FORD’S FOCUS AND EDGE BUCK TURBULENT ECONOMY

  • Ford Focus March retail sales climbed 36 percent compared with a year ago.
  • Ford Edge retail sales up 35 percent as consumer demand accelerates in California and other coastal regions.
  • Ford, Lincoln and Mercury sales totaled 213,074, down 14 percent.
  • Total Ford Motor Company sales (including Jaguar, Land Rover, and Volvo) totaled 227,143, down 14 percent.

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DEARBORN, Mich., April 1, 2008 – Sales for Ford’s redesigned small car and acclaimed crossover utility continued to buck economic trends during March.

Retail sales for the Ford Focus were the highest for any month since August 2005 – with retail sales up 36 percent in March and 35 percent in the first quarter compared with the same periods a year ago.

The new Focus has helped Ford increase its share in the growing small car market and is attracting younger buyers.  Compared with the previous model, buyers are equipping the Focus with more features, like SYNC, Ford’s exclusive, in-car connectivity technology that fully integrates most Bluetooth-enabled cell phones and MP3 players by voice activation.

Edge retail sales were up 35 percent in March and 52 percent in the first quarter, thanks in part to stronger sales on the coasts.  The California region accounted for more than 10 percent of Edge sales in the first quarter of 2008, versus 7 percent in the first quarter 2007.  First quarter retail sales on the west coast and Northeast more than doubled compared with a year ago.   

This signals the growing appeal of the country’s best-selling crossover in 2007.  During the first quarter of 2007, Edge’s introduction quarter, more than one-third of Edge retail sales came from the Great Lakes area.  During the same period in 2008, this region drove only one-fourth of Edge sales.

“This reflects how much customers who haven’t traditionally even considered our products are starting to warm up to Ford and is just an indication of more to come,” said Jim Farley, Ford group vice president, Marketing and Communications.  “We’re optimistic the new Ford Flex and Lincoln MKS will help increase consumers’ consideration for our brands beyond our traditional geographic regions of strength.”

In March, Ford, Lincoln and Mercury sales totaled 213,074, down 14 percent compared with a year ago.  Sales to individual retail customers were 17 percent lower than a year ago, with essentially the entire decline concentrated among truck and sport utility vehicles.  Sales to daily rental companies were down 13 percent versus a year ago, and total fleet sales, including daily rental, were down 9 percent.

“This is a very challenging external environment, reflecting a seismic shift in consumer preferences,” said Farley.  “These conditions will likely persist in the near future.  At Ford, we remain focused on executing our plan, which includes being profitable at lower volume and changed mix.

“It is crucial we continue to employ a disciplined process to gauge demand and plan production on a segment-by-segment and region-by-region basis,” said Farley.

Total Ford Motor Company sales, including Jaguar, Land Rover, and Volvo, totaled 227,143, down 14 percent.

Note: The sales data included in this release and the accompanying tables are based largely on data reported by dealers representing their sales to retail and fleet customers.

About Ford Motor Company

Ford Motor Company, a global automotive industry leader based in Dearborn, Mich., manufactures or distributes automobiles in 200 markets across six continents.  With about 245,000 employees and about 100 plants worldwide, the company’s core and affiliated automotive brands include Ford, Jaguar, Land Rover, Lincoln, Mercury, Volvo and Mazda.  The company provides financial services through Ford Motor Credit Company.  For more information regarding Ford’s products, please visit www.ford.com

JAGUAR BRAND MARCH 2008 U.S. SALES

March

%

Year-To-Date

%

2008

2007

Change

 

2008

2007

Change

XJ

218

397

-45.1

645

1,132

-43.0

XF

1,161

0

NA

1,161

0

NA

S-TYPE

80

479

-83.3

595

1,065

-44.1

X-TYPE

46

285

-83.9

325

800

-59.4

XK

247

506

-51.2

753

1,251

-39.8

  Total Jaguar

1,752

1,667

5.1

3,479

4,248

-18.1

 

               

VOLVO BRAND MARCH 2008 U.S. SALES

March

%

Year-To-Date

%

2008

2007

Change

 

