Ford Announces November Sales
3 December 1997
Ford's November and Year-to-Date U.S. Sales Keep Pace With Strong Year Ago Levels
DETROIT, Dec. 3 -_ Customers purchased or leased 281,593 cars
and trucks from Ford and Lincoln-Mercury dealers in November, equal
to a year ago. With one month to go in 1997, Ford's calendar year-to-date
sales also are equal to 1996, which was the company's best sales year since
1978.
In November, Ford car sales of 106,387 were four percent lower than a year
ago, more than explained by discontinued products and lower sales to daily
rental customers. Ford's November truck sales of 175,206 (two percent higher
than a year ago) lifted calendar year-to-date truck sales to 2,062,850. Ford
trucks eclipsed the two million sales mark on November 24, the earliest date
that any manufacturer has reached that milestone.
"We're very appreciative of the endorsement that we've received from truck
buyers," said Bob Rewey, Ford's group vice president of marketing, sales, and
service. "When full year results are reported next month, Ford will have set
a new industry truck sales record and achieved a sales increase almost as
large as all of the other manufacturers, combined."
Almost all of the trucks in Ford's product lineup had year-to-year sales
increases, but sport utility vehicles continued to set the pace. In November,
combined sales for the Ford Explorer and Expedition, Mercury Mountaineer, and
Lincoln Navigator were up 13 percent from a year ago and topped the 60,000
sales mark for the second month in a row. Calendar year-to-date sales for
Ford's hot-selling quartet are up 34 percent, to a record 607,059, and account
for almost two-thirds of the growth in the U.S. sport utility vehicle market.
Rewey noted that Ford car sales to individual (retail) customers continued
the improvement that began in June. Despite a 42 percent decline in sales of
discontinued models (Ford Thunderbird, Aspire, and Probe, and Mercury Cougar),
retail car sales in November were equal to a year ago.
"In the short-term, the decision to eliminate the low-volume, low-profit
products from our passenger car and truck lineup will cost us market share,"
he said. "In the longer term, we believe this decision will enable the
company and our dealers to improve customer value and satisfaction on the rest
of our brands."
Only two segments in the U.S. car market have avoided sales declines in
1997 -_ full-size, six-passenger cars and luxury cars. By year-end, Ford will
have introduced two new products in each of these segments. In November,
retail sales for the all-new Lincoln Town Car and redesigned Lincoln
Continental were 20 percent higher than a year ago. These cars and the
Navigator, Lincoln's all-new, luxury sport utility vehicle, lifted Lincoln to
its highest November retail sales since 1986.
Ford's new 1998-model full-size cars, the Mercury Grand Marquis and Ford
Crown Victoria, have started to arrive at dealerships in advance of their
official introduction date on December 26 and contributed to a nine percent
increase in retail sales for these products.
Looking forward, Rewey is optimistic about the U.S. economy and Ford's
sales outlook. "It looks like industry sales in 1997 will end up somewhere
around 15.4 million," he noted, "and trucks will account for about 47 percent
of new vehicle sales."
"Next year, we expect industry sales to continue in the 15 million range
for the fifth year in a row and trucks likely will account for a higher
percentage of total vehicle sales," he predicted. "Consumers will continue to
benefit from a very competitive environment and Ford will benefit from its
broad range of quality cars and trucks that match up with today's consumer
needs and lifestyles."
FORD MOTOR COMPANY NOVEMBER SALES
November Month DSR % November CYTD DSR %
1997 1996 Change 1997 1996 Change
TOTAL VEHICLES * 281,593 293,388 -0.0% 3,555,370 3,585,621 0.1%
TOTAL CARS * 106,387 115,168 -3.8 1,492,520 1,610,623 -6.7
TOTAL TRUCKS 175,206 178,220 2.4 2,062,850 1,974,998 5.2
Memo:
Domestic Cars 105,193 113,471 -3.4% 1,460,312 1,574,819 -6.6%
Imported Cars * 1,194 1,697 -26.7 32,208 35,804 -9.4
Light Trucks 172,443 175,606 2.3 2,024,178 1,933,606 5.4
Heavy Trucks 2,763 2,614 10.1 38,672 41,392 -5.9
Note: Percentage changes are based on daily selling rates.
