Ford's F-Series Sets Industry Truck Sales Records; America's Best-Selling Vehicle 23 Years in a Row
* F-Series sets December (95,392) and full year (939,511) industry truck sales records. * New products enable cars to post first monthly increase since January 2003. * Mustang stampede continues as December retail sales soar 60 percent vs. year ago. * Retail sales for Ford Five Hundred, Ford Freestyle, and Mercury Montego climb 26 percent vs. November. * Ford Escape sets new full year record for small sport utility vehicles; best sales month for Mercury Mariner. * Volvo sets December and full year records. * All-new LR3 boosts Land Rover to best sales month ever. * Ford's overall December sales totaled 294,270, up 1 percent compared with year ago.
DEARBORN, Mich., Jan. 4 -- Ford's F-Series set industry truck sales records in December and is America's best selling vehicle for the 23rd year in a row.
Ford dealers put an exclamation point on a record-setting sales year with record December sales. For the full year, Ford dealers delivered 939,511 F- Series trucks -- topping the previous record (911,597) set in 2001. This year marked the first full year of sales for the all-new F-150, which was introduced in September 2003. A redesigned F-Series Super Duty model debuted in September 2004. December sales were 95,392, up 13 percent from last year's record sales. December marked the 16th month in a row of higher F-Series sales.
Overall, the company's U.S. sales totaled 294,270 in December, up 1 percent compared with a year ago. Among brands, Ford was up 2 percent, Volvo was up 4 percent, and Land Rover was up 49 percent. For the full year, the company's U.S. sales totaled 3.33 million, down 4 percent.
December marked the first month Ford car retail sales increased since January 2003, reflecting growing consumer awareness and availability of recently introduced products. Ford car sales were up 3 percent for the month.
Total Mustang sales were up 9 percent compared with a year ago. Retail sales for Ford's legendary pony car were 60 percent higher than a year ago.
The new Ford Five Hundred, Ford Freestyle and Mercury Montego combined for total sales of 10,407. Retail sales of the Chicago-produced products were up 26 percent compared with November.
Ford's Escape, the best-selling small sport utility vehicle in America, set a new full year sales record of 183,430. The previous record (167,678) was set last year. December sales were 14,308 (including 969 hybrid models).
Mercury's new compact sport utility vehicle, the Mariner, posted December sales of 2,462 -- its best sales month so far.
Volvo posted record December sales of 12,207, reflecting a best-ever month for the XC90 sport utility vehicle and strong sales of the new S40 sedan and V50 sport wagon. XC90 sales were 5,018, up 17 percent from a year ago. December capped a record setting sales year for Volvo retailers. Full year Volvo sales were 139,067, up 3 percent from last year's record.
The all-new LR3 boosted Land Rover to its best-ever sales month (5,495). LR3 sales were 2,140, up 64 percent compared with November -- the month of introduction.
FORD MOTOR COMPANY DECEMBER 2004 U.S. SALES
December Month % December CYTD %
2004 2003 Change 2004 2003 Change
Sales By Brand
Ford 245,594 240,823 2.0 2,778,678 2,894,347 -4.0
Mercury 14,915 16,635 -10.3 193,534 202,257 -4.3
Lincoln 12,642 14,889 -15.1 139,016 158,839 -12.5
Jaguar 3,417 4,438 -23.0 45,875 54,655 -16.1
Volvo 12,207 11,747 3.9 139,067 134,586 3.3
Land Rover 5,495 3,677 49.4 35,506 39,035 -9.0
Total Ford
Motor Company 294,270 292,209 0.7 3,331,676 3,483,719 -4.4
Memo: Cars and
Trucks
