Ford


NEWS

Contact:    George Pipas
            313-323-9216
            gpipas@ford.com

IMMEDIATE RELEASE
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FORD MOTOR COMPANY REPORTS JANUARY U.S. SALES

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o Ford Five Hundred, Ford Freestyle, and Mercury Montego buck industry trend as
  January sales eclipse December sales.
o Ford Mustang continues torrid sales pace; convertible production underway.
o Ford Escape sets January record; Mercury Mariner adds to Ford's strong showing
  in small SUV segment.
o Overall Ford sales decline 12 percent compared with a year ago as January auto
  sales payback following strong December.

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DEARBORN,  Mich., Feb. 1 - Bucking an industry trend, Ford's recently introduced
flagship  sedans and  crossover  sport  utility  vehicle  posted higher sales in
January.  While January industry sales declined an estimated 30 percent compared
with December,  combined sales for the Ford Five Hundred,  Ford  Freestyle,  and
Mercury Montego increased in January.  Sales for the  Chicago-produced  products
totaled 10,921, up 5 percent from December.

"This is a great showing for our new products in an otherwise  weak month," said
Earl Hesterberg,  Ford group vice president,  North America  Marketing Sales and
Service.

Ford  Mustang  continued  to set a  torrid  sales  pace in  January  as sales to
individual  retail customers were 33 percent higher than a year ago. Lower fleet
deliveries  partially  offset the  increase  in retail  demand  resulting  in an
overall Mustang sales increase of 4 percent.




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"The Mustang is the hottest car in the industry," said  Hesterberg.  "It is very
unusual  for a sports  coupe to sell this  well in the  middle  of  winter.  Our
dealers and  customers  are looking  forward to the arrival of the  convertible,
which started production this week."

Sales for Ford's small sport utility vehicles continued to grow. The Ford Escape
set a January sales record (12,868), up 17 percent compared with a year ago, and
combined sales for the Escape and Mercury Mariner totaled 15,228, representing a
38 percent increase in small SUV sales compared with a year ago.

Overall  January sales for the company totaled  201,542,  down 12 percent from a
year ago.


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