Ford Motor Company Sets August U.S. Sales Record
3 September 1999
Ford Motor Company Sets August U.S. Sales Record
Cars Climb 19%, Trucks Set Record, Total Sales Up 8%;
13th Consecutive Monthly Sales Increase
DEARBORN, Mich., Sept. 2 -- U.S. consumers purchased or
leased 349,855 cars and trucks from Ford, Mercury, Lincoln, Jaguar, and Volvo
dealers in August enabling Ford Motor Company to set a new sales
record for the month and post its thirteenth consecutive monthly sales
increase. Sales of passenger cars were 154,368, up 19.2 percent, truck sales
were a record 195,487, up 0.7 percent, and total sales were up 8.1 percent.
"August was another sensational month for Ford and the industry," said Bob
Rewey, Ford's group vice president of marketing, sales, and service. "The
conventional wisdom seems to be that this is as good as it gets. But at Ford
Motor Company, we think the best is yet to come because significant additions
to our product portfolio are just around the corner."
August Highlights
* Combined car and truck sales of 349,855 were an August sales record.
The previous record was set in 1989.
* Sales of passenger cars were up 19.2 percent -- the fourth month in a
row that cars have posted a double-digit sales increase.
* Trucks continued their record-setting pace despite tight availability,
particularly for F-Series and Ranger pickups. Heading into August, Ford
dealers had 42 days' supply of pickups. (F-Series availability was
constrained because production at the Kansas City Assembly Plant was suspended
from July 5 through August 14 to prepare for the launch of the F-150 Super
Crew later this year. Ranger production was discontinued at Louisville on
April 5 to make way for the all-new Explorer Sport and Sport Trac.)
* The Ford Explorer and Expedition and Mercury Mountaineer sport utility
vehicles all set new August sales records. "Recent reports have suggested
that consumer demand for light trucks, and sport utility vehicles in
particular, is softening," said Rewey. "Consumer demand for SUVs has
outpaced every other segment every year of this decade, and we believe this
trend will continue. We certainly agree that competition is intensifying, but
that's good for consumers. And it's good for the manufacturer that offers
consumers the broadest range and most innovative products."
* Ford Division set a sales record and Lincoln Mercury posted its best
sales since 1989.
* Jaguar posted its fourth consecutive monthly record as sales soared 87
percent. Jaguar's string of record-setting performances began with the
introduction of the S-TYPE, the all-new, mid-size sedan. Year-to-date, Jaguar
sales are 41 percent higher than a year ago.
* Volvo reported its best August in 10 years as sales climbed 11 percent
compared with a year ago. Customers already are taking delivery of the all-
new 40 Series, Volvo's compact sedan and wagon. With starting prices of
$22,900 for the sedan and $23,900 for the wagon, the 40 Series is a key
element of Volvo's strategy to broaden its appeal in the U.S. market.
* Sales of Lincoln passenger cars to individual retail customers were
higher than a year ago bolstered by the addition of the LS, Lincoln's all-new
mid-size sedan. Total Lincoln sales were lower than a year ago reflecting
fewer deliveries to fleet customers.
* Ford and Mercury passenger car sales to individual retail customers
also were higher than a year ago -- the eighth consecutive month that retail
sales for these brands have increased. Most Ford and Mercury passenger cars
posted sales increases, including the Ford Mustang -- the 26th month in a
row that the legendary pony car has posted a sales increase. Higher-than-
normal deliveries to daily rental customers helped boost sales of the 1999
model Ford Taurus and Contour and Mercury Sable and Mystique. Daily rental
deliveries for these models will be lower-than-normal in coming months as
the launch of the 2000 model Taurus and Sable approaches and Contour and
Mystique production trends lower at Kansas City as the plant prepares for the
launch of an all-new, small sport utility vehicle next year.
FORD MOTOR COMPANY AUGUST U.S. SALES
August Month DSR % August CYTD DSR %
1999 1998 Change 1999 1998 Change
TOTAL VEHICLES 349,855 323,599 8.1% 2,859,350 2,646,644 8.0%
TOTAL CARS 154,368 129,527 19.2 1,169,757 1,079,308 8.4
TOTAL TRUCKS 195,487 194,072 0.7 1,689,593 1,567,336 7.8
Memo: Combined Car and Truck Sales By Brand
Ford 281,239 270,854 3.8% 2,366,794 2,232,565 6.0%
Mercury 41,396 35,142 17.8 312,236 275,811 13.2
Lincoln 15,210 15,754 -3.5 113,215 123,863 -8.6
Jaguar 3,457 1,849 87.0 20,352 14,405 41.3
Volvo 8,553 7,719 10.8 74,694 69,154 8.0
Total Ford Motor
Company 349,855 323,599 8.1% 2,859,350 2,646,644 8.0%
CONTACT: George Pipas, 313-323-9216
Note: Ford acquired Volvo cars on March 31, 1999. Accordingly, Ford
Motor Company's 1998 sales totals exclude Volvo and Ford's 1999 sales totals
do not include Volvo prior to March 31.
