Ford Reports June Sales
6 July 1998
Customers Lift Ford's U.S. Sales 9% in June; Ford Trucks Set All-Time Industry Sales Record DETROIT, July 6 -- U.S. customers purchased or leased 412,184
cars and trucks from Ford , Mercury, Lincoln, and Jaguar dealers in
June, up 9.1% from a year ago. Truck sales totaled 242,906, up 16.3% from a
year ago, setting an all-time monthly record for any manufacturer. Car sales
totaled 169,278, up 0.2% from a year ago including a 5.2% increase in sales to
individual retail customers.
"We're very pleased with these strong results," said Bob Rewey, Ford's
group vice president for marketing, sales, and service. "Our inventories are
right where we want them to be heading into the second half of the year, and
Ford has a lot of momentum in quality and sales."
Ford quality improvements were reflected in J. D. Power and Associates'
most recent survey of initial quality. Three of the company's plants -- St.
Thomas, Chicago, and Michigan Truck -- finished first, second, and third in
the rating of North American plants that produce the highest quality vehicles.
It was the first time that a single manufacturer swept the top three places.
In addition, Ford trucks were rated No. 1 among all full-line truck
manufacturers, the Ford Expedition had the highest quality of any truck, the
Lincoln Navigator tied for first in the luxury sport utility segment, and the
Ford Escort and Mercury Tracer posted the highest quality scores in the
compact segment.
The F-Series pickup continued its blistering pace in June with sales of
81,367 (up 18% from a year ago), the highest sales for any U.S. vehicle for
any month in two decades. In June 1978, F-Series set an industry record for
sales in a month (90,370).
"Customer response to the all-new Super Duty F-Series has exceeded our
most optimistic projections," said Rewey. "From the beginning, we set out to
design and build the dominant truck for hard-working Americans -- it looks
like customers agree."
Customers purchased or leased a record 35,886 Ranger compact pickups in
June (up 50% from a year ago). Ranger and F-Series combined for total pickup
sales of 117,253 -- erasing the record that they set just last month. In
1996, the F-Series and Ranger posted combined sales of 1,069,231, a record for
any full-size/compact pickup duo. "I think F-Series and Ranger will set a new
record this year," said Rewey.
Ford Explorer and Mercury Mountaineer both set sales records in June.
Explorer sales of 41,331 (up 18% from a year ago) were an industry record for
a sport utility vehicle. Mountaineer set its own any-month record with sales
of 5,539 (up 40%). "Despite all the new SUVs that have been introduced in the
past two years, Explorer is still setting records," said Rewey. The previous
Explorer sales record was set in May 1995.
Two of the newest entries, the Ford Expedition and Lincoln Navigator,
combined with the Explorer and Mountaineer to set a company record for SUV
sales of 71,264 (up 17%).
Not to be outdone, customers purchased Ford vans in record numbers. The
Ford Windstar and Econoline had combined June sales of 49,252. Windstar had
its best June ever and Econoline had its best June sales since 1978.
Retail sales of 1998/1999-model cars were up for the eighth month in a
row. Ford Mustang sales were up for the 12th month in a row and Escort had
its best sales for any month since August 1989, including an any-month sales
record for the ZX2 coupe.
Customers took delivery of 1,685 Jaguars in June, up seven percent from a
year ago. Jaguar sales in the first six months of 1998 were the highest since
1986.
With six months elapsed in 1998, Rewey commented on the sales outlook for
the second half of the year: "Industry sales in the coming months will be
good, but not as strong as the second quarter, which were the highest ever.
The seasonally-adjusted annual selling rate for the first half was about 16
million. Some of the strength undoubtedly has come from end-of-model-year
buyers who were enticed by exceptional values. But don't underestimate the
significance of the economy's strength, near-record levels of consumer
confidence, and innovative, new products, like the Ford Super Duty F-Series
and Mercury Cougar."
"We have been predicting that 1998 sales would range from 15 to 15.5
million units," Rewey continued. "We're definitely on the high end of the
range now -- 1998 will be the fifth consecutive year that U.S. industry sales
have topped 15 million, and it could be the industry's best sales year since
1988."
FORD MOTOR COMPANY JUNE SALES
(Including Jaguar Cars)
June Month DSR % June CYTD DSR %
1998 1997 Change 1998 1997 Change
TOTAL VEHICLES 412,184 363,312 9.1% 1,979,862 1,982,412 -0.1%
TOTAL CARS 169,278 162,455 0.2 820,833 842,642 -2.6
TOTAL TRUCKS 242,906 200,857 16.3 1,159,029 1,139,770 1.7
memo:
Domestic Cars 167,593 156,715 2.8% 805,227 815,707 -1.3%
Imported Cars 1,685 5,740 -71.8 15,606 26,935 -42.1
Light Trucks 241,781 196,796 18.1 1,149,650 1,116,775 2.9
Heavy Trucks 1,125 4,061 -73.4 9,379 22,995 -59.2
(Excluding Jaguar Cars)
June Month DSR % June CYTD DSR %
1998 1997 Change 1998 1997 Change
TOTAL VEHICLES 410,499 361,802 9.1% 1,969,173 1,973,276 -0.2%
TOTAL CARS 167,593 160,945 0.1 810,144 833,506 -2.8
TOTAL TRUCKS 242,906 200,857 16.3 1,159,029 1,139,770 1.7
memo:
Domestic Cars 167,593 156,715 2.8% 805,227 815,707 -1.3%
Imported Cars 0 4,230 -100.0 4,917 17,799 2.4
Light Trucks 241,781 196,796 18.1 1,149,650 1,116,775 2.9
Heavy Trucks 1,125 4,061 -73.4 9,379 22,995 -59.2
Note: Percentage changes are based on daily selling rates.
