April 2005 U.S. Sales: Ford Mustang, Ford Five Hundred and Mercury Montego Strengthen Ford's Car Business
* Ford Motor Company's April retail car sales rose 11 percent from a year ago paced by new Mustang, Five Hundred, and Montego. * April truck sales declined 2 percent as higher sales of crossover utilities and full-size pickup trucks were offset by lower sales of traditional sport utility vehicles. * Overall, April sales were off 2 percent from a year ago.
DEARBORN, Mich., May 3 -- The all-new Ford Mustang, Ford Five Hundred, and Mercury Montego continued to lead Ford Motor Company's effort to strengthen its car business. In April, Ford's car sales to retail customers were 11 percent higher than a year ago. However, a decline in deliveries to fleet customers offset the increase in retail sales.
Truck sales were 2 percent lower than a year ago as stronger sales of crossover utilities and full-size pickups were more than offset by lower sales of traditional utility vehicles.
Overall, U.S. customers purchased 281,292 cars and trucks from Ford, Mercury, Lincoln, Jaguar, Land Rover and Volvo dealers in April, down 2 percent from a year ago.
Mustang sales were 19,559 -- the highest April sales for Ford's legendary pony car since 1980.
"Right now, the only thing keeping Mustang at bay is lack of inventory," said Steve Lyons, Ford group vice president, North America Marketing, Sales and Service. Lyons estimated Ford dealers had fewer than 13,000 Mustangs in stock at the end of April.
Consumer demand also remained strong for the company's new full-size sedans -- the Ford Five Hundred and Mercury Montego. Combined sales for the Five Hundred, Montego, and Ford Freestyle crossover utility, which are produced at Ford's Chicago Assembly Plant, eclipsed 18,000 for the first time.
Demand for the company's crossover utilities continued to increase. Combined sales for the Ford Escape and Freestyle, Mercury's Mariner, and Volvo's XC70 and XC90 were 31 percent higher than the company's crossover utility sales in April 2004. Sales for the Escape Hybrid were 1,705 -- the highest monthly sales to date.
The F-Series truck, America's best-selling vehicle, posted April sales of 71,367, up 2 percent from a year ago.
Lincoln Mercury posted its third consecutive increase in monthly sales paced by recently introduced new products -- Mercury Montego and Mariner and Lincoln Mark LT full-size truck. Lincoln Mercury sales in April were up 10 percent.
Sales of traditional sport utility vehicles (e.g., Ford Explorer and Expedition) were 14 percent lower than a year ago. Land Rover, whose dealers offer a range of luxury utility vehicles, was an exception to the rule as sales climbed 24 percent due to the all-new LR3, Motor Trend magazine's "Sport Utility Vehicle of the Year."
FORD MOTOR COMPANY APRIL 2005 U.S. SALES
April Month % April CYTD %
2005 2004 Change 2005 2004 Change
Sales By Brand
Ford 237,842 244,031 -2.5 862,419 911,917 -5.4
Mercury 16,734 15,035 11.3 72,040 62,172 15.9
Lincoln 9,981 9,192 8.6 41,643 43,713 -4.7
Jaguar 2,870 4,103 -30.1 11,577 15,343 -24.5
Volvo 10,725 10,788 -0.6 42,877 44,155 -2.9
Land Rover 3,140 2,526 24.3 11,584 10,670 8.6
Total Ford
Motor Company 281,292 285,675 -1.5 1,042,140 1,087,970 -4.2
Memo: Cars and
Trucks
Cars 97,578 97,530 0.0 367,621 363,172 1.2
