Ford Motor Company Reports December and Full Year 2006 U.S. Sales; Full Year Car Sales Are Higher for the Second Year in a Row

DEARBORN, Mich., Jan. 3 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Ford Motor Company's dealers delivered 233,621 new vehicles to U.S. customers in December, down 13 percent compared with a year ago. Lower F-Series sales (down 21 percent compared with last December's near-record month) and lower sales for the discontinued Taurus and Freestar minivan more than accounted for the decline.

Full year sales totaled 2.9 million, down 8 percent compared with full year 2005. Car sales were 5 percent higher than a year ago. It was the second year in a row of higher car sales and the first back-to-back increase since 1993-1994. Ford's new mid-size sedans were the major factors behind the increase as combined sales for the Ford Fusion, Mercury Milan, and Lincoln MKZ totaled 211,469. Awareness and demand for these award winning products continues to grow. In December, Fusion sales were up 67 percent, Milan sales were up 36 percent, and MKZ sales were up 78 percent. MKZ sales of 3,795 were the highest for any month.

Full year truck sales were down 14 percent as higher gasoline prices and long-term demographic trends drove SUV sales lower and a soft housing industry weighed on full-size truck sales. Ford believes these factors will continue to weigh on these segments in 2007. New products should help mitigate these factors. The company's new full-size SUVs, Ford Expedition and Lincoln Navigator, closed 2006 by posting higher sales each month in the fourth quarter. The company will soon introduce a new Super Duty F-Series pickup truck. This model accounts for about 40 percent of total F-Series sales.

Conversely, passenger car sales and crossover utility vehicles (CUVs) should continue to benefit from demographic trends (notably the aging of the baby boomer generation) and higher gasoline prices. In December, the company expanded its CUV line with the introduction of the Ford Edge and Lincoln MKX. In addition, the company will introduce a redesigned Ford Escape and Mercury Mariner early this year. Escape has been the best-selling CUV since it was introduced in late 2000.

Land Rover was the company's only brand to post higher sales in 2006. Land Rover's full year sales totaled 47,774 -- a new calendar year sales record. Although Lincoln's overall sales were down 2 percent, sales to individual retail customers rose 4 percent.

U.S. Inventories Lower

At the end of December, Ford, Lincoln and Mercury inventories were estimated at 590,000 units. This level is 143,000 units lower than a year ago. The company estimates less than 10 percent of the total inventory is 2006 models.

