Ford Motor Company Reports August Sales Cars Down 28%, Trucks Down 7%
- Ford's August sales decline 15 percent compared with last year's record sales - August truck sales down 7 percent; car sales fall 28 percent - Jaguar and Land Rover set new records; Volvo sales up 11 percent - All-new Ford F-150 debuts this weekend - Ford announces fourth quarter North American production plan
DEARBORN, Mich., Sept. 3 -- U.S. customers purchased or leased 311,084 cars and trucks from Ford, Mercury, Lincoln, Jaguar, Volvo, and Land Rover dealers in August, down 15 percent compared with a year ago. Last August, the company set a sales record for the month. Sales of passenger cars were 99,669 (down 28 percent) and sales of trucks (pickups, sport utility vehicles, and vans) were 211,415 (down 7 percent).
Year-to-date, the company's sales were 2.36 million, down 5 percent compared with the same period a year ago. Sales of trucks were 1.5 million, down 1 percent, and car sales were 826,772, down 12 percent.
Ford's F-Series, America's best-selling truck for 26 years in a row, posted sales of 73,698, down 6 percent from last August's record sales of 78,566, and the third highest August sales in F-Series' 55-year history. In the first eight months of 2003, F-Series sales totaled 545,582.
"The all-new F-150 has started to arrive at Ford dealer showrooms," said Jim O'Connor, Ford group vice president, North America Marketing, Sales and Service. "New advertising debuts tomorrow -- the start of F-150 Kickoff Weekend -- and Ford dealers across the nation have planned special events for their customers to check out the next generation of the best-selling vehicle in America. It's been a long time since a new product introduction created this much anticipation in the industry."
Sales for the company's portfolio of sport utility vehicles also achieved near-record sales despite lower Explorer sales. Last August, Explorer posted its best sales month in its 13-year history (51,021). Higher sales for Ford Expedition (up 41 percent), record August sales for Ford Escape (15,438) and Mercury Mountaineer (5,188) and the best month ever for Lincoln Aviator (2,934) nearly enabled the company to set a new SUV sales record.
Volvo dealers reported August sales of 11,837, up 11 percent compared with a year ago. August was the tenth month in a row of higher sales at Volvo, a streak that started with the introduction of the award-winning XC90 sport utility vehicle. Volvo retailers remain on pace to set a new calendar year sales record in 2003 as year-to-date sales totaled 90,952, up 22 percent from a year ago.
Jaguar and Land Rover each posted record sales in August on the strength of new products at the top of their lineup. Jaguar dealers reported their best sales month in history (6,238), up 4 percent from last year's record sales. The all-new XJ sedan achieved sales of 1,262, up 74 percent compared with a year ago. Land Rover dealers reported record August sales (3,790) as the all-new Range Rover achieved its highest sales month in history.
In August, the company saw lower sales for its passenger cars (down 28 percent) and minivans (down 33 percent). These segments continue to be adversely affected by lower fleet deliveries and discontinued products. Later this year, the company will introduce new Ford and Mercury minivans and next year the company embarks on a major wave of new car introductions.
North American Production
The company revised its third quarter production plan downward by 10,000 vehicles to 800,000 vehicles (235,000 cars and 565,000 trucks) reflecting the impact of the mid-August blackout. The previous plan was 810,000 vehicles (245,000 cars and 565,000 trucks). In the fourth quarter, the company plans to produce 890,000 vehicles (235,000 cars and 655,000 trucks). In the fourth quarter of 2002, the company produced 951,000 vehicles (304,000 cars and 647,000 trucks).
