FORD ANNOUNCES U.S. AUTO INDUSTRY’S FIRST MULTI-LANGUAGE WEBSITE FOR ASIAN AMERICANS

· Ford unveils its new multi-language Asian American website, www.fordvehicles.com/asia during the 2004 Chinese New Year Festival and Parade in San Francisco.· The website will feature downloadable brochures in three languages – Chinese, Korean and Vietnamese.

SAN FRANCISCO, Feb. 6, 2004 – Ford will unveil a domestic auto industry first -- a multi-language Asian American website -- on Feb. 7 at 2004 Chinese New Year Festival and Parade in downtown San Francisco.

The in-language website, www.fordvehicles.com/asia, was developed to provide an efficient way for Asian Americans to acquire information about Ford brand products. Research shows Asian Americans are frequent Internet users and represent the number one demographic group going online.

Asian Americans will be able to find downloadable brochures in three languages, Chinese, Korean and Vietnamese. In the future, the site will grow and develop to host other in-language features including tools to help research, purchase and finance vehicles.

“At Ford, we take great pride in being the number one domestic brand among Asian Americans,” said Steve Lyons, Ford Division president. “The U.S. auto industry’s first multi-language Asian website will help Ford better communicate with this growing segment of the population. It is a great move in the company’s long-term strategy of multicultural marketing leadership.”

The web address will first appear to the thousands of parade goers on banner advertisements hanging from a caravan of Ford F-150’s, the 2004 Motor Trend “Truck of the Year”.

From1990 to 2000, the Asian American community in the U.S. grew by 41 percent. Asian buying power is expected to grow 50 percent by mid-decade. The demand for vehicles in the Asian American marketplace has seen tremendous growth over the last several years. The SUV and full-size pickup segments, for example, have seen a 30 percent increase over the last four years.

Ford has a long-standing relationship with the Asian American community and was one of the first domestic auto manufacturer to begin marketing to them in late nineties. The Ford brand is currently the sales leader among domestic manufacturers with Asian Americans.

Ford is working with PanCom International, a Los Angeles based Asian marketing agency, to focus on marketing attributes Asian Americans look for when purchasing a vehicle, such as quality, durability and reliability. Ford believes that by connecting with Asian Americans on various levels it can increase market share with this growing group.

“Ford will build on our sales successes in the Asian American community led by the F-Series pickup truck, Explorer and Focus,” said Lyons. “Competition among all manufacturers is intensifying, but we have the right products and marketing strategy to succeed with this important group of customers.”

As presenting sponsor for the 2004 Chinese New Year parade and festival, Ford will also show its support to the Asian American community by showcasing a float entitled “The Monkey King Story” based off the quintessential story and fable of how Buddhism came to China. The float will feature performances from the award-winning Tat Wong Kung Fu Academy as Monkey King characters. A Ford F-150 will tow the float during the parade.

Ford will also be featuring several vehicles at various booths surrounding the parade and festival grounds. Year of the Monkey hats, T-shirts and stuffed animals with Ford logos and the new website address will be given away as prizes.