FORD MOTOR COMPANY DECEMBER 2006 U.S. SALES December Month % December CYTD % 2006 2005 Change 2006 2005 Change Sales By Brand Ford 190,914 223,324 -14.5 2,433,086 2,648,814 -8.1 Mercury 13,809 13,507 2.2 180,848 195,949 -7.7 Lincoln 12,806 12,612 1.5 120,476 123,207 -2.2 Jaguar 1,553 2,445 -36.5 20,683 30,424 -32.0 Volvo 8,525 9,080 -6.1 115,807 123,587 -6.3 Land Rover 6,014 6,913 -13.0 47,774 46,175 3.5 Total Ford Motor Company 233,621 267,881 -12.8 2,918,674 3,168,156 -7.9 Memo: Cars and Trucks Cars 70,618 78,407 -9.9 1,094,660 1,038,876 5.4 Trucks 163,003 189,474 -14.0 1,824,014 2,129,280 -14.3 Total Ford Motor Company 233,621 267,881 -12.8 2,918,674 3,168,156 -7.9 FORD BRAND DECEMBER 2006 U.S. SALES December Month % December CYTD % 2006 2005 Change 2006 2005 Change Crown Victoria 4,264 3,475 22.7 62,976 63,939 -1.5 Five Hundred 6,689 8,321 -19.6 84,218 107,932 -22.0 Taurus 342 14,990 -97.7 174,803 196,919 -11.2 Fusion 12,664 7,568 67.3 142,502 16,983 739.1 Focus 13,551 11,020 23.0 177,006 184,825 -4.2 Mustang 11,245 10,226 10.0 166,530 160,975 3.5 Thunderbird 0 281 -100.0 469 9,548 -95.1 GT 58 208 -72.1 1,919 1,302 47.4 Total Ford Cars 48,813 56,089 -13.0 810,423 742,423 9.2 Escape 14,603 12,370 18.1 157,395 165,122 -4.7 Edge 2,201 0 NA 2,201 0 NA Freestyle 3,290 5,850 -43.8 58,602 76,739 -23.6 Explorer 13,384 18,996 -29.5 179,229 239,788 -25.3 Expedition 10,772 9,585 12.4 87,203 114,137 -23.6 Excursion 0 785 -100.0 965 16,283 -94.1 Freestar 884 5,440 -83.8 50,125 77,585 -35.4 Econoline/Club Wagon 15,999 14,498 10.4 180,457 179,543 0.5 Ranger 8,349 8,434 -1.0 92,420 120,958 -23.6 F-Series 70,580 89,491 -21.1 796,039 901,463 -11.7 Low Cab Forward 318 286 11.2 3,576 925 286.6 Heavy Trucks 1,721 1,500 14.7 14,451 13,848 4.4 Total Ford Trucks 142,101 167,235 -15.0 1,622,663 1,906,391 -14.9 Total Ford Brand 190,914 223,324 -14.5 2,433,086 2,648,814 -8.1 LINCOLN AND MERCURY BRAND DECEMBER 2006 U.S. SALES December Month % December CYTD % 2006 2005 Change 2006 2005 Change Grand Marquis 3,565 3,122 14.2 54,688 64,716 -15.5 Montego 1,741 2,149 -19.0 22,332 27,007 -17.3 Sable 0 700 -100.0 0 24,149 -100.0 Milan 2,873 2,111 36.1 35,853 5,321 573.8 Total Mercury Cars 8,179 8,082 1.2 112,873 121,193 -6.9 Town Car 4,017 4,301 -6.6 39,295 47,122 -16.6 LS 0 901 -100.0 8,797 19,109 -54.0 MKZ 3,795 2,129 78.3 33,114 4,985 564.3 Total Lincoln Cars 7,812 7,331 6.6 81,206 71,216 14.0 Total Mercury and Lincoln Cars 15,991 15,413 3.8 194,079 192,409 0.9 Mariner 2,980 2,700 10.4 33,941 34,099 -0.5 Mountaineer 2,488 2,320 7.2 29,567 32,491 -9.0 Monterey 162 405 -60.0 4,467 8,166 -45.3 Total Mercury Trucks 5,630 5,425 3.8 67,975 74,756 -9.1 MKX 859 0 NA 859 0 NA Navigator 2,980 2,664 11.9 23,947 25,844 -7.3 Aviator 0 838 -100.0 1,711 15,873 -89.2 Mark LT 1,155 1,779 -35.1 12,753 10,274 24.1 Total Lincoln Trucks 4,994 5,281 -5.4 39,270 51,991 -24.5 Total Mercury and Lincoln Trucks 10,624 10,706 -0.8 107,245 126,747 -15.4 Total Mercury and Lincoln Vehicles 26,615 26,119 1.9 301,324 319,156 -5.6 Total Lincoln Brand 12,806 12,612 1.5 120,476 123,207 -2.2 Total Mercury Brand 13,809 13,507 2.2 180,848 195,949 -7.7 JAGUAR BRAND DECEMBER 2006 U.S. SALES December Month % December CYTD % 2006 2005 Change 2006 2005 Change XJ 543 658 -17.5 5,027 8,304 -39.5 S-TYPE 266 879 -69.7 5,875 8,897 -34.0 X-TYPE 284 778 -63.5 5,214 10,941 -52.3 XK 460 130 253.8 4,567 2,282 100.1 Total Jaguar 1,553 2,445 -36.5 20,683 30,424 -32.0 VOLVO BRAND DECEMBER 2006 U.S. SALES December Month % December CYTD % 2006 2005 Change 2006 2005 Change S40 1,580 1,424 11.0 24,566 24,233 1.4 V50 282 371 -24.0 4,138 5,671 -27.0 V40 0 0 NA 0 8 -100.0 S60 1,416 1,589 -10.9 25,753 24,695 4.3 V70 288 549 -47.5 5,602 7,390 -24.2 XC70 899 879 2.3 13,132 13,991 -6.1 C70 476 8 5,850.0 3,947 1,442 173.7 S80 219 519 -57.8 5,469 10,181 -46.3 XC90 3,365 3,741 -10.1 33,200 35,976 -7.7 Total Volvo 8,525 9,080 -6.1 115,807 123,587 -6.3 LAND ROVER BRAND DECEMBER 2006 U.S. SALES December Month % December CYTD % 2006 2005 Change 2006 2005 Change Range Rover 1,607 1,867 -13.9 12,044 13,430 -10.3 Range Rover Sport 2,467 2,505 -1.5 18,757 10,441 79.6 LR3 1,940 2,504 -22.5 16,930 19,346 -12.5 Discovery 0 4 -100.0 1 817 -99.9 Freelander 0 33 -100.0 42 2,141 -98.0 Total Land Rover 6,014 6,913 -13.0 47,774 46,175 3.5