“We continue to operate in a very challenging economic and competitive environment,” said Ken Czubay.
Ford, Lincoln and Mercury sales totaled 129,898, down 31% compared with April 2008. Retail sales were down 32% compared with a year ago ,and fleet sales were down 30%. Mustang dropped 50% and F-series dropped 43%.
Year-to-dates sales plunged 40%, or 300,000 vehicles, the equivalent of the output of six final assembly plants on an annualized basis for the loss making automaker.
Ford claimed it is gaining “retail” market share, thanks in part to the success of the company’s revamped line of hybrid vehicles, which has been heavily promoted. Actual share numbers based on total market were not provided, but Ford’s overall share has been dropping for a decade or more. At the end of the first quarter, Ford’s overall share of the U.S. market, measured traditionally, was down to 13.9%, a loss of 1.1%.
George Pipas, Ford sales analyst, said consumers really do pay attention “when you start talking about 41 miles per gallon. Thus, hybrid sales, which have been backed by an aggressive advertising campaign for the past couple of months, jumped 21% or 2,299 units, last month in a market that was down by about 34% by the best estimates.
Ken Czubay, Ford vice president, Sales and Marketing, said hybrid models are the most fuel-efficient vehicles in their class. The Ford Escape and Ford Fusion recently were all named to Kelley Blue Book’s list of Top 10 Green Cars.
“New, fuel-efficient products and quality on par with the best in the industry helped Ford increase retail market share in April – the sixth time in the last seven months that Ford’s share of the retail market was higher than a year ago,” said Pipas.
Ford, however, continued to increase market share on the retail side of the business. Sales of the Ford Fusion totaled 18,321, a record for any month. April was the first full month of sales for the redesigned 2010 model and the new Fusion Hybrid version, and April is believed to be the first month that Fusion was among the top three-selling mid-size sedans. Recent independent studies also rate Fusion and the Mercury Milan as having the best predicted reliability among all mid-size sedans, Ford officials noted.
“Sales of the 2010 Ford Fusion, Mercury Milan, Lincoln MKZ and hybrid versions exceeded our plan and customers also are equipping our new products with levels of content and features that are higher than we expected,” Czubay added.
Other new Ford products contributed to the retail share performance, including the new F-150 pickup, America’s best-selling vehicle, and Ford Flex, the distinctively styled crossover utility that had its best sales month ever, Pipas said.
Growing awareness and consideration of Ford and its high-quality, fuel-efficient products are starting to take hold. Plus, through June 1, Ford is offering consumers additional reasons to “Drive one.”
Overall though Fords sales continued to drop as consumers continued to abandon the sport utility vehicles and the slow economy kept many consumers on the sideline
“We continue to operate in a very challenging economic and competitive environment,” said Ken Czubay, Ford vice president, Sales and Marketing. “Especially given this external environment, we’re very encouraged by the consumer response to our new mid-size sedans.”
In response, Ford is emphasizing financial security in its latest incentive plans.
The Ford Advantage Plan offers payment protection up to 12 months for up to $700 per month on any new Ford, Lincoln or Mercury vehicle if a customer loses his or her job. Plus, 0% financing from Ford Motor Credit is available on select vehicles.
|
Ford Motor Company April 2009 U.S. Sales |
| April % Year-To-Date % |
| 2009 2008 Change 2009 2008 Change |
| Sales By Brand |
| Ford 116,263 165,997 -30.0 389,497 649,814 -40.1 |