2008

2007

Change

C30

378

0

NA

 

1,062

0

NA

S40

1,528

2,201

-30.6

3,977

5,673

-29.9

V50

172

304

-43.4

492

722

-31.9

S60

1,243

1,702

-27.0

4,266

4,377

-2.5

V70

263

371

-29.1

644

849

-24.1

XC70

1,014

1,127

-10.0

2,912

3,077

-5.4

C70

654

368

77.7

1,500

1,008

48.8

S80

1,629

1,392

17.0

3,764

3,103

21.3

XC90

2,382

3,196

-25.5

6,187

8,113

-23.7

  Total Volvo

9,263

10,661

-13.1

24,804

26,922

-7.9

               

LAND ROVER BRAND MARCH 2008 U.S. SALES

March

%

Year-To-Date

%

2008

2007

Change

 

2008

2007

Change

Range Rover

778

1,159

-32.9

2,295

2,909

-21.1

Range Rover Sport

1,192

1,356

-12.1

3,173

3,801

-16.5

LR3

482

1,148

-58.0

1,302

3,491

-62.7

LR2

602

0

NA

1,962

0

NA

Freelander

0

0

NA

0

1

-100.0

  Total Land Rover

3,054

3,663

-16.6

8,732

10,202

-14.4

FORD MOTOR COMPANY MARCH 2008 U.S. SALES

 

March

%

Year-To-Date

%

2008

2007

Change

2008

2007

Change

Sales By Brand

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

   Ford

187,828

216,788

-13.4

483,817

522,588

-7.4

   Mercury

14,333

17,426

-17.7

34,435

43,873

-21.5

   Lincoln

10,913

14,770

-26.1

28,471

35,127

-18.9

     Total Ford, Lincoln and Mercury

213,074

248,984

-14.4

546,723

601,588

-9.1

   Jaguar

1,752

1,667

5.1

3,479

4,248

-18.1

   Land Rover

3,054

3,663

-16.6

8,732

10,202

-14.4

   Volvo

9,263

10,661

-13.1

24,804

26,922

-7.9

      Total Ford Motor Company

227,143

264,975

-14.3

583,738

642,960

-9.2

Memo: Cars and Trucks

   Cars

80,915

89,484

-9.6

195,324

216,277

-9.7

   Trucks

146,228

175,491

-16.7

388,414

426,683

-9.0

      Total Ford Motor Company

227,143

264,975

-14.3

583,738

642,960

-9.2

               

FORD BRAND MARCH 2008 U.S. SALES

March

%

Year-To-Date

%

2008

2007

Change

 

2008

2007

Change

Crown Victoria

4,622

6,553

-29.5

12,947

16,533

-21.7

Taurus

6,908

6,607

4.6

15,877

16,734

-5.1

Fusion

15,887

15,790

0.6

40,050

39,678

0.9

Focus

21,168

17,065

24.0

49,070

39,837

23.2

Mustang

10,180

14,737

-30.9

24,477

34,573

-29.2

GT

0

0

NA

0

231

-100.0

  Total Ford Cars

58,765

60,752

-3.3

142,421

147,586

-3.5

Escape

18,517

16,521

12.1

43,900

39,317

11.7

Edge

13,508

10,915

23.8

36,034

24,478

47.2

Taurus X

3,109

4,313

-27.9

7,497

9,793

-23.4

Explorer

10,969

12,876

-14.8

27,638

34,723

-20.4

Expedition

6,967

10,505

-33.7

18,226

24,149

-24.5

Freestar

0

452

-100.0

0

2,026

-100.0

Econoline/Club Wagon

12,213

19,445

-37.2

36,412

46,506

-21.7

Ranger

8,620

7,989

7.9

21,597

18,491

16.8

F-Series

54,465

71,481

-23.8

148,138

171,651

-13.7

Low Cab Forward

74

248

-70.2

223

663

-66.4

Heavy Trucks

621

1,291

-51.9

1,731

3,205

-46.0

  Total Ford Trucks

129,063

156,036

-17.3

341,396

375,002

-9.0

  Total Ford Brand

187,828

216,788

-13.4

483,817

522,588

-7.4

 

