation by the end of 2022. In addition to the openings of inner-city Polestar Spaces, the company debuted its new, larger, out-of-town Polestar Destinations. The first permanent Polestar Destination opened in December 2021, outside Gothenburg, Sweden.

 

In 2021, Polestar also announced its plans to launch three new cars in the coming three years. Polestar 3, a premium electric performance SUV, is set to launch in 2022 and will be the first Polestar to be built in the US. Polestar 3 will benefit from advanced technologies from Luminar, Nvidia and Zenseact that will provide cutting-edge unsupervised autonomous driving functionality.

Lotus global retail sales up 24% in best performance for a decade

Lotus Emira First Edition 2021

LOTUS CARS - Lotus has revealed its best annual global retail sales performance since 2011. The outstanding figures prove worldwide excitement about the brand’s transformation is translating into customers buying cars.

Retailers sold 1,710 new cars in 2021, the year the iconic Elise, Exige and Evora ended production. That compares with 1,378 sales in 2020, an increase of 24%. The Elise was the global top-seller as fans sought to secure a piece of automotive history via the highly specced Sport 240 Final Edition and the Cup 250 Final Edition models.

Sales performance was impressive across the globe. In Europe, the UK was up 29%, with Belgium the star performer up 37%. North American retailers covering USA and Canada were up 111% year-on-year, which was also their best performance in 10 years.

Records were broken in the Asia-Pacific region, where Japan had its best year since 2015, Australia since 2018 and Hong Kong since 2014. Qatar, which has been selling Lotus since 2016, had its best year ever. Further evidence of the ongoing transformation of the business came in Bahrain, Thailand and New Zealand, where Lotus sold its first new cars for at least seven years.

Geoff Dowding, Executive Director, Sales and Aftersales, Lotus, commented: “Our global retailers have risen to the challenge of giving the Elise, Exige and Evora the send-off they deserved. It means we’re in great shape for 2022 to focus on the all-new Lotus Emira, our last petrol-powered sports car and the best of breed.”

Matt Windle, Managing Director, Lotus Cars, added: “In difficult circumstances our retailers have delivered what was asked of them and more. It’s testament to their hard work, and that of our manufacturing, marketing, sales and distribution teams around the world. A huge thank you to everyone involved – what a way to move into the era of Emira.”

The top 10 Lotus markets globally were:

Position	Market
1	USA
2	Japan
3	UK
4	Germany
5	France
6	Italy
7	Australia
8	Belgium
9	Switzerland
10	China

Canadians make Ford the top-selling auto brand for the 13th consecutive year

FORD CANADA - In another tumultuous year due to the lingering COVID-19 pandemic, Ford of Canada rose to the peak of the automotive industry as the top-selling brand for the 13^th consecutive year. Ford F-Series – which adds the all-new, all-electric Ford F-150 Lightning in 2022 – was once again the best-selling pickup and nameplate, marking 56 years in a row of truck leadership and 12 straight years as the top-selling vehicle in Canada. Consumers flocked to well-known vehicles like the Ford Escape, Ford Explorer and Ford Ranger, while also lining up for new standouts like the all-electric Ford Mustang Mach-E, the iconic Ford Bronco, the rugged Ford Bronco Sport and the versatile Ford Maverick.

“With all of the challenges that faced Canadians in general, and our industry specifically, one thing remained true through 2021 – consumers continue to trust Ford to deliver the vehicles and services they are looking for more than any other automotive brand,” said Bev Goodman, president and CEO, Ford Motor Company of Canada, Ltd. “And we’re continuing to evolve and expand our offerings, with Canada’s first-ever standard hybrid pickup – the Ford Maverick – moving quickly on arrival at dealerships, the highly anticipated all-electric F-150 Lightning coming later this year, and the launch of Ford Pro – a new business dedicated to revolutionizing our commercial business to deliver even more value for our customers.”

Lincoln had a remarkable year, with sales up five per cent annually and 16 per cent for the fourth quarter. Lincoln Aviator had its best yearly sales on record, while Corsair and Navigator also posted gains, as the brand continues to redefine what luxury means to Canadians.

