Ford Posts Best U.S. Sales Year Since 1978
6 January 1999
Ford Posts Best U.S. Sales Year Since 1978; F-Series and Explorer Are America's Favorite Pickup and Sport Utility Vehicle
December Sales Up 6%; Fifth Consecutive Month of Higher Ford Sales
DEARBORN, Mich., Jan. 5 -- U.S. customers purchased or leased
3,922,604 cars and trucks from Ford , Mercury, Lincoln, and Jaguar
dealers in 1998 -- Ford's best sales year since 1978. Ford truck sales of
2,363,414 were an industry record.
In the fastest growing segments of the U.S. market, Ford's "Built Tough"
F-Series pickup and Explorer sport utility were America's top selling brands.
F-Series sales totaled 836,629 -- the most sales for any vehicle in 20 years.
F-Series has been the No. 1 selling vehicle -- car or truck -- in the U.S. for
17 years in a row. Explorer sales totaled 431,488 -- a new industry record
for sport utility vehicles. Explorer has been the best-selling SUV every year
since it was introduced in 1990.
"The partnership between America's go-anywhere, do-anything lifestyle and
Ford's pickup and sport utility vehicles is a great marriage," said Bob Rewey,
Ford's group vice president of marketing, sales, and service. "Our North
American International Auto Show exhibit indicates that Ford has more
innovations in these and other products just around the corner."
In 1998, Ford sold more pickups and sport utility vehicles than any other
manufacturer. F-Series combined with Ranger (328,136), America's best-selling
compact pickup, to set a new industry sales record for a full-size/compact
pickup duo (1,164,765). Ford also set an industry sales record for sport
utility vehicles (748,645). In addition to Explorer, the Ford Expedition
(225,703), Mercury Mountaineer (47,595), and Lincoln Navigator (43,859) all
set new sales records. Ford's 1999-model sport utility vehicles are certified
as low-emission vehicles, which means they emit fewer emissions than most
passenger cars.
"I suspect historians will refer to the 1990's as the decade of the sport
utility vehicle," said Rewey. "If that's the case, the Explorer should get
strong consideration as the vehicle of the decade." Since its introduction in
March 1990, almost 2.9 million U.S. customers have driven home a Ford
Explorer.
For the year, sales of Ford pickups, sport utility vehicles, and vans were
up five percent compared with 1997. Sales of passenger cars were down four
percent. Rewey is encouraged by the progress made in improving the
profitability of the car business and the prospects for higher car sales as
1999 unfolds.
"Our primary objective in 1998 was to improve the profitability of the
passenger car business," said Rewey. "The first part of our action plan was
to drop low-volume, low-profit contributors. Next, we focused on improving
the 'quality' of our business. That involved increasing sales to individual
retail customers and reducing sales to less profitable business segments. In
1998, car retail sales improved six percent with most of the improvement
coming from our redesigned large and luxury cars, the all-new Mercury Cougar,
and the Ford Mustang and Taurus and Mercury Sable, where we substantially
enhanced customer value."
Rewey believes that the sales and profit contribution from passenger cars
will be more significant in 1999 and beyond. "If you take a close look at our
display at this week's auto show, you'll see further evidence of our strategy
for cars," Rewey continued. "Each of our six brands has exciting new
products, concepts, and strategies that will excite car buyers in the same way
that our trucks do today."
For the full calendar year, Ford Division set an all-time sales record for
combined car and truck sales and Jaguar had its best sales year since 1987.
December Sales
In December, customers purchased or leased 323,417 cars and trucks from
Ford, Mercury, Lincoln, and Jaguar dealers, up six percent from a year ago.
Truck sales were 203,652, up 10 percent, and car sales were 119,765, up
one percent. December was the fifth month in a row that total Ford sales were
higher than a year ago and the eighth consecutive month of record truck sales.
"We have great momentum heading into 1999," said Rewey. "We're optimistic
that our new products will keep the ball rolling."
For the month, the following products set December sales records: Ford
F-Series, Ranger, Explorer, and Expedition and Lincoln Navigator. Mustang
sales, bolstered by the December introduction of the newest edition of the
legendary pony car, were up 46 percent -- the 18th consecutive month of higher
sales.
Industry Outlook for 1999
"We're optimistic about the prospects for the U.S. economy and automotive
industry," said Rewey. "All of the fundamentals that drive our business --
low unemployment, rising incomes, and low interest rates -- should remain
favorable. In addition, the cumulative effect of price restraint over the
past few years has made new cars and trucks attractively priced, particularly
in relationship to income. We believe that trend will continue, too. All
things considered, 1999 U.S. industry sales should be in the 15 million plus
range for the sixth consecutive year."
FORD MOTOR COMPANY DECEMBER SALES
(Including Jaguar Cars)
December Month DSR % December CYTD DSR %
1998 1997 Change 1998 1997 Change
TOTAL VEHICLES 323,417 304,743 6.1% 3,922,604 3,877,458 1.2%
TOTAL CARS 119,765 118,800 0.8 1,559,190 1,628,665 -4.3
TOTAL TRUCKS 203,652 185,943 9.5 2,363,414 2,248,793 5.1
memo:
Domestic Cars 117,293 115,607 1.5% 1,531,770 1,575,919 -2.8%
Imported Cars 2,472 3,193 -22.6 27,420 52,746 -48.0
Light Trucks 202,997 183,342 10.7 2,349,164 2,207,520 6.4
Heavy Trucks 655 2,601 -74.8 14,250 41,273 -65.5
(Excluding Jaguar Cars)
December Month DSR % December CYTD DSR %
1998 1997 Change 1998 1997 Change
TOTAL VEHICLES 320,945 302,585 6.1% 3,900,101 3,857,955 1.1%
TOTAL CARS 117,293 116,642 0.6 1,536,687 1,609,162 -4.5
TOTAL TRUCKS 203,652 185,943 9.5 2,363,414 2,248,793 5.1
memo:
Domestic Cars 117,293 115,607 1.5% 1,531,770 1,575,919 -2.8%
Imported Cars 0 1,035 -100.0 4,917 33,243 -85.2
Light Trucks 202,997 183,342 10.7 2,349,164 2,207,520 6.4
Heavy Trucks 655 2,601 -74.8 14,250 41,273 -65.5
Note: Percentage changes are based on daily selling rates.
Selling Days 26 26 307 307