Ford Motor Company's U.S. Sales Up 8% to All-Time February Sales Record
3 March 1999
Ford Motor Company's U.S. Sales Up 8% to All-Time February Sales Record
Trucks Climb 20% Driving Ford to its Seventh Consecutive
Overall Monthly Increase
DEARBORN, Mich., March 2 -- U.S. consumers purchased or
leased an all-time record 319,340 cars and trucks from Ford, Mercury, Lincoln,
and Jaguar dealers in February, up eight percent from a year ago. The
previous February sales record (318,937) was set in 1996. Record-setting
sales of Ford's "Built Tough" F-Series and Ranger pickups and sales of
redesigned Ford Mustang and Mercury Cougar sport coupes lifted overall Ford
sales higher for the seventh month in a row.
"A strong economy, confident consumers, and product innovation has proven
to be a winning trifecta," said Bob Rewey, Ford's group vice president of
marketing, sales, and service. "We're heading into spring supported by strong
employment, growing income, low interest rates, and affordable products. It's
a great time to buy a car or truck."
Ford truck sales climbed 20 percent to 193,779 -- the 10th consecutive
monthly record. Consumers purchased or leased a record number of Ford pickups
(101,615) in February. Ford F-Series sales were 67,967, up 27%, and Ford
Ranger sales were 33,648, up 46%. (The previous F-Series record of 67,672 was
set in 1978; the previous Ranger record of 31,129 was set in 1985.) All Ford
pickups offer today's truck buyers Super Cabs with four doors -- a feature not
available a year ago.
The redesigned Ford Windstar and Mercury Villager minivans posted sales
increases in February. Windstar sales were a record 18,049, up 12 percent
from a year ago, and Villager sales were 3,891, up 50 percent. Combined sales
of sport utility vehicles also were a February record (56,053). Ford Explorer
sales were 32,026, up 16 percent, and Ford Expedition sales were 17,434, up
14 percent.
Passenger car sales were 125,561, down six percent from a year ago. As in
January, lower sales to daily rental companies more than explained the year-
to-year decline. Sales of passenger cars to individual retail customers were
12 percent higher than a year ago. The largest increases in retail sales were
the Ford Mustang and Mercury Cougar and Ford Taurus and Mercury Sable.
"It's Mustang time," said Rewey, noting that April 17 marks the 35th
anniversary of America's legendary pony car. "The redesigned 1999 Mustang,
which features more horsepower, standard anti-lock brakes, and exciting new
styling, is way ahead of our launch sales curve." In February, Mustang sales
were 13,816, up 17 percent, the 20th month in a row of higher sales. No other
car or truck in the U.S. can match that sales performance. Mercury dealers
are looking forward to their first spring with the all-new Mercury Cougar.
The first North American car with dramatic "edge" styling, Cougar posted
February sales of 4,814.
Even though overall sales of the Ford Taurus and Mercury Sable were lower
than a year ago, sales to individual retail customers in February were higher
(Taurus up 23% and Sable up 18%), continuing a string of retail sales
increases that started when the 1999 models were introduced in October. "The
value and safety improvements that we incorporated in the 1999 models has
definitely connected with consumers," said Rewey. Ford Taurus and Mercury
Sable are the only cars in their price range to earn five-star safety ratings
for both the driver and passenger in government frontal crash tests.
Looking forward, Rewey is optimistic that Ford sales will continue to be
strong. "There is very little doubt that March sales will be higher than a
year ago," said Rewey. "After that, the 'mountain' is going get a little
steeper, because the sales rate in the second quarter of 1998 was very fast.
Still, momentum is on the side of a strong U.S. economy and confident U.S.
consumers."
FORD MOTOR COMPANY FEBRUARY U.S. SALES
February Month DSR % February CYTD DSR %
1999 1998 Change 1999 1998 Change
TOTAL VEHICLES 319,340 295,691 8.0% 580,754 547,317 8.3%
TOTAL CARS 125,561 133,670 -6.1 216,335 237,921 -7.2
TOTAL TRUCKS 193,779 162,021 19.6 364,419 309,396 20.2
memo:
Domestic Cars 124,335 131,243 -5.3% 213,878 233,004 -6.3%
Imported Cars 1,226 2,427 -49.5 2,457 4,917 -49.0
Light Trucks 193,115 160,329 20.4 363,187 305,468 21.3
Heavy Trucks 664 1,692 -60.8 1,232 3,928 -68.0
Note: Percentage changes are based on daily selling rates.