FORD BRAND AUGUST U.S. SALES
August Month DSR % August CYTD DSR %
1999 1998 Change 1999 1998 Change
Crown Victoria 8,524 7,625 11.8% 83,303 79,348 5.0%
Taurus 33,512 32,598 2.8 254,539 255,635 -0.4
Contour 13,896 9,511 46.1 95,846 100,781 -4.9
Focus 536 NA NA 960 NA NA
Escort 29,913 27,764 7.7 210,066 207,080 1.4
Mustang 11,417 10,846 5.3 121,607 99,245 22.5
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 97,798 88,344 10.7% 766,321 752,307 1.9%
Expedition 21,829 18,940 15.3% 153,878 138,774 10.9%
Explorer 39,000 35,375 10.2 281,196 269,254 4.4
Excursion 574 NA NA 692 NA NA
Econoline/
Club Wagon 15,844 15,854 -0.1 142,455 142,065 0.3
Aerostar NA NA NA NA 1,060 NA
Windstar 15,169 14,285 6.2 159,494 142,377 12.0
Ranger 25,789 27,573 -6.5 270,322 221,719 21.9
F-Series 64,416 69,705 -7.6 584,741 553,878 5.6
Heavy Trucks 820 778 5.4 7,695 11,131 -30.9
TOTAL FORD
TRUCKS 183,441 182,510 0.5% 1,600,473 1,480,258 8.1%
TOTAL FORD
BRAND 281,239 270,854 3.8% 2,366,794 2,232,565 6.0%
CONTACT: Anne Doyle, Ford Division, 313-845-1527
LINCOLN AND MERCURY BRAND AUGUST U.S. SALES
August Month DSR % August CYTD DSR %
1999 1998 Change 1999 1998 Change
Grand Marquis 11,343 8,823 28.6% 82,665 76,978 7.4%
Cougar (FWD) 5,233 5,552 -5.7 43,323 16,944 155.7
Sable 8,698 7,246 20.0 73,267 68,580 6.8
Mystique 5,253 2,632 99.6 29,035 26,562 9.3
Tracer 1,753 2,647 -33.8 18,697 24,168 -22.6
Cougar (RWD) NA NA NA NA 2,751 NA
TOTAL MERCURY
CARS 32,280 26,900 20.0% 246,987 215,983 14.4%
Town Car 6,385 8,096 -21.1 59,433 64,058 -7.2
Continental 2,589 3,535 -26.8 18,658 23,313 -20.0
LS 3,306 NA NA 11,253 NA NA
Mark VIII NA 803 NA NA 9,242 NA
TOTAL LINCOLN
CARS 12,280 12,434 -1.2% 89,344 96,613 -7.5%
TOTAL MERCURY AND
LINCOLN CARS 44,560 39,334 13.3% 336,331 312,596 7.6%
Villager 4,740 4,137 14.6% 32,748 27,810 17.8%
Mountaineer 4,376 4,105 6.6 32,501 32,018 1.5
TOTAL MERCURY
TRUCKS 9,116 8,242 10.6% 65,249 59,828 9.1%
Navigator 2,930 3,320 -11.7 23,871 27,250 -12.4
TOTAL MERCURY AND
LINCOLN TRUCKS 12,046 11,562 4.2% 89,120 87,078 2.3%
TOTAL MERCURY AND LINCOLN
VEHICLES 56,606 50,896 11.2% 425,451 399,674 6.4%
Memo: Total Lincoln
Brand 15,210 15,754 -3.5% 113,215 123,863 -8.6%
Total Mercury
Brand 41,396 35,142 17.8 312,236 275,811 13.2
CONTACT: Tom Mattia, Lincoln and Mercury, 949-788-2336
JAGUAR CARS AUGUST U.S. SALES
August Month DSR % August CYTD DSR %
1999 1998 Change 1999 1998 Change
XJ8 365 677 -46.1% 3,925 4,295 -8.6%
XJ8 L 126 225 -44.0 1,198 2,014 -40.5
Vanden Plas 425 460 -7.6 2,667 3,092 -13.7
XJR 122 96 27.1 1,056 974 8.4
S-TYPE 1,832 NA NA 7,784 NA NA
XK8 - Coupe 26 36 -27.8 298 453 -34.2
XK8 - Convertible 561 355 58.0 3,424 3,577 -4.3
TOTAL JAGUAR CARS 3,457 1,849 87.0% 20,352 14,405 41.3%
CONTACT: Jaguar Public Affairs, 888-476-9537
VOLVO CARS AUGUST U.S. SALES
August Month DSR % August CYTD DSR %
1999 1998 Change 1999 1998 Change
S40 162 NA NA% 162 1 NA%
V40 35 NA NA 36 NA NA
S70 2,674 4,552 -41.3 25,296 34,412 NA
V70 2,320 2,825 -17.9 21,641 25,645 NA
C70 505 177 185.3 4,629 1,284 NA
S80 2,857 66 NA 22,907 66 NA
S90/V90 0 99 NA 23 7,746 NA
TOTAL VOLVO CARS 8,553 7,719 10.8% 74,694 69,154 8.0%
CONTACT: Soren Johansson, Volvo Cars of North America, Inc., 201-767-4888