 

LINCOLN AND MERCURY BRAND MARCH 2008 U.S. SALES

March

%

Year-To-Date

%

2008

2007

Change

 

2008

2007

Change

Grand Marquis

3,393

5,976

-43.2

7,905

14,442

-45.3

Sable

1,833

1,620

13.1

3,757

4,290

-12.4

Milan

3,880

4,678

-17.1

8,877

10,236

-13.3

  Total Mercury Cars

9,106

12,274

-25.8

20,539

28,968

-29.1

MKZ

3,501

3,626

-3.4

9,744

8,098

20.3

Town Car

1,924

4,827

-60.1

3,436

11,645

-70.5

  Total Lincoln Cars

5,425

8,453

-35.8

13,180

19,743

-33.2

  Total Mercury

    and Lincoln Cars

14,531

20,727

-29.9

33,719

48,711

-30.8

Mariner

3,784

3,112

21.6

9,168

8,430

8.8

Mountaineer

1,443

1,882

-23.3

4,728

5,998

-21.2

Monterey

0

158

-100.0

0

477

-100.0

  Total Mercury Trucks

5,227

5,152

1.5

13,896

14,905

-6.8

MKX

3,487

3,054

14.2

9,332

7,063

32.1

Navigator

1,614

2,458

-34.3

4,832

6,093

-20.7

Mark LT

387

805

-51.9

1,127

2,228

-49.4

  Total Lincoln Trucks

5,488

6,317

-13.1

15,291

15,384

-0.6

  Total Mercury

    and Lincoln Trucks

10,715

11,469

-6.6

29,187

30,289

-3.6

  Total Mercury

    and Lincoln Vehicles

25,246

32,196

-21.6

62,906

79,000

-20.4

Total Lincoln Brand

10,913

14,770

-26.1

28,471

35,127

-18.9

Total Mercury Brand

14,333

17,426

-17.7

34,435

43,873

-21.5

 

 

 

JAGUAR BRAND MARCH 2008 U.S. SALES

March

%

Year-To-Date

%

2008

2007

Change

 

2008

2007

Change

XJ

218

397

-45.1

645

1,132

-43.0

XF

1,161

0

NA

1,161

0

NA

S-TYPE

80

479

-83.3

595

1,065

-44.1

X-TYPE

46

285

-83.9

325

800

-59.4

XK

247

506

-51.2

753

1,251

-39.8

  Total Jaguar

1,752

1,667

5.1

3,479

4,248

-18.1

 

               

VOLVO BRAND MARCH 2008 U.S. SALES

March

%

Year-To-Date

%

2008

2007

Change

 

2008

2007

Change

C30

378

0

NA

 

1,062

0

NA

S40

1,528

2,201

-30.6

3,977

5,673

-29.9

V50

172

304

-43.4

492

722

-31.9

S60

1,243

1,702

-27.0

4,266

4,377

-2.5

V70

263

371

-29.1

644

849

-24.1

XC70

1,014

1,127

-10.0

2,912

3,077

-5.4

C70

654

368

77.7

1,500

1,008

48.8

S80

1,629

1,392

17.0

3,764

3,103

21.3

XC90

2,382

3,196

-25.5

6,187

8,113

-23.7

  Total Volvo

9,263

10,661

-13.1

24,804

26,922

-7.9

               

LAND ROVER BRAND MARCH 2008 U.S. SALES

March

%

Year-To-Date

%

2008

2007

Change

 

2008

2007

Change

Range Rover

778

1,159

-32.9

2,295

2,909

-21.1

Range Rover Sport

1,192

1,356

-12.1

3,173

3,801

-16.5

LR3

482

1,148

-58.0

1,302

3,491

-62.7

LR2

602

0

NA

1,962

0

NA

Freelander

0

0

NA

0

1

-100.0

  Total Land Rover

3,054

3,663

-16.6

8,732

10,202

-14.4