| Lincoln 5,973 10,340 -42.2 25,007 38,811 -35.6 |
| Mercury 7,662 12,910 -40.7 27,141 47,345 -42.7 |
| Total Ford, Lincoln and Mercury |
| 129,898 189,247 -31.4 441,645 735,970 -40.0 |
| Volvo 4,503 7,138 -36.9 17,127 31,942 -46.4 |
| Total Ford Motor Company |
| 134,401 196,385 -31.6 458,772 767,912 -40.3 |
| Ford, Lincoln and Mercury Sales By Type |
| Cars 52,463 73,654 -28.8 162,315 249,794 -35.0 |
| Crossover Utility Vehicles |
| 28,955 34,123 -15.1 98,290 140,054 29.8 |
| Sport Utility Vehicles |
| 5,944 15,183 -60.9 24,298 70,607 -65.6 |
| Trucks and Vans |
| 42,536 66,287 -35.8 156,742 275,515 -43.1 |
| Total Trucks |
| 77,435 115,593 -33.0 279,330 486,176 -42.5 |
| Total Vehicles |
| 129,898 189,247 -31.4 441,645 735,970 -40.0 |
| FORD BRAND APRIL 2009 U.S. SALES |
| April % Year-To-Date % |
| 2009 2008 Change 2009 2008 Change |
| Crown Victoria 2,541 5,339 -52.4 10,875 18,286 -40.5 |
| Taurus 3,097 5,240 -40.9 11,850 21,117 -43.9 |
| Fusion 18,321 15,059 21.7 46,799 55,109 -15.1 |
| Focus 11,691 23,850 -51.0 41,747 72,920 -42.7 |
| Mustang 7,699 10,050 -23.4 7,344 34,527 -49.8 |
| Ford Cars 43,349 59,538 -27.2 128,615 201,959 -36.3 |
| Flex 3,190 0 NA 10,972 0 NA |
| Edge 7,628 10,333 -26.2 23,949 46,367 -48.3 |
| Escape 13,596 15,399 -11.7 44,626 59,299 -24.7 |
| Taurus X 795 2,261 -64.8 3,982 9,758 -59.2 |
| Ford Crossover 25,209 27,993 -9.9 83,529 115,424 -27.6 |
| Expedition 1,455 5,208 -72.1 6,944 23,434 -70.4 |
| Explorer 3,723 7,356 -49.4 13,800 34,994 -60.6 |
| Sport Utility 5,178 12,564 -58.8 20,744 58,428 -64.5 |
| F-Series 28,757 44,813 -35.8 110,336 192,951 -42.8 |
| Ranger 4,535 7,585 -40.2 15,824 29,182 -45.8 |
| Econoline 8,813 12,784 -31.1 28,849 49,196 -41.4 |
| Low CabForward 45 102 -55.9 95 325 -70.8 |
| Heavy Trucks 377 618 -39.0 1,505 2,349 35.9 |
| Trucks/Vans 42,527 65,902 -35.5 156,609 274,003 -42.8 |
| Ford Brand 116,263 165,997 -30.0 389,497 649,814 -40.1 |
| April % Year-To-Date % |
| 2009 2008 Change 2009 2008 Change |
| MKS 1,178 0 NA 5,775 0 NA |
| MKZ 1,995 3,268 -39.0 6,706 13,012 -48.5 |
| Town Car 682 1,976 -65.5 3,136 5,412 -42.1 |
| MKX 1,748 3,038 -42.5 7,524 12,370 -39.2 |
| Navigator 361 1,673 -78.4 1,733 6,505 -73.4 |
| Mark LT 9 385 97.7 133 1,512 -91.2 |
| Lincoln Brand 5,973 0,340 -42.2 25,007 38,811 -35.6 |
| April % Year-To-Date % |
| 2009 2008 Change 2009 2008 Change |
| Grand Marquis 1,829 3,201 -42.9 6,661 11,106 -40.0 |
| Sable 1,158 1,862 -37.8 3,852 5,619 -31.4 |
| Milan 2,272 3,809 -40.4 7,570 12,686 -40.3 |
| Mariner 1,998 3,092 -35.4 7,237 12,260 -41.0 |
| Mountaineer 405 946 -57.2 1,821 5,674 -67.9 |
| Mercury Brand 7,662 12,910 -40.7 27,141 7,345 -42.7 |
|
VOLVO BRAND APRIL 2009 U.S. SALES |
| April % Year-To-Date % |
| 2009 2008 Change 2009 2008 Change |
| S40 573 1,317 -56.5 2,359 5,294 -55.4 |
| V50 108 129 -16.3 481 621 -22.5 |
| S60 246 771 -68.1 1,793 5,037 -64.4 |
| S80 681 988 -31.1 2,603 4,752 -45.2 |
| V70 200 229 -12.7 675 873 -22.7 |
| XC60 723 0 NA 1,599 0 NA |
| XC70 377 773 -51.2 1,791 3,685 -51.4 |
| XC90 799 1,891 -57.7 2,885 8,078 -64.3 |
| C70 454 703 -35.4 1,707 2,203 -22.5 |
| C30 342 337 1.5 1,234 1,399 -11.8 |
| Volvo Brand 4,503 7,138 -36.9 17,127 31,942 -46.4 |
In the United Kingdom a vehicle scrappage incentive plan has just started. It combines £1,000 contributions each from the government and vehicle manufacturers to provide a £2,000 discount against the purchase of a new vehicle when the owner scraps a vehicle more than 10 years old.
Ford is adding to this with the addition of supplementary discounts on all its larger cars, which together represent savings of up to £4,500 on a new Ford Mondeo, for example.
Coltin1948
Thursday, June 11, 2009
Dear Ford Motor Company, I Have An Idea…
That’s right FMC, I have an idea, and I think you’re going to like it.