Selling Days 24 25 281 283
* These figures exclude sales of Jaguar Cars, a wholly-owned Ford
subsidiary, which reports its results separately.
CONTACT: George Pipas, 313-446-9195
FORD DIVISION NOVEMBER SALES
November Month DSR % November CYTD DSR %
1997 1996 Change 1997 1996 Change
Crown Victoria 6,321 6,354 3.6% 101,367 100,353 1.7%
Thunderbird 2,184 4,728 -51.9 65,050 74,610 -12.2
Taurus 27,039 31,017 -9.2 331,062 363,077 -8.2
Contour 9,270 10,358 -6.8 140,711 162,688 -12.9
Escort 18,931 17,219 14.5 263,074 268,473 -1.3
Aspire 1,194 1,697 -26.7 32,208 35,804 -9.4
Mustang 8,219 6,649 28.8 107,254 115,461 -6.4
Probe 596 2,134 -70.9 15,835 30,884 -48.4
TOTAL FORD CARS 73,754 80,156 -4.2% 1,056,561 1,151,350 -7.6%
Expedition/Bronco 18,645 15,964 21.7% 195,732 65,581 200.6%
Explorer 33,556 35,200 -0.7 347,234 369,491 -5.4
Econoline/Club
Wagon 12,882 12,470 7.6 172,428 160,840 8.0
Aerostar 1,009 4,241 -75.2 44,164 68,757 -35.3
Windstar 12,328 14,873 -13.7 187,192 193,445 -2.5
Ranger 23,156 23,366 3.2 274,702 267,736 3.3
F-Series 59,830 60,607 2.8 686,445 724,070 -4.5
TOTAL FORD LT.
TRUCKS 161,406 166,721 0.8% 1,907,897 1,849,920 3.9%
Heavy Trucks 2,763 2,614 10.1 38,672 41,392 -5.9
TOTAL FORD DIV.
TRUCKS 164,169 169,335 1.0% 1,946,569 1,891,312 3.7%
FORD DIVISION
TOTAL VEHICLES 237,923 249,491 -0.7% 3,003,130 3,042,662 -0.6%
Note: Percentage changes are based on daily selling rates.
Selling Days 24 25 281 283
CONTACT: Brenda Hines, Ford Division, 313-446-7736
LINCOLN-MERCURY DIVISION NOVEMBER SALES
November Month DSR % November CYTD DSR %
1997 1996 Change 1997 1996 Change
Grand Marquis 7,438 6,904 12.2% 98,077 92,283 7.0%
Cougar 1,625 2,402 -29.5 29,235 33,793 -12.9
Sable 6,625 7,433 -7.2 104,112 106,472 -1.5
Mystique 3,193 3,939 -15.6 37,762 52,079 -27.0
Tracer 2,478 2,955 -12.6 40,878 45,553 -9.6
TOTAL MERCURY
CARS 21,359 23,633 -5.9% 310,064 330,180 -5.4%
Town Car 7,425 7,072 9.4 82,934 86,028 -2.9
Mark VIII 1,346 1,420 -1.3 14,891 14,416 4.0
Continental 2,503 2,887 -9.7 28,070 28,649 -1.3
TOTAL LINCOLN
CARS 11,274 11,379 3.2% 125,895 129,093 -1.8%
L-M TOTAL CARS 32,633 35,012 -2.9% 435,959 459,273 -4.4%
Villager 3,031 4,706 -32.9% 52,188 61,315 -14.3%
Mountaineer 3,747 4,179 -6.6 41,293 22,371 85.9
Navigator 4,259 0 NA 22,800 0 NA
L-M LIGHT TRUCKS 11,037 8,885 29.4% 116,281 83,686 39.9%
L-M DIVISION
TOTAL VEHICLES 43,670 43,897 3.6% 552,240 542,959 2.4%
Memo: Total Lincoln
Brand 15,533 11,379 42.2% 148,695 129,093 16.0%
Note: Percentage changes are based on daily selling rates.
Selling Days 24 25 281 283
CONTACT: Anne Doyle, Lincoln-Mercury Division, 313-446-4368
SOURCE Ford Motor Company