FORD MOTOR COMPANY AUGUST 2003 U.S. SALES
August Month % August CYTD %
2003 2002 Change 2003 2002 Change
Sales By Brand
Ford 254,579 297,497 -14.4 1,961,772 2,055,795 -4.6
Mercury 19,314 31,713 -39.1 138,217 187,287 -26.2
Lincoln 15,326 15,760 -2.8 106,577 101,344 5.2
Jaguar 6,238 6,011 3.8 36,062 43,784 -17.6
Volvo 11,837 10,653 11.1 90,952 74,716 21.7
Land Rover 3,790 3,772 0.5 24,938 26,491 -5.9
Total Ford
Motor Company 311,084 365,406 -14.9 2,358,518 2,489,417 -5.3
Memo: Cars and
Trucks
Cars 99,669 138,126 -27.8 826,772 937,991 -11.9
Trucks 211,415 227,280 -7.0 1,531,746 1,551,426 -1.3
Total Ford
Motor Company 311,084 365,406 -14.9 2,358,518 2,489,417 -5.3
FORD BRAND AUGUST 2003 U.S. SALES
August Month % August CYTD %
2003 2002 Change 2003 2002 Change
Crown Victoria 4,623 7,769 -40.5 55,399 58,029 -4.5
Taurus 25,981 32,827 -20.9 219,908 227,704 -3.4
Focus 19,373 24,747 -21.7 159,417 164,036 -2.8
Thunderbird 1,092 1,700 -35.8 13,037 14,135 -7.8
Mustang 9,435 16,260 -42.0 98,127 100,653 -2.5
Escort 2,129 3,127 -31.9 16,968 42,965 -60.5
Total Ford Cars 62,633 86,430 -27.5 562,856 607,522 -7.4
Escape 15,438 13,871 11.3 110,374 95,484 15.6
Explorer 36,254 51,021 -28.9 246,120 285,655 -13.8
Expedition 18,487 13,133 40.8 122,401 101,620 20.4
Excursion 2,097 3,152 -33.5 16,095 20,365 -21.0
Econoline/Club Wagon 12,428 14,851 -16.3 111,360 113,398 -1.8
Windstar 9,402 12,342 -23.8 91,178 104,126 -12.4
Ranger 23,438 23,501 -0.3 151,285 164,873 -8.2
F-Series 73,698 78,566 -6.2 545,582 557,973 -2.2
Heavy Trucks 704 630 11.7 4,521 4,779 -5.4
Total Ford Trucks 191,946 211,067 -9.1 1,398,916 1,448,273 -3.4
Total Ford Brand 254,579 297,497 -14.4 1,961,772 2,055,795 -4.6
LINCOLN AND MERCURY BRAND AUGUST 2003 U.S. SALES
August Month % August CYTD %
2003 2002 Change 2003 2002 Change
Grand Marquis 7,293 7,607 -4.1 60,831 54,271 12.1
Sable 6,833 14,980 -54.4 43,036 78,266 -45.0
Cougar 0 2,641 -100.0 2,024 12,949 -84.4
Total Mercury Cars 14,126 25,228 -44.0 105,891 145,486 -27.2
Town Car 5,703 5,563 2.5 40,186 41,715 -3.7
LS 3,591 4,134 -13.1 23,994 26,778 -10.4
Continental 0 2,273 -100.0 280 12,060 -97.7
Total Lincoln Cars 9,294 11,970 -22.4 64,460 80,553 -20.0
Total Mercury
and Lincoln Cars 23,420 37,198 -37.0 170,351 226,039 -24.6
Mountaineer 5,188 4,811 7.8 32,326 29,795 8.5
Villager 0 1,674 -100.0 0 12,006 -100.0
Total Mercury Trucks 5,188 6,485 -20.0 32,326 41,801 -22.7
Navigator 3,098 3,268 -5.2 23,866 18,983 25.7
Aviator 2,934 0 NA 18,098 0 NA
Blackwood 0 522 -100.0 153 1,808 -91.5
Total Lincoln Trucks 6,032 3,790 59.2 42,117 20,791 102.6
Total Mercury
and Lincoln Trucks 11,220 10,275 9.2 74,443 62,592 18.9
Total Mercury
and Lincoln Vehicles 34,640 47,473 -27.0 244,794 288,631 -15.2
Total Lincoln Brand 15,326 15,760 -2.8 106,577 101,344 5.2
Total Mercury Brand 19,314 31,713 -39.1 138,217 187,287 -26.2
JAGUAR BRAND AUGUST 2003 U.S. SALES
August Month % August CYTD %
2003 2002 Change 2003 2002 Change
XJ 1,262 725 74.1 6,140 5,939 3.4
S-TYPE 1,371 1,659 -17.4 10,091 10,564 -4.5
X-TYPE 3,397 3,250 4.5 17,888 24,650 -27.4
XK 208 377 -44.8 1,943 2,631 -26.1
Total Jaguar 6,238 6,011 3.8 36,062 43,784 -17.6
VOLVO BRAND AUGUST 2003 U.S. SALES
August Month % August CYTD %
2003 2002 Change 2003 2002 Change
S40 1,123 1,440 -22.0 9,468 10,889 -13.0
V40 286 231 23.8 2,152 1,861 15.6
S60 3,488 3,957 -11.9 25,074 27,821 -9.9
S70 0 0 NA 0 0 NA
V70 791 917 -13.7 8,208 6,833 20.1
V70 XC 1,652 2,166 -23.7 11,513 14,070 -18.2
C70 598 364 64.3 3,101 2,660 16.6
XC90 2,807 0 NA 21,936 0 NA
S80 1,092 1,578 -30.8 9,500 10,582 -10.2
Total Volvo 11,837 10,653 11.1 90,952 74,716 21.7
LAND ROVER BRAND AUGUST 2003 U.S. SALES
August Month % August CYTD %
2003 2002 Change 2003 2002 Change
Range Rover 1,227 943 30.1 6,935 5,141 34.9
Discovery 1,737 1,490 16.6 11,385 11,280 0.9
Freelander 826 1,339 -38.3 6,618 10,070 -34.3
Total Land Rover 3,790 3,772 0.5 24,938 26,491 -5.9
