Ford Brand Sales Plummet 9.4% Jaguar Hits Rock Bottom Down 41.9% for May

Ford Motor Company’s new and redesigned crossovers are setting the pace in the industry’s fastest-growing segment and helped Ford to achieve its best retail sales performance of 2007.

The all-new Ford Edge and Lincoln MKX set sales records in May. Edge sales were 12,701, up 39 percent from April and besting the previous highest monthly sales of 10,915 in March. Lincoln MKX sales were 3,490, up 20 percent from April and eclipsing the previous best monthly sales of 3,054 (also in March).

“These new crossovers are the right products at the right time,” said Mark Fields, Ford’s President of the Americas. “Consumer demand for the Ford Edge and Lincoln MKX has exceeded our original expectations, so we’re raising the bar. We now expect Ford Edge sales to reach 120,000 this year – 20 percent higher than our original forecast.”

The redesigned 2008 model Ford Escape and Mercury Mariner crossovers also are scoring with consumers. Escape sales were 18,953, up 13 percent from a year ago, and Mariner sales were 4,395, up 87 percent. Each of these products posted their third highest sales month ever. In addition, the Escape and Mariner hybrid models set May sales records. Escape hybrid sales were 2,680 and Mariner hybrid sales were 534.

In total, Ford crossovers were up 67 percent compared with a year ago as the company continues to achieve the largest sales increase in the industry’s fastest-growing segment.

Crossovers helped Ford to post a solid retail result in May. Although retail sales were 3 percent lower than a year ago, May was the best retail performance for any month this year. The company’s total sales (including sales to fleet customers) were 259,470, down 7 percent. The larger decline in total sales reflected a planned reduction in sales to daily rental companies.

Other new and redesigned products contributed to Ford’s strong retail performance in May. Retail sales for the Ford Expedition were higher than a year ago, and Expedition sales have increased nine months in a row.

The Lincoln brand posted another retail sales increase – its eighth month in a row of higher retail sales. Lincoln’s rebound has resulted from sales of the new Lincoln MKX crossover, the new Lincoln MKZ sedan and the redesigned Navigator.

Land Rover dealers reported a 7 percent sales increase in May, reflecting the addition of the all-new LR2 crossover.

jt716 - 6/1/2007 2:58:47 PM

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signs of progress

BMW4me4ever - 6/1/2007 3:15:21 PM

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now if ford could find a way to rid themselves of Jaguar, they would be even better off. Jaguar? that is pathetic. How can a manufacturer only sell less than 2,000 units in a month. Especially, when they have a full size sedan , a midsize, and an entry level. lol

cdoke - 6/1/2007 4:30:17 PM

+5 Boost

Something interesting about Jaguar's numbers: their sales are a complete inversion of the prototypical car company's. Typically a company sells most of their least expensive and least of their most expensive. Jaguar's highest selling car is the XK, followed by the XJ, then the S-type, and lastly the lowly X-type. It is completely inverted.

I hope this makes them realize that they should kill that horrendous x-type. I hate to say this, because it makes me sound snobby, but I find myself giving X-type drivers nastly looks from my XJ.

Rupert - 6/1/2007 5:34:31 PM

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The X type is based on the old Ford Mondeo, we get a FWD version in Europe....

KILL IT NOW

cdoke - 6/1/2007 6:01:19 PM

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I honestly don't see how they can do anything but kill it. It is their poorest selling, and also least profitable per unit. It has to be, by far, the poorest performing car in their portfolio.

I really don't think, thank goodness, that they have the money to replace it. In particular when their sales figures demonstrate very vividly that there is a particular kind of person who purchases a Jaguar. It reminds me of what Forbes said years ago about the x-type, that Jaguar is a niche brand and that they are not for common consumption.

rocker - 6/1/2007 9:19:09 PM

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Ford will eventually kill off all their models and brands but not until after Bill and Alan drain the company dry.

S4cabriofoxone - 6/1/2007 9:43:39 PM

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Poor Jaguar... it's simply dismal. They'll be lucky to push 25,000 cars this year. I hope the XF saves them, because they just don't deserve this.

S4cabriofoxone - 6/1/2007 9:43:54 PM

+1 Boost

^Ford, on the other hand...

jt716 - 6/2/2007 10:21:25 AM

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This is all Bill's fault..He could have been updating Jag and moving them up market but instead was obsessed with SUVs and trucks. Its the same with Lincoln and Mercury. Jag will survive the only brand that is useless is Mercury. They are basically in the same position as Oldsmobile

M53R - 6/2/2007 12:41:43 PM

+2 Boost

Well done ford! Everyone is up this month but you!

Jaguar on the otherhand is improving. They have promising concepts and the XK is a very beautiful car. The rest of the Jag lineup is starting to get old. They just need more aggressive designs, I wish them good luck.

S4cabriofoxone - 6/3/2007 1:09:03 AM

+3 Boost

The XF will wipe out the S-Type and X-Type, which is VERY good news... I can't wait for the XJ redesign, either. It should be even hotter and more sumptuous than the XF.

2JZSoarer - 6/4/2007 1:12:22 AM

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R.I.P Jaguar,they better thank Ford for Jaguar's death!!