Ford Motor Company's June Sales Up 5%
5 July 1999
Ford Motor Company's June Sales Up 5%; Best Month Ever and Eleventh Consecutive Monthly Sales Increase
First Half Sales Climb 9%; Strong Economy, Innovative Products Keys
To Ford's Optimistic Second Half Outlook
DEARBORN, Mich., July 2 -- U.S. consumers purchased or leased
431,033 cars and trucks from Ford, Mercury, Lincoln, Jaguar, and Volvo dealers
in June, up five percent from a year ago. It was Ford's best sales month ever
and marked the eleventh consecutive month of higher U.S. sales. The previous
sales record for any month was 424,091 (set in June 1978). Passenger car
sales were 187,294, up 11 percent from a year ago, and the best June for
passenger car sales since 1989. Truck sales were a record 243,739 -- the 14th
month in a row of record truck sales.
In the first six months of 1999, Ford Motor Company's U.S. sales
were 2,152,546, up nine percent from a year ago, and the best first half sales
since 1978 when Ford's U.S. sales totaled a record 2,159,703. Sales of
passenger cars in the first half 1999 were 863,616, up five percent; truck
sales were a record 1,288,930, up 11 percent.
"June was a sensational month for Ford and the industry," said Bob Rewey,
Ford's group vice president of marketing, sales, and service. "We believe
sales will remain strong in the second half 1999 driven by a healthy economy,
confident consumers, and the introduction of several innovative products."
Already, new products are attracting consumers to Ford, Mercury, Lincoln,
Jaguar, and Volvo dealers. The Ford Mustang, redesigned for 1999, posted a
23-percent sales increase in June, its 24th month in a row of higher sales.
In the first six months of 1999, consumers lassoed 96,113 new Mustangs, up 28
percent compared with the same period a year ago. The Mercury Cougar sports
coupe continues to attract young buyers to Mercury showrooms. In June, Cougar
sales were 5,943, up 166 percent from a year ago.
National advertising for the all-new Lincoln LS is planned for mid-July,
but 4,198 customers took delivery of Lincoln's mid-size sedan in June. The LS
helped Lincoln post its best sales month (19,146) since December 1990.
For the second month in a row, Jaguar posted a new monthly sales record.
In June, 3,640 customers treated themselves to the ultimate sensual driving
experience -- more than doubling last year's sales. More than half of these
customers selected the distinctive, new S-TYPE sedan. Surveys indicate that
90 percent of S-TYPE buyers were not previous Jaguar owners.
Volvo's car sales were 11,359, up one percent from a year ago, and its
best June since 1986. The all-new S80 has put Volvo on track for a record
sales year in 1999. "Volvo's sales momentum will accelerate in the second
half of the year with the introduction of the 40 series," predicted Rewey.
"Our first half performance in passenger car sales was encouraging," said
Rewey. "Mustang and Cougar have exceeded our expectations -- no doubt about
it. Consumers also responded positively to the safety and value improvements
that we incorporated in the 1999 Ford Taurus and Sable." Rewey noted that
retail sales of Ford, Mercury, and Lincoln cars in June were up six percent
from a year ago, and up seven percent in the first half. "We are optimistic
that passenger car sales will continue to improve with the introduction of the
award-winning Ford Focus and the redesigned Ford Taurus and Mercury Sable."
Both the Ford Taurus and Mercury Sable set June sales records.
"Sales of Ford trucks remained strong in June," noted Rewey. "If there's
a surprise in the truck sales results, it's that we sold more than we did in
1998 when owner loyalty incentives helped boost sales to record levels." The
Ford Ranger, Ford Windstar, and Mercury Mountaineer set new June sales
records. Also, the Ranger and Ford F-Series combined to set a new June sales
record for pickups (119,724).
"Will 1999 be the best year in U.S. automotive history?" asks Bob Rewey,
Ford's group vice president for marketing, sales, and service. "I think we're
beyond that. The question is fast becoming: by how much will the industry
sales record be eclipsed? In the second half of 1999, we expect the
blistering first half sales pace to slow somewhat, but not enough to
jeopardize a sales record. The underlying economic fundamentals and consumer
confidence are sufficiently strong to maintain auto sales at high levels.
"In the longer term, the action taken by the Federal Reserve this week is
a positive," continued Rewey. "Taking out a little insurance against
inflation enhances the likelihood that the business expansion will continue
into the next century. That's good news."
In the first half of 1999, U.S. consumers purchased almost 8.8 million
cars and trucks -- shattering the previous first half record of 8.2 million
set in 1988. The full year record for U.S. industry sales of 16.3 million was
set in 1986.
FORD MOTOR COMPANY JUNE U.S. SALES
June Month DSR % June CYTD DSR %
1999 1998 Change 1999 1998 Change
TOTAL VEHICLES 431,033 412,184 4.6% 2,152,546 1,979,862 8.7%
TOTAL CARS 187,294 169,278 10.6 863,616 820,833 5.2
TOTAL TRUCKS 243,739 242,906 0.3 1,288,930 1,159,029 11.2
memo:
Domestic Cars 172,295 167,593 2.8% 820,538 805,227 1.9%
Imported Cars 14,999 1,685 790.1 43,078 15,606 176.0
Light Trucks 242,277 241,781 0.2 1,283,239 1,149,650 11.6
Heavy Trucks 1,462 1,125 30.0 5,691 9,379 -39.3
Note: Percentage changes are based on daily selling rates.
