April 2007: FoMoCo Sales

[Northstar]

http://media.ford.com/article_display.cfm?...p;make_id=trust

FORD MOTOR COMPANY REPORTS APRIL U.S. SALES

* Ford Motor Company’s U.S. sales in April were 228,623, down 13 percent from a year ago.

* New crossovers help Ford increase its share in the industry’s fastest-growing category.

* Sales of the Ford Edge crossover were 9,134, and Lincoln MKX sales were 2,901.

* Land Rover sales rose 13 percent, as all-new LR2 debuts.

DEARBORN, Mich., May 1 - Ford Motor Company’s April U.S. sales totaled 228,623, down 13 percent compared with a year ago.

“With April behind us, we remain focused on getting the word out about the strength of our new products, and our marketing offensive is moving into high gear,” said Mark Fields, Ford's President of The Americas. “Customers are responding very positively to our new ‘Ford Challenge’ ads that pit Ford vehicles against the best of the competition, so we’re accelerating our plans.”

Today, Ford begins airing two new F-Series truck ads starring Mike Rowe, creator and star of the Discovery Channel’s hit show “Dirty Jobs.” The ads demonstrate the clear advantages of Ford Tough trucks in safety, strength and capability.

Ford’s internal data show that the Ford Challenge campaign has generated a strong response in product favorability, purchase consideration and sales. Following the start of the successful “Fusion Challenge” ads in January, the Ford Fusion posted double-digit sales increases throughout the first quarter.

Strong Crossover Growth Continues

Although April sales for most products were lower than a year ago, new crossover utilities helped Ford increase its share of the industry’s fastest growing category. Ford Edge sales were 9,134, and Lincoln MKX sales were 2,901. In addition, Land Rover introduced its first crossover utility, the LR2, and first month sales were 1,302. Total Ford Motor Company crossover sales were 28 percent higher than a year ago during April.

“The success of our newest products – Ford Fusion, Edge, Lincoln MKX, Ford Super Duty and Ford Expedition – gives us encouragement that we’re creating the products our customers really want, and we’re beginning to stabilize our retail market share,” Fields said.

“Three years ago, 70 percent of new Ford Motor Company vehicles sold in the U.S. were trucks and traditional SUVs. Today, the balance is nearly 50 percent cars and crossovers, and 50 percent trucks and SUVs,” Fields explained. “We will continue to introduce new crossovers and even more small cars in the U.S., as they represent the consumer growth segments going forward.”

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Ford had a terrible month; aside from the Edge, the only Ford brand vehicles to post sales increases were the Crown Vic (I'm guessing because of fleet sales) and the Expedition.

[the_yellow_dart]

Strange, thoughts of Ford put Metallica in my head...

[ZL-1]

Let's see if April was tough on everyone else too...

Strange, thoughts of Ford put Metallica in my head...

Why Puppets?

[CSpec]

Ford is in serious trouble.

[the_yellow_dart]

Let's see if April was tough on everyone else too...

Why Puppets?

Commanding the dead?

Yeah, I'm not nice to Ford.

[regfootball]

show some love to the Edge and MKx. This is what lots of folks want.

can't wait to see the mazda numbers.

Edited May 2, 2007 by regfootball

[Chicagoland]

Ford quit making and dumping Tauruses into fleets, a money losing business. As a result, they lost less $$ then exepected in Q1 2007. Sure, they should be making $$$, but the whole idea of fleet dumping to "pad the sales #'s" is dead, dead, dead.

[ehaase]

90 percent of Ford's sales decline was due to dropping the old Taurus and Freestar and to the decline in the F-150. Everything else was basically a wash.

[regfootball]

90 percent of Ford's sales decline was due to dropping the old Taurus and Freestar and to the decline in the F-150. Everything else was basically a wash.

yup. the taurus for 08 with the new engine should get some sales back.

[ehaase]

yup. the taurus for 08 with the new engine should get some sales back.

Hopefully, but I don't look for more than a modest increase over the Five Hundred.

[regfootball]

Hopefully, but I don't look for more than a modest increase over the Five Hundred.

I predict at least a 50% increase. Ford will actually advertise the car for one. The engine change fixes the biggest functional complaint. The new front chassis and all the sound deadener will fix the other big complaint. The styling changes help enough also. They kept the price attractive and added lots of standard content. AWD will remain a popular option. AWD has a high take rate around here on the 500.

Ford should actually fleet a few of these to get some folks driving them.

Response at the auto show was positive. Folks never had an idea what the 500 was but the rebadged taurus was getting lots of compliments.

Based on my Edge test drive, I can say the engine is sweet. Ford really needs to be getting test mules out to the press right now and get some buzz going.

Only thing that may throw a wrench into this is if the Edge steals more sales from taurus then we thought.

Edited May 3, 2007 by regfootball