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Ford's March 2007 New Cars, Crossovers Set Sales Records; New Products Achieving Company's Sales Targets


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SEE ALSO: Ford Buyers Guide
SEE ALSO: Lincoln Buyers Guide
SEE ALSO: Mercury Buyers Guide

- Ford's new mid-size cars (Ford Fusion, Mercury Milan and Lincoln MKZ) and its new crossovers (Ford Edge and Lincoln MKX) set monthly sales records in March.

- Fusion sales up 48 percent compared with a year ago, Milan sales up 45 percent, and Lincoln MKZ sales up 13 percent.

- Edge sales were 10,915, up 37 percent compared with February and Lincoln MKX sales were 3,054, up 32 percent.

- Ford, Lincoln and Mercury crossover sales totaled 37,915 in March, up 42 percent compared with a year ago; year-to-date crossover sales up 29 percent.

- Ford F-Series sales were 71,481 - the highest monthly sales since August 2006.

- Ford's overall sales totaled 264,975, down 9 percent compared with March 2006 (which was the highest monthly sales in 2006).

DEARBORN, Mich., April 3 -- Ford's new mid-size cars (Ford Fusion, Mercury Milan and Lincoln MKZ) and its new crossovers (Ford Edge and Lincoln MKX) set monthly sales records in March.

"We remain committed to offering more of the products that our customers really want, and the popularity of our new cars and crossovers is proof we're delivering," said Mark Fields, Ford's President of The Americas.

"Ford is moving quickly to operate profitably at lower volumes and a changed mix, and we are encouraged our retail market share appears to be stabilizing over the past several months," Fields adds. "Our newest products also are achieving the sales targets we have set for ourselves, another sign that we're making good progress."

Combined sales for Ford's new mid-size sedans were 24,094, up 40 percent compared with March 2006. Fusion sales were 15,790 (any-month record), up 48 percent compared with a year ago, and eclipsed the previous record of 15,468 set August 2006. Milan sales were 4,678 (any-month record), up 45 percent, and bettered the previous record of 4,156 set August 2006. Lincoln MKZ sales were 3,626, up 13 percent, a March record and second highest any-month.

The Ford Edge and Lincoln MKX crossovers were introduced in December 2006 and already are achieving sales levels comparable to long-established products in the crossover utility category. Edge sales were 10,915, up 37 percent compared with February and Lincoln MKX sales were 3,054, up 32 percent compared with February. In March, Ford, Mercury and Lincoln crossover sales totaled 37,915, up 42 percent compared with a year ago. In the first quarter of 2007, crossover sales totaled 89,081, up 29 percent compared with first quarter 2006.

An all-new full-size crossover will debut at the New York Auto show on Wednesday.

Ford's F-Series pickup truck posted March sales of 71,481 -- the highest monthly sales since August 2006. Compared with March 2006, which was F-Series' highest sales month of 2006, sales were down 15 percent. The company expects F-Series' comparisons to improve as availability of the all-new 2008 model Super Duty increases.

Overall, the company's March sales totaled 264,975, down 9 percent compared with a year ago, which was the company's highest sales month in 2006.

                 FORD MOTOR COMPANY MARCH 2007 U.S. SALES

                              March Month      %       March CYTD       %
                             2007     2006  Change    2007     2006  Change
  Sales By Brand
    Ford                  216,788  241,642  -10.3  522,588  615,900  -15.2
    Mercury                17,426   18,915   -7.9   43,873   47,646   -7.9
    Lincoln                14,770   13,446    9.8   35,127   32,504    8.1
    Jaguar                  1,667    1,866  -10.7    4,248    5,124  -17.1
    Volvo                  10,661   11,124   -4.2   26,922   28,365   -5.1
    Land Rover              3,663    4,153  -11.8   10,202   11,299   -9.7
      Total Ford Motor
       Company            264,975  291,146   -9.0  642,960  740,838  -13.2

  Memo: Cars and Trucks
    Cars                   89,484  104,775  -14.6  216,277  278,423  -22.3
    Trucks                175,491  186,371   -5.8  426,683  462,415   -7.7
      Total Ford Motor
       Company            264,975  291,146   -9.0  642,960  740,838  -13.2

                     FORD BRAND MARCH 2007 U.S. SALES

                             March Month       %       March CYTD        %
                            2007     2006   Change    2007     2006   Change

  Crown Victoria           6,553    5,358    22.3   16,533   16,545    -0.1
  Five Hundred             6,607    7,726   -14.5   16,734   22,962   -27.1
  Taurus                       0   20,262  -100.0        0   51,833  -100.0
  Fusion                  15,790   10,703    47.5   39,678   29,845    32.9
  Focus                   17,065   16,171     5.5   39,837   42,251    -5.7
  Mustang                 14,737   16,117    -8.6   34,573   40,692   -15.0
  Thunderbird                  0        0      NA        0      469  -100.0
  GT                           0      204  -100.0      231      555   -58.4
    Total Ford Cars       60,752   76,541   -20.6  147,586  205,152   -28.1

