Ford Press Release: Ford Ahead of Class "A" Motorhome Chassis Market

08/23/96

Ford Leads Class "A" Motorhome Chassis Market


DETROIT, Aug. 19 via Individual Inc. -- Ford Motor
Company today announced that for the first half of 1996 it
led the Class "A" motorhome chassis market, marking the first time
ever that the company has outpaced its closest competitor in first
half Class "A" results. For the first half of 1996, Ford held 42.1
percent market share for Class "A's."

Since 1993, Ford has posted more than 100 percent improvement in
market share in the Class "A" motorhome chassis market, where
self-contained RV vehicles compete.

Ford's upward climb in market share began in 1993 when the company
held 20.8 percent of the Class "A" market, less than half that of the
segment leader. In 1994, Ford's Class "A" motorhome chassis market
share jumped nearly 40 percent after the late 1993 introduction of its
1994 model F-Super Duty chasis. In 1995 a repeat performance was
posted with share rising nearly another 40 percent.

"It's truly refreshing to see our Class 'A' business take off the way
it has these past few quarters," said Jerry Mittman, Ford Division
recreation and special vehicle sales manager. "We fully expect our
first half results, coupled with those of the remaining two quarters,
to put us in a solid year- end leadership position in the Class 'A'
motorhome chassis market."

In addition to a strong Class "A" performance, Ford continues to post
solid results in the lighter-duty Class "C" motorhome chassis market,
where motorhomes that include a full-size van cab section compete.

For the first half of 1996, Ford held over 88 percent market share of
the Class "C" motorhome chassis market, due primarily to the
class-leading Ford Econoline cutaway van.

"Our Econoline Class 'C' chassis continues to dominate the segment,"
said Mittman. "We expect that will continue with the release of the
new 6.8-liter Triton V-10 engine and additional product upgrades to
the 1997 Econoline."

The following charts show Ford's steady gain in market share for the
Class "A" chassis market, starting in calendar year 1993. Class "C"
chassis share also continues to post solid results:

FORD CLASS "A" CHASSIS MARKET SHARES

1996 (JAN-JUN)   1995       1994      1993
-------------------------------------------
42.1%            39.0%      28.8%     20.8%


FORD CLASS "C" CHASSIS MARKET SHARES

1996 (JAN-JUN)   1995       1994      1993
-------------------------------------------
88.3%            88.4%      87.3%     85.7%
Data from Statistical Surveys, Inc.