Selling Days 26 25 153 153
CONTACT: George Pipas, 313-446-9195
FORD DIVISION JUNE SALES
June Month DSR % June CYTD DSR %
1998 1997 Change 1998 1997 Change
Crown
Victoria 11,745 10,578 6.8% 61,530 60,013 2.5%
Thunderbird 0 7,157 -100.0 2,243 38,438 -94.2
Taurus 41,403 31,968 24.5 196,101 177,931 10.2
Contour 19,043 18,472 -0.9 78,914 84,217 -6.3
Escort 33,690 31,076 4.2 151,072 149,587 1.0
Aspire 0 4,230 -100.0 4,917 17,799 -72.4
Mustang 14,410 10,844 27.8 75,289 56,824 32.5
Probe 0 1,623 -100.0 3,058 9,362 -67.3
TOTAL FORD
CARS 120,291 115,948 -0.2% 573,124 594,171 -3.5%
Expedition/
Bronco 20,783 18,770 6.5% 99,563 107,080 -7.0%
Explorer 41,331 33,675 18.0 198,783 186,345 6.7
Econoline/Club
Wagon 22,541 18,369 18.0 107,665 98,672 9.1
Aerostar 0 5,555 -100.0 1,060 29,816 -96.4
Windstar 26,711 19,431 32.2 109,043 109,239 -0.2
Ranger 35,886 23,066 49.6 166,090 147,438 12.7
F-Series 81,367 66,140 18.3 403,040 383,353 5.1
TOTAL FORD LT.
TRUCKS 228,619 185,006 18.8% 1,085,244 1,061,943 2.2%
Heavy
Trucks 1,125 4,061 -73.4 9,379 22,995 -59.2
TOTAL FORD
TRUCKS 229,744 189,067 16.8% 1,094,623 1,084,938 0.9%
TOTAL FORD
VEHICLES 350,035 305,015 10.3% 1,667,747 1,679,109 -0.7%
CONTACT: Anne Doyle of Ford Division, 313-446-7730
LINCOLN-MERCURY DIVISION JUNE SALES
June Month DSR % June CYTD DSR %
1998 1997 Change 1998 1997 Change
Grand
Marquis 10,282 9,214 7.3% 59,831 51,770 15.6%
Cougar (RWD) 0 2,574 -100.0 2,751 16,283 -83.1
Cougar (FWD) 2,231 0 NA 7,172 0 NA
Sable 10,590 12,172 -16.3 54,025 60,405 -10.6
Mystique 4,920 3,141 50.6 21,283 22,909 -7.1
Tracer 4,630 4,665 -4.6 18,693 24,848 -24.8
TOTAL MERCURY
CARS 32,653 31,766 -1.2% 163,755 176,215 -7.1%
Town Car 10,133 9,368 4.0 48,889 41,964 16.5
Mark VIII 1,518 1,414 3.2 7,362 7,300 0.8
Continental 2,998 2,449 17.7 17,014 13,856 22.8
TOTAL LINCOLN
CARS 14,649 13,231 6.5% 73,265 63,120 16.1%
TOTAL MERCURY AND LINCOLN
CARS 47,302 44,997 1.1% 237,020 239,335 -1.0%
Villager 4,012 5,634 -31.5% 19,304 30,377 -36.5%
Mountaineer 5,539 3,794 40.4 24,221 22,093 9.6
TOTAL MERCURY LT.
TRUCKS 9,551 9,428 -2.6% 43,525 52,470 -17.0%
Navigator 3,611 2,362 47.0 20,881 2,362 784.0
TOTAL MERCURY AND LINCOLN
LT. TRUCKS 13,162 11,790 7.3% 64,406 54,832 17.5%
TOTAL MERCURY AND LINCOLN
VEHICLES 60,464 56,787 2.4% 301,426 294,167 2.5%
Memo: Total Lincoln
Vehicles 18,260 15,593 12.6% 94,146 65,482 43.8%
CONTACT: Tom Mattia, Lincoln-Mercury Division, 313-446-4368.
JAGUAR CARS JUNE SALES
June Month DSR % June CYTD DSR %
1998 1997 Change 1998 1997 Change
XJ6/8 525 351 43.8% 2,948 1,748 68.6%
XJ6/8 L 235 279 -19.0 1,591 1,970 -19.2
Vanden Plas 340 231 41.5 2,294 1,431 60.3
XJR 106 26 292.0 693 270 156.7
XJ12 0 0 0.0 0 43 -100.0
XJS 0 2 -100.0 0 47 -100.0
XK8 - Coupe 56 76 -29.1 364 596 -38.9
XK8 -
Convertible 423 545 -25.4 2,799 3,031 -7.7
TOTAL JAGUAR
CARS 1,685 1,510 7.3% 10,689 9,136 17.0%
CONTACT: Jaguar Public Affairs, 888-476-9537