  Escape                  16,521   15,675     5.4   39,317   42,268    -7.0
  Edge                    10,915        0      NA   24,478        0      NA
  Freestyle                4,313    6,078   -29.0    9,793   16,842   -41.9
  Explorer                12,876   17,157   -25.0   34,723   46,716   -25.7
  Expedition              10,505    8,220    27.8   24,149   20,828    15.9
  Excursion                    0      250  -100.0        0      965  -100.0
  Freestar                   452    4,187   -89.2    2,026   15,532   -87.0
  Econoline/Club Wagon    19,445   17,886     8.7   46,506   41,156    13.0
  Ranger                   7,989    9,809   -18.6   18,491   22,378   -17.4
  F-Series                71,481   84,168   -15.1  171,651  199,801   -14.1
  Low Cab Forward            248      357   -30.5      663      875   -24.2
  Heavy Trucks             1,291    1,314    -1.8    3,205    3,387    -5.4
    Total Ford Trucks    156,036  165,101    -5.5  375,002  410,748    -8.7

    Total Ford Brand     216,788  241,642   -10.3  522,588  615,900   -15.2

             LINCOLN AND MERCURY BRAND MARCH 2007 U.S. SALES

                                March Month      %      March CYTD       %
                               2007    2006   Change   2007    2006   Change

  Grand Marquis               5,976   5,787     3.3  14,442  16,489   -12.4
  Montego                     1,620   2,225   -27.2   4,290   6,107   -29.8
  Milan                       4,678   3,236    44.6  10,236   7,630    34.2
    Total Mercury Cars       12,274  11,248     9.1  28,968  30,226    -4.2

  Town Car                    4,827   4,344    11.1  11,645  10,209    14.1
  LS                              0   1,418  -100.0       0   3,365  -100.0
  MKZ                         3,626   3,218    12.7   8,098   7,784     4.0
    Total Lincoln Cars        8,453   8,980    -5.9  19,743  21,358    -7.6

    Total Mercury
     and Lincoln Cars        20,727  20,228     2.5  48,711  51,584    -5.6

  Mariner                     3,112   4,964   -37.3   8,430   9,997   -15.7
  Mountaineer                 1,882   2,373   -20.7   5,998   6,339    -5.4
  Monterey                      158     330   -52.1     477   1,084   -56.0
    Total Mercury Trucks      5,152   7,667   -32.8  14,905  17,420   -14.4

  MKX                         3,054       0      NA   7,063       0      NA
  Navigator                   2,458   2,405     2.2   6,093   5,994     1.7
  Aviator                         0     518  -100.0       0   1,554  -100.0
  Mark LT                       805   1,543   -47.8   2,228   3,598   -38.1
    Total Lincoln Trucks      6,317   4,466    41.4  15,384  11,146    38.0

    Total Mercury
     and Lincoln Trucks      11,469  12,133    -5.5  30,289  28,566     6.0

    Total Mercury
     and Lincoln Vehicles    32,196  32,361    -0.5  79,000  80,150    -1.4

  Total Lincoln Brand        14,770  13,446     9.8  35,127  32,504     8.1
  Total Mercury Brand        17,426  18,915    -7.9  43,873  47,646    -7.9

                    JAGUAR BRAND MARCH 2007 U.S. SALES

                            March Month       %       March CYTD        %
                           2007     2006   Change    2007     2006   Change
  XJ                        397      486   -18.3    1,132    1,380   -18.0
  S-TYPE                    479      660   -27.4    1,065    1,849   -42.4
  X-TYPE                    285      514   -44.6      800    1,429   -44.0
  XK                        506      206   145.6    1,251      466   168.5
    Total Jaguar          1,667    1,866   -10.7    4,248    5,124   -17.1

                    VOLVO BRAND MARCH 2007 U.S. SALES

                               March Month      %       March CYTD       %
                              2007    2006   Change    2007    2006   Change
  S40                        2,201   2,356     -6.6   5,673   6,129    -7.4
  V50                          304     372    -18.3     722   1,072   -32.6
  S60                        1,702   2,339    -27.2   4,377   6,269   -30.2
  V70                          371     464    -20.0     849   1,296   -34.5
  XC70                       1,127   1,331    -15.3   3,077   3,247    -5.2
  C70                          368      11  3,245.5   1,008      85  1085.9
  S80                        1,392     598    132.8   3,103   1,712    81.3
  XC90                       3,196   3,653    -12.5   8,113   8,555    -5.2
    Total Volvo             10,661  11,124     -4.2  26,922  28,365    -5.1

                  LAND ROVER BRAND MARCH 2007 U.S. SALES

                                March Month      %       March CYTD      %
                               2007    2006   Change    2007    2006  Change
  Range Rover                 1,159     991    17.0    2,909   2,762    5.3
  Range Rover Sport           1,356   1,667   -18.7    3,801   4,329  -12.2
  LR3                         1,148   1,489   -22.9    3,491   4,189  -16.7
  Discovery                       0       1      NA        0       1     NA
  Freelander                      0       5  -100.0        1      18  -94.4
    Total Land Rover          3,663   4,153   -11.8   10,202  11,299   -9.7