Cars 83,200 80,763 3.0 1,018,333 1,169,433 -12.9
Trucks 211,070 211,446 -0.2 2,313,343 2,314,286 0.0
Total Ford
Motor Company 294,270 292,209 0.7 3,331,676 3,483,719 -4.4
FORD BRAND DECEMBER 2004 U.S. SALES
December Month % December CYTD %
2004 2003 Change 2004 2003 Change
Crown Victoria 4,144 6,575 -37.0 70,816 78,541 -9.8
Five Hundred 5,730 0 NA 14,106 0 NA
Taurus 18,295 15,182 20.5 248,148 300,496 -17.4
Focus 16,800 16,299 3.1 208,339 229,353 -9.2
Mustang 13,342 12,249 8.9 129,858 140,350 -7.5
Thunderbird 910 904 0.7 11,998 18,100 -33.7
GT 59 0 NA 144 0 NA
Escort 0 1,156 -100.0 1,210 25,473 -95.2
Total Ford Cars 59,280 52,365 13.2 684,619 792,313 -13.6
Freestyle 3,525 0 NA 8,509 0 NA
Escape 14,308 13,756 4.0 183,430 167,678 9.4
Explorer 24,994 33,313 -25.0 339,333 373,118 -9.1
Expedition 13,854 18,100 -23.5 159,846 181,547 -12.0
Excursion 2,296 2,610 -12.0 20,010 26,259 -23.8
Freestar 6,405 5,689 12.6 100,622 15,771 538.0
Windstar 0 3,523 -100.0 2,950 113,465 -97.4
Econoline/Club Wagon 15,422 13,391 15.2 171,017 161,721 5.7
Ranger 8,670 12,443 -30.3 156,322 209,117 -25.2
F-Series 95,392 84,657 12.7 939,511 845,586 11.1
Heavy Trucks 1,448 976 48.4 12,509 7,772 60.9
Total Ford Trucks 186,314 188,458 -1.1 2,094,059 2,102,034 -0.4
Total Ford Brand 245,594 240,823 2.0 2,778,678 2,894,347 -4.0
LINCOLN AND MERCURY BRAND DECEMBER 2004 U.S. SALES
December Month % December CYTD %
2004 2003 Change 2004 2003 Change
Grand Marquis 4,668 6,875 -32.1 79,329 86,986 -8.8
Montego 1,152 0 NA 2,974 0 NA
Sable 2,649 4,082 -35.1 42,737 61,342 -30.3
Cougar 0 0 NA 0 2,024 -100.0
Total Mercury Cars 8,469 10,957 -22.7 125,040 150,352 -16.8
Town Car 4,071 4,324 -5.9 51,908 56,566 -8.2
LS 1,833 2,657 -31.0 27,066 33,581 -19.4
Continental 0 0 NA 0 280 -100.0
Total Lincoln Cars 5,904 6,981 -15.4 78,974 90,427 -12.7
Total Mercury
and Lincoln Cars 14,373 17,938 -19.9 204,014 240,779 -15.3
Mariner 2,462 0 NA 7,171 0 NA
Mountaineer 2,858 4,977 -42.6 43,916 49,692 -11.6
Monterey 1,126 701 60.6 17,407 2,213 686.6
Total Mercury Trucks 6,446 5,678 13.5 68,494 51,905 32.0
Navigator 4,280 4,989 -14.2 36,398 38,742 -6.1
Aviator 2,458 2,919 -15.8 23,644 29,517 -19.9
Blackwood 0 0 NA 0 153 -100.0
Total Lincoln Trucks 6,738 7,908 -14.8 60,042 68,412 -12.2
Total Mercury
and Lincoln Trucks 13,184 13,586 -3.0 128,536 120,317 6.8
Total Mercury
and Lincoln Vehicles 27,557 31,524 -12.6 332,550 361,096 -7.9
Total Lincoln Brand 12,642 14,889 -15.1 139,016 158,839 -12.5
Total Mercury Brand 14,915 16,635 -10.3 193,534 202,257 -4.3
JAGUAR BRAND DECEMBER 2004 U.S. SALES
December Month % December CYTD %
2004 2003 Change 2004 2003 Change
XJ 962 1,032 -6.8 10,552 10,102 4.5
S-TYPE 787 1,113 -29.3 10,975 14,876 -26.2
X-TYPE 1,456 2,037 -28.5 21,542 26,772 -19.5
XK 212 256 -17.2 2,806 2,905 -3.4
Total Jaguar 3,417 4,438 -23.0 45,875 54,655 -16.1
VOLVO BRAND DECEMBER 2004 U.S. SALES
December Month % December CYTD %
2004 2003 Change 2004 2003 Change
S40 2,305 692 233.1 24,037 12,792 87.9
V40 2 187 -98.9 1,503 2,926 -48.6
V50 581 0 NA 2,509 0 NA
S60 1,733 2,533 -31.6 27,835 35,295 -21.1
V70 553 966 -42.8 10,484 11,765 -10.9
XC70 1,059 1,435 -26.2 16,059 17,177 -6.5
C70 287 292 -1.7 4,067 4,271 -4.8
S80 669 1,352 -50.5 13,390 14,637 -8.5
XC90 5,018 4,290 17.0 39,183 35,723 9.7
Total Volvo 12,207 11,747 3.9 139,067 134,586 3.3
LAND ROVER BRAND DECEMBER 2004 U.S. SALES
December Month % December CYTD %
2004 2003 Change 2004 2003 Change
Range Rover 1,964 1,756 11.8 13,546 12,086 12.1
LR3 2,140 0 NA 3,447 0 NA
Discovery 912 1,204 -24.3 13,083 17,420 -24.9
Freelander 479 717 -33.2 5,430 9,529 -43.0
Total Land Rover 5,495 3,677 49.4 35,506 39,035 -9.0