Ford Motor Company of Canada, Limited

Q4 2021 Vehicle Sales

	2021	2020	% Change
Total Vehicles
Q4 Full Year	60,801	51,163	18.84%
	243,828	239,572	1.78%
Total Cars
Q4 Full Year	519	1,418	-63.40%
	5,196	10,062	-48.36%
Total Trucks
Q4 Full Year	60,282	49,745	21.18%
	238,632	229,510	3.97%

Ford Motor Company of Canada, Ltd. – 2021 Full Year-Over-Year Highlights:

 

Ford

• Ford is the best-selling auto brand in Canada for the 13^th consecutive year
• Ford is the best-selling automaker in Canada for the sixth consecutive year
• Ford F-Series is the best-selling pickup in Canada for the 56^th consecutive year
• Ford F-Series is the best-selling vehicle in Canada for the 12^th consecutive year
• Ford sales up 1.7%, driven by trucks and SUVs
• Ford Escape sales up 9.3%
• Ford Explorer sales up 1.0%
• Ford Ranger sales up 3.3%
• Ford E-Series sales up 9.5%
• New Vehicles (Bronco, Bronco Sport, Maverick, Mustang Mach-E) combine for more than 21,000 units sold

Lincoln

• Lincoln sales up 5.0%
• Lincoln Corsair sales up 23.7%
• Lincoln Aviator sales up 5.3% - Best Year on Record
• Lincoln Navigator sales up 8.4%

Ford Motor Company of Canada, Ltd. – Q4 Year-Over-Year Highlights:

Ford

• Ford sales up 18.9%, driven by trucks and SUVs
• Ford F-Series sales up 17.8%
• Ford F-150 sales up 23.3%
• Ford F-Series Super Duty sales up 9.0%
• Ford Explorer sales up 5.7%
• Ford Expedition sales up 17.0%
• Ford E-Series sales up 8.1%

Lincoln

• Lincoln sales up 16.0%
• Lincoln Corsair sales up 61.4%
• Lincoln Aviator sales up 39.6%

INFINITI reports fourth-quarter 2021 and calendar year 2021 Canadian sales

INFINITI CANADA - The INFINITI Division reported total Canadian sales of 1,192 vehicles sold in the fourth quarter, a decrease of 23.8 percent versus the prior year. 

The INFINITI Division also announced total calendar year 2021 Canadian sales of 5,838, an increase of 1.0 percent versus the prior year.

The 2022 QX60 7-passenger SUV began to arrive in INFINITI showrooms in the final weeks of 2021 and was the brand's most popular model in December.

INFINITI fourth-quarter 2021 highlights:

• The QX50 luxury crossover sold 433 units in the fourth quarter.
• The all-new QX55 crossover coupe sold 121 units in the fourth quarter. 

INFINITI 2021 year-end highlights:

• The Q60, QX80 and QX50 experienced 19, 15 and 14 percent sales growth year-over-year, respectively.
• The all-new QX55 crossover coupe sold 484 units since its introduction in April 2021. 

 

Nissan Group reports fourth-quarter 2021 and calendar year 2021 Canadian sales

NISSAN CANADA - Nissan Group announced total Canadian fourth-quarter (October-December) sales for the calendar year 2021 of 18,789 units, a decrease of 14.1 percent versus the prior year.

The INFINITI Division reported total Canadian sales of 1,192 vehicles sold in the fourth quarter, a decrease of 23.8 percent versus the prior year. 

Nissan Group also announced total calendar year 2021 Canadian sales of 98,405 units, an increase of 11.3 percent compared to the prior year.

Nissan Division fourth-quarter 2021 highlights:

• The Nissan Rogue SUV Crossover sold 4,472 units in the fourth quarter, bringing the year-to-date increase to 15.1 percent versus the prior year.
• The Nissan Kicks small SUV sold 4,618 units in the fourth quarter, an increase of 19.7 percent versus the previous year.
• The all-new Frontier truck sold 1,253 units in the fourth quarter.
• The all-new Pathfinder SUV sold 686 units in the fourth quarter.
• The Nissan GTR sold 16 units in the fourth quarter.

INFINITI fourth-quarter 2021 highlights:

• The QX50 luxury crossover sold 433 units in the fourth quarter.
• The all-new QX55 crossover coupe sold 121 units in the fourth quarter.

Nissan Division 2021 year-end highlights:

• Nissan Division reported total calendar year sales of 92,567 units, an increase of 12.0% versus the previous year.
• Vehicles delivering significant sales growth year-over-year include the Nissan Sentra (47.2%), Nissan Kicks (32.5%), Nissan GTR (38.5%) and Nissan Armada (66.2%).
• The Nissan Rogue delivered 15.1 percent sales growth year-over-year.

