Soundbites: November 2012 Sales
November brought growth throughout Ford's product portfolio in the U.S., with car sales up 15 percent, utilities up 2 percent and trucks up 4 percent. Here to breakdown those numbers is Ford Sales Analyst Erich Merkle.
Click on 
to hear audio. Use right mouse click to download.
| Cut #1: |
"We saw a 6 percent increase in total sales at Ford, but more importantly, retail sales were up 12 percent at Ford and it was really driven by small cars." :13 sec. |
| According to Merkle, small car sales made up a vast majority of sales in November. | |
| Cut #2: |
"When we look at small cars, sales totaled almost 27,000 vehicles in November and that represented our best November for small-car sales, since the year 2000. A 76 percent increase over last year in small car sales." :17 sec. |
| Conversely, consumers were also buying pickup trucks in November at a rate not seen in over six years, according to Merkle. | |
| Cut #3: |
"We had our sixteenth consecutive year over year monthly sales increase for Ford pickups. An 18 percent increase in November compared to November of last year and our best November sales for Ford pickups since 2005. 2005 represented one of the best years ever for the full size pickup truck segment in the U.S." :24 sec. |
| Another significant contribution to the sales numbers this past month was C-MAX. Merkle says in just two months after being in showrooms, Ford has had outstanding number with the new C-MAX. | |
| Cut #4: |
"Last month we totaled almost 5,000 sales of our C-MAX. We are seeing our strongest turn in California, particularly in Southern California, our number one conquest has been Toyota Prius." :15 sec. |
| In light of all the Fiscal Cliff Talk in Washington, Ford Motor Company is forging ahead and planning on a bullish first quarter according to Merkle. | |
| Cut #5: |
"We just announced our first quarter production, and we are planning on the first quarter to build 750,000 vehicles, that's an 11 percent increase over the first quarter of 2012. We're planning to have a strong first quarter production." :15 sec. |
| Fourth quarter production of 725,000 vehicles is unchanged from previous guidance. |