Ford Press Release: Cyber Launch for 3 New Models

05/23/96

(CYBER)SPACE LAUNCHES SET FOR FORD ESCORT, MERCURY TRACER, AND MERCURY
MOUNTAINEER

DETROIT, May 22 -- The countdown is on for the May 23
launch on the Internet of three new Ford and Mercury products.  Savvy
surfers will find a variety of contests, colorful graphics, and detailed
product information on the 1997-model Ford Escort, Mercury Tracer, and
Mercury Mountaineer when they visit the Ford Motor Company website
(htttp://www.ford.com) tomorrow.

"Ford is using its years of experience in interactive marketing to
reach the rapidly expanding universe of people who are shopping the
Internet for everything from groceries to houses and automobiles," said
Larry Dale, marketing specialist and Ford's webmaster.  "We're targeting
young, college-educated buyers with our marketing plans for the new Ford
Escort, Mercury Tracer, and Mountaineer, and that describes a large
percentage of Internet users.  Launching the three products on the same
day gives us the best opportunity we've had since we went online in July
1995 to use the depth and breadth of our Internet capabilities in our
marketing mix."

Ford has achieved several milestones in the relatively short time
its homepage has been on line.  Surfers were offered virtual tours of
three major motor shows in 1996 -- Detroit, Geneva, and New York --
featuring "real time" live shots from the exhibits and video clips from
world unveilings of concept vehicles and new offerings such as the 1997
Escort and Tracer reveals in Detroit and the Jaguar XK8 and Aston Martin
V8 Coupe in Geneva.  Last fall, the 1996 Mercury Sable Giveaway
attracted more than 100,000 participants in a sweepstakes to win one of
three 24-month leases of a 1996 Mercury Sable.

The programs going online May 23 include the Ford Escort/Mercury
Tracer Scavenger Hunt, an Escort "Rhymes and Reasons" competition, the
Tracer "Great Ticket Weekend Giveaway," and a Mountaineer "Anyplace But
Cyberspace" contest.  Colorful graphics and detailed product information
on each product add to the excitement, and great prizes ranging from
camcorders to free trips and free 24-month Red Carpet leases for a new
Ford Escort and Mercury Tracer will be awarded to qualifying
participants.

Details of the Scavenger Hunt and the Tracer and Mountaineer offers
are being announced separately.

These offerings showcase Ford's ability to network its primary and
secondary URLs, such as the Mercury URL http://www.mercuryvehicles.com,
to attract users to its site and expose them to a wide array of
information about the company and its products.  Each contest can been
accessed from Ford's homepage, Mercury's homepage, and through
advertising icons positioned in a variety of consumer sites.