PRESS RELEASE
Ford Division Announces 1996 Sales Highlights
8 January 1997
Ford Division Posts Best Sales Ever In '96
DETROIT, Jan. 6 -- Ford Division sold nearly 3.3 million
vehicles in 1996 for the best sales year in its history and beat its previous
record, set in 1995, by more than 29,000 units. The totals:
* Ford Division trucks 2,058,288
* Ford Division cars 1,240,928
* Total Ford Division sales 3,299,216
In achieving this new record, Ford Division sold more trucks than any
division in history and became the first division to top 2 million truck sales
in a calendar year. In addition, the division had three (F-Series, Explorer
and Taurus) of the five best-selling vehicles in America as consumers once
again gave Ford Division products a strong vote of confidence.
F-Series, Taurus: Number One
Ford's full-size pickup, F-Series, was the best-selling truck in America
for the 20th consecutive year and the No. 1 best-selling vehicle -- car or
truck -- for the 15th straight year with sales of 780,838 - its best sales
performance since 1978. Taurus sales were 401,049 - its best performance
since 1992. Taurus sales were up 9% in 1996 and, on a retail basis, up 14%.
"This was a phenomenal year for sales of full-size pickups and sport
utility vehicles," said Ross H. Roberts, Ford Motor Company vice
president and general manager of Ford Division. "We set an all-time record in
truck sales, and we had our best year ever with Explorer. Demand for the
all-new Expedition, launched in October and named NORTH AMERICAN TRUCK OF THE
YEAR earlier today, has exceeded our expectations. In an increasingly
fragmented industry, there were only four vehicles that sold more than 400,000
units, and we had three of them. Explorer finished the year with 402,663
sales.
"In the past 19 months, we've redesigned or significantly enhanced half of
our car lineup and five of our seven truck nameplates," Roberts added. "This
includes the launch of three all-new products -- Taurus, F-Series and Escort
-- which account for more than 45 percent of our sales. Through platform
sharing, we've added Expedition and Contour, and we'll be adding ZX2. These
products are being well received."
Ford Motor Company, which includes Lincoln-Mercury Division, sold more
trucks than cars for the second straight year. The company sold 2,150,575
trucks and, again, was America's total truck sales leader. Total Ford Motor
Company car sales were 1,737,252.
Other Ford Division Highlights
* Ford Division was the nation's No. 1 seller of combined cars and
trucks for the 10th straight year, outselling its nearest competitor
by 757,421 units.
* Ford Division was the nation's best-selling truck division for the
11th straight year, outselling its nearest competitor by 561,665
units.
* Ford Division was the nation's best-selling car division for the fifth
straight year, outselling its nearest competitor by 195,756 units.
* Explorer was the No. 1-selling sport utility vehicle in the world for
the sixth straight year and the first to exceed 400,000 units in U.S.
sales in a calendar year.
* Ford Ranger was the best-selling compact pickup for the 1Oth straight
year with sales of 288,393 units.
* Ford Econoline Van and Club Wagon models topped the full-size van/bus
segment for the 18th year in a row with 176,480 units.
* Escort was the best-selling basic small car for the 15th straight
year.
* Mustang was No. 1 among small specialty buyers for the 11th year in a
row with sales of 122,674 units.
* Thunderbird was the best-selling middle specialty car for the eighth
straight year.
CONTACT: Jim Bright of Ford Brand Public Affairs, 313-446-7730