Selling Days 26 26 153 153
CONTACT: George Pipas, 313-323-9216
Note:
* The sales data on this chart includes results for the Ford, Mercury,
Lincoln, Jaguar, and Volvo (April - June 1999 only) brands.
FORD BRAND JUNE U.S. SALES
June Month DSR % June CYTD DSR %
1999 1998 Change 1999 1998 Change
Crown Victoria 12,234 11,745 4.2% 63,129 61,530 2.6%
Taurus 43,356 41,403 4.7 189,057 196,101 -3.6
Contour 14,075 19,043 -26.1 72,139 78,914 -8.6
Escort 30,177 33,690 -10.4 151,562 151,072 0.3
Mustang 17,648 14,410 22.5 96,113 75,289 27.7
Thunderbird NA NA NA NA 2,243 NA
Aspire NA NA NA NA 4,917 NA
Probe NA NA NA NA 3,058 NA
TOTAL FORD
CARS 117,490 120,291 -2.3% 572,000 573,124 -0.2%
Expedition 19,251 20,783 -7.4% 112,452 99,563 12.9%
Explorer 39,233 41,331 -5.1 206,425 198,783 3.8
Econoline/Club
Wagon 24,169 22,541 7.2 107,145 107,665 -0.5
Aerostar NA NA NA NA 1,060 NA
Windstar 27,092 26,711 1.4 124,776 109,043 14.4
Ranger 38,449 35,886 7.1 216,076 166,090 30.1
F-Series 81,275 81,367 -0.1 449,951 403,040 11.6
Heavy Trucks 1,462 1,125 30.0 5,691 9,379 -39.3
TOTAL FORD
TRUCKS 230,931 229,744 0.5% 1,222,516 1,094,623 11.7%
TOTAL FORD
BRAND 348,421 350,035 -0.5% 1,794,516 1,667,747 7.6%
CONTACT: Anne Doyle, Ford Division, 313-845-1527
LINCOLN AND MERCURY BRAND JUNE U.S. SALES
June Month DSR % June CYTD DSR %
1999 1998 Change 1999 1998 Change
Grand Marquis 11,527 10,282 12.1% 61,578 59,831 2.9%
Cougar (FWD) 5,943 2,231 166.4 32,593 7,172 354.4
Sable 12,575 10,590 18.7 55,085 54,025 2.0
Mystique 4,683 4,920 -4.8 21,612 21,283 1.5
Tracer 3,657 4,630 -21.0 14,785 18,693 -20.9
Cougar (RWD) NA NA NA NA 2,751 NA
TOTAL MERCURY
CARS 38,385 32,653 17.6% 185,653 163,755 13.4%
Town Car 9,075 10,133 -10.4 44,676 48,889 -8.6
Continental 3,147 2,998 5.0 13,599 17,014 -20.1
LS 4,198 NA NA 4,610 NA NA
Mark VIII NA 1,518 NA NA 7,362 NA
TOTAL LINCOLN
CARS 16,420 14,649 12.1% 62,885 73,265 -14.2%
TOTAL MERCURY AND
LINCOLN CARS 54,805 47,302 15.9% 248,538 237,020 4.9%
Villager 4,447 4,012 10.8% 24,376 19,304 26.3%
Mountaineer 5,635 5,539 1.7 23,792 24,221 -1.8
TOTAL MERCURY
TRUCKS 10,082 9,551 5.6% 48,168 43,525 10.7%
Navigator 2,726 3,611 -24.5 18,246 20,881 -12.6
TOTAL MERCURY AND
LINCOLN TRUCKS 12,808 13,162 -2.7% 66,414 64,406 3.1%
TOTAL MERCURY AND LINCOLN
VEHICLES 67,613 60,464 11.8% 314,952 301,426 4.5%
Memo:
Total Lincoln
Brand 19,146 18,260 4.9% 81,131 94,146 -13.8%
Total Mercury
Brand 48,467 42,204 14.8 233,821 207,280 12.8
CONTACT: Tom Mattia, Lincoln and Mercury, 949-788-2336
JAGUAR CARS JUNE U.S. SALES
June Month DSR % June CYTD DSR %
1999 1998 Change 1999 1998 Change
XJ6/8 524 525 -0.2% 3,005 2,948 1.9%
XJ6/8 L 140 235 -40.4 931 1,591 -41.5
Vanden Plas 348 340 2.4 1,850 2,294 -19.4
XJR 123 106 16.0 811 693 17.0
S-TYPE 2,054 NA NA 3,844 NA NA
XK8 - Coupe 29 56 -48.2 249 364 -31.6
XK8 - Convertible 422 423 -0.2 2,400 2,799 -14.3
TOTAL JAGUAR
CARS 3,640 1,685 116.0% 13,090 10,689 22.5%
CONTACT: Jaguar Public Affairs, 888-476-9537
VOLVO CARS JUNE U.S. SALES
June Month DSR % June CYTD DSR %
1999 1998 Change 1999 1998 Change
70 Series 8,214 10,842 -24.2% 40,790 47,353 -13.9%
90 Series 0 374 NA 0 7,338 NA
S80 3,145 NA NA 17,100 NA NA
850 Series 0 19 NA 18 217 NA
900 Series 0 7 NA 20 143 NA
40 Series 0 NA NA 1 1 NA
TOTAL VOLVO
CARS 11,359 11,242 1.0% 57,929 55,052 5.2%
CONTACT: Soren Johansson, Volvo Cars of North America, Inc., 201-767-4888