Exhibit 99

                                      Ford


NEWS

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

Go to http://media.ford.com for news releases and high-resolution photographs.

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

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o Ford's August U.S. sales totaled 271,394, down 13 percent.
o Ford F-Series posts record August sales of 84,996, up 15 percent.
o Volvo sets August sales record on higher sales of new S40 sedan.
o Ford announces fourth quarter North American production plan.


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DEARBORN,  Mich., Sept. 1 - U.S. customers  purchased or leased 271,394 cars and
trucks from Ford,  Mercury,  Lincoln,  Jaguar,  Volvo, and Land Rover dealers in
August,  down 13 percent compared with a year ago. [Note: Ford sales comparisons
are not adjusted for selling days.]

Year-to-date  through  August,  the company's  sales were 2.25  million,  down 5
percent compared with the same period a year ago.

Ford F-Series,  America's  best-selling  vehicle,  posted record August sales of
84,996,  up 15 percent from a year ago. August was the twelfth month in a row of
higher F-Series sales  coinciding  with the  introduction of the new F-150 model
last September.  A new Super Duty model, built at Ford's Kentucky Truck Plant in
Louisville, is now available at Ford dealer showrooms.



"The new F-Series Super Duty officially debuts during NFL Kickoff Weekend," said
Jim O'Connor,  Ford group vice  president,  North America  Marketing,  Sales and
Service.  "The 2005 model  Super Duty is bigger,  stronger,  smarter and tougher
than the previous version and any other product in its class."

Volvo dealers  reported record August sales of 12,598,  up 6 percent from a year
ago. Sales for the new S40 sedan were 2,353, more than double the level of sales
for the old model a year ago.


North American Production
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The company plans to build 830,000 vehicles (225,000 cars and 605,000 trucks) in
its North  American  assembly  plants in the fourth  quarter 2004. In the fourth
quarter 2003, the company produced  900,000  vehicles  (235,000 cars and 665,000
trucks).

In the third  quarter  of 2004,  the  company  plans to build  755,000  vehicles
(195,000 cars and 560,000 trucks), unchanged from the previously announced plan.

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