May 2007: Ford Motor Company

[mustang84]

http://media.ford.com/article_display.cfm?article_id=26099

*Ford’s crossover sales increase 67 percent, as all-new Ford Edge and Lincoln MKX reach new highs. Redesigned Ford Escape and Mercury Mariner post double-digit increases and record hybrid sales.

*Ford expects Edge sales to reach 120,000 in 2007 – 20 percent higher than original forecast.

*Crossovers pace Ford’s solid retail performance.

*Retail sales nearly match year ago levels; total sales (including sales to fleet customers) declined 7 percent, primarily reflecting planned reduction in daily rental sales.

*Lincoln registers eighth month in a row of higher retail sales.

*All-new Ford Expedition gains for the ninth month in a row.

*Land Rover sales rose 7 percent, reflecting all-new LR2.

*Ford announces third-quarter production plan.

DEARBORN, Mich., June 1 – Ford Motor Company’s new and redesigned crossovers are setting the pace in the industry’s fastest-growing segment and helped Ford to achieve its best retail sales performance of 2007.

The all-new Ford Edge and Lincoln MKX set sales records in May. Edge sales were 12,701, up 39 percent from April and besting the previous highest monthly sales of 10,915 in March. Lincoln MKX sales were 3,490, up 20 percent from April and eclipsing the previous best monthly sales of 3,054 (also in March).

“These new crossovers are the right products at the right time,” said Mark Fields, Ford’s President of the Americas. “Consumer demand for the Ford Edge and Lincoln MKX has exceeded our original expectations, so we’re raising the bar. We now expect Ford Edge sales to reach 120,000 this year – 20 percent higher than our original forecast.”

The redesigned 2008 model Ford Escape and Mercury Mariner crossovers also are scoring with consumers. Escape sales were 18,953, up 13 percent from a year ago, and Mariner sales were 4,395, up 87 percent. Each of these products posted their third highest sales month ever. In addition, the Escape and Mariner hybrid models set May sales records. Escape hybrid sales were 2,680 and Mariner hybrid sales were 534.

In total, Ford crossovers were up 67 percent compared with a year ago as the company continues to achieve the largest sales increase in the industry’s fastest-growing segment.

Crossovers helped Ford to post a solid retail result in May. Although retail sales were 3 percent lower than a year ago, May was the best retail performance for any month this year. The company’s total sales (including sales to fleet customers) were 259,470, down 7 percent. The larger decline in total sales reflected a planned reduction in sales to daily rental companies.

Other new and redesigned products contributed to Ford’s strong retail performance in May. Retail sales for the Ford Expedition were higher than a year ago, and Expedition sales have increased nine months in a row.

The Lincoln brand posted another retail sales increase – its eighth month in a row of higher retail sales. Lincoln’s rebound has resulted from sales of the new Lincoln MKX crossover, the new Lincoln MKZ sedan and the redesigned Navigator.

Land Rover dealers reported a 7 percent sales increase in May, reflecting the addition of the all-new LR2 crossover.

Ford:

Mustang up 12%

Escape up 13%

Edge up 39% over April

Expedition up 27%

F-series down 11.7%

Mercury:

Mariner sales up 87%

Lincoln:

MKX up 20% over April

MKZ up 37.7%

Edited June 1, 2007 by mustang84

[mustang84]

Reg, looks like the '08 Taurus is on lots...125 sold so far.

[GXT]

Fusion down 4.4%. Interesting.

[Northstar]

Looks like the F-Series is feeling the heat from the T900s. Edge, Mariner, and Escape are all doing well.

[Intrepidation]

Fusion down 4.4%. Interesting.

More interesting is that the MKZ is up 37.7%

[Chicagoland]

I p-o'ed some BON naysayers pointing out that the Escape and Edge were not 'flops' as predicted. [The newer Escape would fail since it had same greenhouse and rear drums, the Edge was 'not good enough' and would tank]

Of course they had to attack the 'messager' since they can't handle the truth, they were w-r-o-n-g! I think was really got them mad was the fact that the MKZ is a hit, and the overrated, fat, boring, and lame LS was not!

[Oracle of Delphi]

Looks like the F-Series is feeling the heat from the T900s. Edge, Mariner, and Escape are all doing well.

More likely the heat from the gas pump prices.

[Intrepidation]

More likely the heat from the gas pump prices.

What's strange is that the Ram is up 6 percent.

[regfootball]

Reg, looks like the '08 Taurus is on lots...125 sold so far.

thanks. i know you can also now build it online.

edge=hot cakes around here. same with the new escape and mariner.

gotta test drive a taurus. need to know if i should pull ahead this fall on a taurus or edge, or wait for the G8.

town car still freakin sells at a 60k pace. WTF?

[regfootball]

I p-o'ed some BON naysayers pointing out that the Escape and Edge were not 'flops' as predicted. [The newer Escape would fail since it had same greenhouse and rear drums, the Edge was 'not good enough' and would tank]

Of course they had to attack the 'messager' since they can't handle the truth, they were w-r-o-n-g! I think was really got them mad was the fact that the MKZ is a hit, and the overrated, fat, boring, and lame LS was not!

I'll repeat. the new escape/mariner and edge are selling like wildfire around here. i see many every day. and today i saw the truck pull into my ford dealer with like 10 new excapes on there.

old ford loyalists have no clue that crossovers are where the market is at right now. ford really could afford to lose its old fan base aside from mustangs. rubes like that hold ford back.

[mustang84]

I p-o'ed some BON naysayers pointing out that the Escape and Edge were not 'flops' as predicted. [The newer Escape would fail since it had same greenhouse and rear drums, the Edge was 'not good enough' and would tank]

Of course they had to attack the 'messager' since they can't handle the truth, they were w-r-o-n-g! I think was really got them mad was the fact that the MKZ is a hit, and the overrated, fat, boring, and lame LS was not!

Yeah, there are so many trolls that run rampant on that site. I get tired of the same old drivel they push every day. Certain ones have a habit of making outrageous claims that members later point out were flat-out wrong, then they backpeddle and try to make it look like that isn't what they meant. Negatards is what they are called now...pretty fitting name, IMO.

[thegriffon]

Edge is now the best-selling large crossover, beating the Highlander and Pilot in May.

[ehaase]

Yeah, there are so many trolls that run rampant on that site. I get tired of the same old drivel they push every day. Certain ones have a habit of making outrageous claims that members later point out were flat-out wrong, then they backpeddle and try to make it look like that isn't what they meant. Negatards is what they are called now...pretty fitting name, IMO.

At BON, it is best just to read what your favorite posters are saying and ignore the rest. I always check on Biker16, 630land (Chicagoland here), theoldwizard, BlueII, and grbeck. AH-HA also posts there about once every 2 months. The rest is a waste of time. It is good that the moderators here stay on top of things.

[A Horse With No Name]

Do you guys have a link to BON?

Chris