Selling Days 24 24 49 50
CONTACT: George Pipas, 313-323-9216
FORD BRAND FEBRUARY SALES
February Month DSR % February CYTD DSR %
1999 1998 Change 1999 1998 Change
Crown Victoria 9,749 9,634 1.2% 16,905 16,959 1.7%
Thunderbird 0 548 -100.0 0 1,436 -100.0
Taurus 26,153 34,109 -23.3 46,863 53,990 -11.4
Contour 11,674 15,773 -26.0 19,089 25,457 -23.5
Escort 25,365 21,716 16.8 42,812 42,004 4.0
Aspire 0 846 -100.0 0 1,797 -100.0
Mustang 13,816 11,838 16.7 24,891 20,467 24.1
Probe 0 505 -100.0 0 1,047 -100.0
TOTAL FORD CARS 86,757 94,969 -8.6% 150,560 163,157 -5.8%
Expedition 17,434 15,289 14.0% 33,769 29,524 16.7%
Explorer 32,026 27,623 15.9 62,330 54,809 16.0
Econoline/Club
Wagon 13,507 15,112 -10.6 25,629 27,210 -3.9
Aerostar 0 310 -100.0 0 812 -100.0
Windstar 18,049 16,160 11.7 32,498 26,023 27.4
Ranger 33,648 23,014 46.2 60,511 43,927 40.6
F-Series 67,967 53,547 26.9 128,224 105,014 24.6
Heavy Trucks 664 1,692 -60.8 1,232 3,928 -68.0
TOTAL FORD
TRUCKS 183,295 152,747 20.0% 344,193 291,247 20.6%
TOTAL FORD
BRAND 270,052 247,716 9.0% 494,753 454,404 11.1%
CONTACT: Anne Doyle, Ford Division, 313-845-1527
LINCOLN AND MERCURY BRAND FEBRUARY SALES
February Month DSR % February CYTD DSR %
1999 1998 Change 1999 1998 Change
Grand Marquis 9,996 9,633 3.8% 16,871 19,627 -12.3%
Cougar (RWD) 0 737 -100.0 0 1,739 -100.0
Cougar (FWD) 4,814 0 NA 8,560 0 NA
Sable 7,767 8,483 -8.4 12,994 14,677 -9.7
Mystique 3,086 2,823 9.3 5,207 5,758 -7.7
Tracer 2,757 2,699 2.1 4,068 5,471 -24.1
TOTAL MERCURY
CARS 28,420 24,375 16.6% 47,700 47,272 3.0%
Town Car 7,456 8,609 -13.4 12,461 16,341 -22.2
Mark VIII 0 1,004 -100.0 0 1,940 -100.0
Continental 1,702 3,132 -45.7 3,157 6,091 -47.1
TOTAL LINCOLN
CARS 9,158 12,745 -28.1% 15,618 24,372 -34.6%
TOTAL MERCURY
AND LINCOLN
CARS 37,578 37,120 1.2% 63,318 71,644 -9.8%
Villager 3,891 2,596 49.9% 6,706 5,077 34.8%
Mountaineer 3,358 3,254 3.2 7,089 6,459 12.0
TOTAL MERCURY
TRUCKS 7,249 5,850 23.9% 13,795 11,536 22.0%
Navigator 3,235 3,424 -5.5 6,431 6,613 -0.8
TOTAL MERCURY
AND LINCOLN
TRUCKS 10,484 9,274 13.0% 20,226 18,149 13.7%
TOTAL MERCURY
AND LINCOLN
VEHICLES 48,062 46,394 3.6% 83,544 89,793 -5.1%
Memo: Total Lincoln
Brand 12,393 16,169 -23.4% 22,049 30,985 -27.4%
Total Mercury
Brand 35,669 30,225 18.0 61,495 58,808 6.7
CONTACT: Tom Mattia, Lincoln and Mercury, 949-788-2336
JAGUAR FEBRUARY SALES
February Month DSR % February CYTD DSR %
1999 1998 Change 1999 1998 Change
XJ6/8 404 344 17.4% 734 761 -1.6%
XJ6/8 L 133 312 -57.4 298 532 -42.8
Vanden Plas 228 383 -40.5 497 749 -32.3
XJR 135 125 8.0 277 240 17.8
XK8 - Coupe 37 57 -35.1 87 125 -29.0
XK8 - Convertible 289 360 -19.7 564 713 -19.3
TOTAL JAGUAR CARS 1,226 1,581 -22.5% 2,457 3,120 -19.6%
CONTACT: Jaguar Public Affairs, 888-476-9537