Trucks 183,714 188,145 -2.4 674,519 724,798 -6.9
Total Ford
Motor Company 281,292 285,675 -1.5 1,042,140 1,087,970 -4.2
FORD BRAND APRIL 2005 U.S. SALES
April Month % April CYTD %
2005 2004 Change 2005 2004 Change
Crown Victoria 6,193 8,156 -24.1 23,807 29,928 -20.5
Five Hundred 9,215 0 NA 31,515 0 NA
Taurus 17,263 27,904 -38.1 72,377 96,583 -25.1
Focus 18,250 18,253 0.0 64,916 66,414 -2.3
Mustang 19,559 15,538 25.9 61,820 51,877 19.2
Thunderbird 1,536 1,141 34.6 4,598 4,601 -0.1
GT 70 0 NA 125 0 NA
Escort 0 0 NA 0 1,210 -100.0
Total Ford Cars 72,086 70,992 1.5 259,158 250,613 3.4
Freestyle 6,671 0 NA 22,593 0 NA
Escape 15,080 17,827 -15.4 59,179 59,021 0.3
Explorer 23,800 27,858 -14.6 86,386 111,460 -22.5
Expedition 9,460 11,831 -20.0 35,756 47,763 -25.1
Excursion 1,237 1,684 -26.5 4,669 6,550 -28.7
Freestar 8,674 10,471 -17.2 32,196 34,109 -5.6
Windstar 0 0 NA 0 2,950 -100.0
Econoline/Club Wagon 16,395 17,058 -3.9 58,861 58,392 0.8
Ranger 11,793 14,952 -21.1 38,405 57,958 -33.7
F-Series 71,367 70,166 1.7 260,775 279,187 -6.6
Heavy Trucks 1,279 1,192 7.3 4,441 3,914 13.5
Total Ford Trucks 165,756 173,039 -4.2 603,261 661,304 -8.8
Total Ford Brand 237,842 244,031 -2.5 862,419 911,917 -5.4
LINCOLN AND MERCURY BRAND APRIL 2005 U.S. SALES
April Month % April CYTD %
2005 2004 Change 2005 2004 Change
Grand Marquis 5,427 6,271 -13.5 25,755 26,440 -2.6
Montego 2,191 0 NA 7,471 0 NA
Sable 2,753 4,366 -36.9 12,651 15,832 -20.1
Total Mercury Cars 10,371 10,637 -2.5 45,877 42,272 8.5
Town Car 3,631 3,249 11.8 15,451 16,518 -6.5
LS 1,948 1,987 -2.0 8,871 10,142 -12.5
Total Lincoln Cars 5,579 5,236 6.6 24,322 26,660 -8.8
Total Mercury
and Lincoln Cars 15,950 15,873 0.5 70,199 68,932 1.8
Mariner 3,104 0 NA 11,322 0 NA
Mountaineer 2,648 3,230 -18.0 11,621 15,044 -22.8
Monterey 611 1,168 -47.7 3,220 4,856 -33.7
Total Mercury Trucks 6,363 4,398 44.7 26,163 19,900 31.5
Navigator 2,198 2,451 -10.3 9,456 10,221 -7.5
Aviator 1,517 1,505 0.8 6,579 6,832 -3.7
Mark LT 687 0 NA 1,286 0 NA
Total Lincoln Trucks 4,402 3,956 11.3 17,321 17,053 1.6
Total Mercury
and Lincoln Trucks 10,765 8,354 28.9 43,484 36,953 17.7
Total Mercury
and Lincoln Vehicles 26,715 24,227 10.3 113,683 105,885 7.4
Total Lincoln Brand 9,981 9,192 8.6 41,643 43,713 -4.7
Total Mercury Brand 16,734 15,035 11.3 72,040 62,172 15.9
JAGUAR BRAND APRIL 2005 U.S. SALES
April Month % April CYTD %
2005 2004 Change 2005 2004 Change
XJ 789 639 23.5 3,122 3,230 -3.3
S-TYPE 798 1,144 -30.2 3,239 3,926 -17.5
X-TYPE 1,038 2,053 -49.4 4,400 7,382 -40.4
XK 245 267 -8.2 816 805 1.4
Total Jaguar 2,870 4,103 -30.1 11,577 15,343 -24.5
VOLVO BRAND APRIL 2005 U.S. SALES
April Month % April CYTD %
2005 2004 Change 2005 2004 Change
S40 2,111 1,391 51.8 8,492 6,715 26.5
V40 3 235 -98.7 5 808 -99.4
V50 529 0 NA 1,989 0 NA
S60 2,218 2,540 -12.7 8,538 11,096 -23.1
V70 694 867 -20.0 2,666 3,752 -28.9
XC70 1,032 996 3.6 4,442 4,297 3.4
C70 279 439 -36.4 976 1,337 -27.0
S80 838 1,090 -23.1 4,021 4,576 -12.1
XC90 3,021 3,230 -6.5 11,748 11,574 1.5
Total Volvo 10,725 10,788 -0.6 42,877 44,155 -2.9
LAND ROVER BRAND APRIL 2005 U.S. SALES
April Month % April CYTD %
2005 2004 Change 2005 2004 Change
Range Rover 908 912 -0.4 3,423 3,459 -1.0
LR3 1,923 0 NA 6,534 0 NA
Discovery 61 1,130 -94.6 688 4,606 -85.1
Freelander 248 484 -48.8 939 2,605 -64.0
Total Land Rover 3,140 2,526 24.3 11,584 10,670 8.6