June 2, 2009
With its two North American competitors now in bankruptcy and wards of the U.S. government, Ford Motor Company is reporting a strong pick-up in sales.
Even with decreases in incentive spending, Ford says May sales surged 20 percent over April, giving it its largest market share in three years. Ford, Lincoln and Mercury sales totaled 155,954, the highest sales for any month since July 2008.
Sales of the Ford Fusion were 19,786, Ford Flex sales were 4,305 and sales of the company's hybrid vehicles totaled 3,906 — setting three new sales records. In addition, Lincoln's new sedans, the MKZ and MKS, helped the luxury brand post a 2 percent sales increase, the company said.
"Consideration for our new products is increasing," said Ken Czubay, Ford vice president, Sales and Marketing. "Even as the competitive environment intensifies, Ford's relentless pursuit of quality, fuel efficiency, smart technology and appealing designs is winning new customers."
The previous Fusion record was set last month with 18,321 cars when Fusion cracked the foreign stranglehold on the mid-size sedan market. It was the first time since July 2002 that a domestic car was one of the top three mid-size cars selling to retail customers.
Combined sales for the Fusion and Milan hybrids and the Ford Escape and Mercury Mariner hybrids totaled 3,906 — a new company record for hybrid sales in a single month. The previous record was set in April 2006, with 3,420 hybrids.
The previous Flex record also was set last month with 3,190 vehicles. Combined sales for all crossover utilities were 35,582, Ford's strongest crossover sales month since last May.
May marked the first full sales month of the 2010 Ford Mustang. Mustang sales totaled 8,812, the highest sales month since last July.
Lincoln was one of the few brands in the U.S. to achieve a sales increase in May. Lincoln sales totaled 8,566, up 2 percent versus a year ago. Lincoln's sedans, the new MKS, redesigned MKZ and venerable Town Car paced Lincoln's sales increase. A new Lincoln full-size crossover, the MKT, will debut later this year.
In another good sign for the automaker, Ford says vehicle inventories at the end of May totaled 350,000 — a 56 day supply. That's 41,000 fewer vehicles than were on Ford lots at the end of April, and 210,000 fewer than May 2008.
Given tightly controlled inventories and the strength of its new products in the market, Ford said it is increasing second quarter North American production by 10,000 vehicles, to 445,000. Ford also announced it plans to build 460,000 vehicles in the third quarter, an increase of 42,000 vehicles compared with third quarter 2008.
