Soundbites: February 2013 Sales
Ford Motor Company’s U.S. February sales grew 9 percent with 195,822 vehicles sold. This marks Ford’s best February sales in six years – with cars up 6 percent, utilities up 21 percent and trucks up 4 percent. Erich Merkle, Ford Motor Company Sales analyst, talks about what vehicles led sales for Ford in February.
Click on 
to hear audio. Use right mouse click to download.
| Cut #1: |
“The vehicles that propelled that growth were really F-Series, which was up 15%, Escape which was up 29% and had its best February sales month ever. And Fusion, the all-new Fusion, was up 28% and provided us with its best February sales month ever.” :20 sec. |
| Merkle went on to say Ford is watching the Fusion sales skyrocket in areas of the country where they have historically had minimal success. | |
| Cut #2: |
“For instance, Los Angeles Fusion sales were up 115%. In San Francisco they more than doubled. In areas and markets where Ford historically has had a very low market share, such as in Florida, in Miami we saw Fusion sales more than double. So we’re really hitting on all cylinders with Fusion and we’re very excited about the acceptance we’re seeing from the consumers and the great deal that exists out there around the car.” :33 sec. |
| America’s best-selling pickup, the Ford F-Series, sold 54,489 pickups in February, a 15 percent increase over last year. F-Series had its best February sales results since 2007. | |
| Cut #3: |
“That is really being driven, one you have such an aging pickup truck fleet that’s in need of replacement, and you also see this renewed cycle in construction, which is also helping to aid the sales of pick-ups.” :14 sec. |
| While Truck sales continue to be strong for Ford, Merkle says a U.S. News and World report recently said Fusion is the most affordable mid-size sedan in America. | |
| Cut #4: |
“In affordability you’re looking at fuel economy, you’re looking at great residual values for the Fusion, so there’s a lot of tangible items to really love about the Fusion, then there are also the intangibles, such as how does the vehicle look and styling is really strong with the Fusion and that’s what customers gravitate towards.” :22 sec. |
| Escape followed January’s record sales with a new February sales record of 24,110 vehicles – a 29 percent increase over last year. Plus, Explorer boosted its sales 59 percent in February, with 16,586 vehicles sold – its best February sales results in seven years. Ford also announced its 2013 second-quarter North American production plan. The company plans to build 800,000 vehicles in the second quarter, up 9 percent (63,000 vehicles) from 2012’s second quarter. First quarter production of 770,000 vehicles is unchanged from previous guidance. |