INFINITI 2021 year-end highlights:

• INFINITI Division calendar year total sales reached 5,838 units, an increase of 1.0% versus the previous year.
• The Q60, QX80 and QX50 experienced 19, 15 and 14 percent sales growth year-over-year, respectively.
• The all-new QX55 crossover coupe sold 484 units since its introduction in April 2021.

INFINITI reports third-quarter 2021 Canadian Sales

INFINITI CANADA - The INFINITI Division reported total Canadian sales of 1,455 vehicles sold in the third quarter, a decrease of 25.9 percent versus the prior year. 

Highlights:

• The QX50 luxury crossover recorded an increase of 8.2 percent with 645 units sold.
• The all-new QX55 crossover coupe sold 172 units in the third quarter. 

	2021	2020	% Change
Total Third-Quarter Sales	1,455	1,963	- 25.9 %
CYTD	4,646	4,218	10.1 %

Nissan Group reports third-quarter 2021 Canadian sales

NISSAN CANADA - Nissan Group announced total Canadian third-quarter (July-September) sales for the calendar year 2021 of 26,745 units, a decrease of 10.2 percent versus the prior year.

The INFINITI Division reported total Canadian sales of 1,455 vehicles sold in the third quarter, a decrease of 25.9 percent versus the prior year. 

Nissan Division highlights:

• The Nissan Rogue SUV Crossover sold 7,992 units in the third quarter, bringing the year-to-date increase to 38.2 percent versus the prior year.
• Sales of the compact Nissan Sentra were up 40.4 percent in the third quarter to 3,749 units.
• The Nissan Kicks small SUV sold 4,504 units in the third quarter.
• The all-new Pathfinder SUV sold 1,136 units in the third quarter, marking an increase of 5.1 percent versus the previous year.
• The new Versa sedan sold 7,322 units in the third quarter.

INFINITI highlights:

• The QX50 luxury crossover recorded an increase of 8.2 percent with 645 units sold.
• The all-new QX55 crossover coupe sold 172 units in the third quarter.

	2021	2020	% Change
Total Third-Quarter (July-Sep) 2021 sales (units)	26,745	29,790	- 10.2 %
Nissan Division sales	25,290	27,827	-9.1 %
INFINITI sales*	1,455	1,963	- 25.9 %
Calendar Year Total sales (units)	79,616	66,575	19.6 %
Nissan Division sales	74,970	62,357	20.2 %
INFINITI sales*	4,646	4,218	10.1 %

Mustang Mach-E and Bronco Family Spur Sales Growth for Ford SUVs

FORD CANADA - The bold decision in 2018 to shift from sedans to SUVs continues to pay dividends, as sales of the expanded Ford SUV lineup continue to weather the storms brought on the industry by the COVID-19 pandemic and semiconductor chip shortage. Sales of Ford SUVs were up 11.3 per cent in the quarter, led by year-over-year increases for Ford Escape and Ford Expedition, along with strong sales from Ford’s newest SUVs – Mustang Mach-E, Bronco and Bronco Sport.

“While there are certainly challenges facing our industry supply chains, Canadians continue to visit Ford dealerships to purchase our exciting new products, from the all-electric Mustang Mach-E to the rugged Bronco family,” said Bev Goodman, president and CEO, Ford of Canada. “We also saw the first sales of the all-new Ford Maverick at the end of the quarter – our all-new compact but mighty pickup, packed with clever technology and features that will bring new customers to the Ford brand.”

Ford Motor Company of Canada, Ltd. – Q3 2021 Highlights:   Ford Sales of Ford SUVs up 11.3% Sales of Ford Escape up 10.3% Sales of Ford Expedition up 31.8% Sales of Ford E-Series up 24.4%

Ford Motor Company of Canada, Limited

Q3 2021 Vehicle Sales

	2021	2020	% Change
Total Vehicles
Q3 Full Year	62,820	84,092	-25.3%
	183,027	188,408	-2.9%
Total Cars
Q3 Full Year	1,279	2,813	-54.5%
	4,677	8,644	-45.9%
Total Trucks
Q3 Full Year	61,541	81,279	-24.3%
	178,350	179,764	-0.8%