---

Ford Strengthens South American Operations With Appointments of Two Key Executives

11 June 1999

Ford Strengthens South American Operations With Appointments of Two Key Executives

               Antonio Maciel appointed president-Ford Brazil;
         Ivan Fonseca e Silva appointed regional VP for South America

    SAO PAULO, Brazil, June 11 -- Ford Motor Company
today announced two key executive appointments in South America, effective
July 1.
    Martin Inglis, Ford Motor Company vice president, and president, Ford
South American Operations, named Antonio Maciel president-Ford Brazil.  Maciel
succeeds Ivan Fonseca e Silva who becomes vice president of Strategy and
Business Operations, Ford South American Operations.
    "We're putting in place the leadership team to help us face the challenges
of the Brazil and South America markets and to take us into the next
millennium," Inglis said.
    Silva, 48, will report to Inglis and will work closely with him to
implement Ford's strategy for South America.  Silva will have responsibility
for business and marketing strategy for the region, including the Ford link
for brand integration of Mazda and Volvo.  Also, he will work to expand trade
opportunities involving the Mercosul, the Andean and the Mexican markets.
Silva also will oversee legal and tax affairs.
    "Ivan brings a wealth of experience from his 26 years of service with
Ford," Inglis said.  "He has been the president of Ford Brazil for the last
five years and has played a key role in reestablishing the company as a
separate organization in the Brazilian market after the dissolution of
Autolatina.  Now we will make use of his expertise in South America as a
whole."
    Maciel was most recently president of Grupo Iitamarati, one of Brazil's
largest conglomerates, operating in the areas of heavy construction,
agriculture, agriculture-industrial and railway transportation.
    He also was president of three other companies:  Ferronorte Participacoes
S.A. - Ferropasa, a holding company comprising of the Ferronorte and Novoeste
railway freight carriers; Ferrovia Bandeirantes S.A. - Ferroban; and Cecrisa
Revestimentos Ceramicos S.A.  He was also the chairman of Ferroban's board of
directors and a member of the board of directors of Grandiente Eletronica S.A.
and of Crecrisa.  He also worked for Petrobras from 1980 to 1990.
    "We're delighted that Antonio Maciel will join us and lead the Brazilian
team," Inglis said.  "Antonio strengthens our senior leadership team and will
help us implement our strategy.  He will draw on his extensive experience in
the heavy construction, agriculture, agriculture-industrial, railway, ceramic
tile businesses and oil industry as well as in government service.  He has an
excellent track record and, at 41, is one of the bright new generation of
business leaders in Brazil."
    Maciel has earned a reputation as turnaround specialist.  "We value those
skills as we implement a new strategy for a successful future in Ford Brazil,
within a very challenging business environment," Inglis said.  "The core of
this strategy includes a new highly competitive manufacturing facility,
improved service and distribution, and new products designed to meet the needs
of our South American customers.  This is consistent with Ford Motor Company's
objective to become the world's leading consumer company for automotive
products and services."
    Maciel was one of the first Brazilians to obtain the title of "Certified
Quality Engineer" from the American Society for Quality in 1995.
    Coinciding with these announcements, Inglis named two new directors for
Ford South American Operations:

    *  Daniel Moran has been named finance director, succeeding Peter Daniel.
       Moran had been finance director, Ford-Argentina.
    *  Ivan Witt has been named purchasing director, succeeding Grant
       Belanger.  Witt, a native Brazilian, had been logistic manager in Ford
       of Europe.

    Both moves are effective July 1.
    In South America, Ford's primary operations are in Brazil, Argentina and
Ford Andina (Venezuela, Ecuador and Colombia).  Ford has operated in Argentina
for over 85 years, in Brazil for 80 years, and in Venezuela for 36 years.
Ford employs over 18,000 people and operates seven assembly or other plants in
the region.