But first, let me just say congratulations! You won. You played it perfectly by not taking the bailout money. GM took piles of it and then went back and begged for more, and now they’re in Chapter 11 anyway. It couldn’t have worked out any better if your own writers had written the script.
And by the way, did they? Just thought I’d ask.
Didn’t you just love (privately, of course) that little business of closing all of those dealerships with almost no notice? What mischievous Tokyo consulting firm suggested that PR triumph?
Story after story of family-run dealerships, doing business in their communities for generations, sponsoring little league teams, supporting the local theater company, remaining loyal to GM and Chrysler through good times and bad, suddenly and callously forced to sell the their cars at huge losses – cars they had bought in good faith, cars they were often pressured to buy – putting their employees out of work and driving the owners into financial ruin. Nice.
And won’t that be the gift that keeps on giving, as we get to drive by all the prominently located shuttered dealerships, in buildings that will likely sit depressingly empty for a very long time, serving as monuments to incompetence. Catchy phrase, don’t you think?
So, while GM continues to implode (and Chrysler, well, I think we can safely forget about them. Can’t we?), Ford is fast on the way to becoming America’s Car Company.
And, your brilliant strategy is starting to show.
Your cars have been getting some very impressive reviews. I rented a Fusion recently. Not a bad car at all. And, I can see myself driving a Mustang, or maybe an Escape, but I’ll get to that later.
In the past few weeks, I’ve noticed at least three taxicabs that were Escape hybrids.Yup, the next time the price of gas goes out of sight, those guys will be shuttling passengers without losing profits. Smart. Very smart. It’s great street-level, sticky advertising, and it won’t cost you a dime.
And, speaking of great street-level, sticky advertising, here’s my idea.
This has been a bitch of a year for all of us. You’re probably stuck with some cars that, sadly, will never get sold. I’ve heard that some of those cars will eventually be worth less than the ground they sit on and will be sent to the crusher to be turned into metal splinters.
I would like you to save one of those for me. My Subaru Forester is on its last legs. I’ve been driving foreign cars my whole adult life. It’s time for me to get with the program – The Ford Program.
Here’s my deal. Give me one of those cars. Like a lot of people, I happen to be a victim of this very dismal economy. But, please do not think that I’m asking for a gift. Far from it. I want you to turn the car into a mobile billboard. You could paint a powerful message on both sides like: Ford Escape Hybrid – 34-MPG City, or Most Fuel-Efficient SUV On The Road Today – something like that.
Your job is to figure out the message and my job will be to get out there and spread that message. And I just happen to have a few strategies for doing this.
STRATEGY #1:
I call this my CAN’T MISS ME IF THEY TRY STRATEGY.
I would intentionally get caught in traffic jams, where I’m on a highway, heading in the jammed up direction. Where heading south is bumper to bumper, I would be heading south.
I would be sure to be in the left hand lane, so that free flowing traffic, heading north would have to see your mobile billboard, and I would smile and wave as those cars pass by. They would plainly see how much I was enjoying the traffic jam in my comfy, fuel stingy Ford.
I would commit to doing this at least three days per week, for at least an hour per day. We’ll put that in my contract.
STRATEGY #2:
I call this my HOW MANY CASES OF TOILET PAPER WILL FIT? STRATEGY.
I will make weekly trips to Costco, where I will buy cases of as much bulky product as could be neatly packed into the car.
First, I would be centrally parked so that shoppers going to or from the store could watch me cheerfully loading cases of toilet paper, paper towels, humongous bottles of salad dressing and tomato sauce, into the cargo space. While loading my mobile billboard, I would loudly remark, “I can’t believe how much this car can hold. It’s practically impossible to fill this baby up.”
STRATEGY #3:
This little gem is called the HERE COME THE ELEPHANTS STRATEGY.
For exposure to pedestrian traffic, there is nothing better than being downtown when families are walking from the parking garages to the civic center or arena to go see the circus. The trick here is to be stuck at a crosswalk where the pedestrian traffic never lets up. If you don’t hit it just right, you circle around until you do.
It’s not just circuses. This strategy works great for sporting events, home or garden shows – any event where pedestrians cheerfully exercise their right to ignore green lights and saunter across busy streets, sticking it to people behind the wheel. I confess, I don’t understand the mentality, since most of those pedestrians had just, themselves, been behind the wheel. But, no matter, it works every time.
Well FMC, are you with me so far? Admit it, you like this, don’t you? Now, let me give you the big picture, which is not just me out there spreading the good word about America’s Car Company, its lots of us. It’s an army of highly trained, super motivated, unemployed foot soldiers (make that: car soldiers) positioned strategically across the country, on a mission.
Are you seeing the heartwarming PR in this fabulous campaign?
Well, Ford guys, that’s just a taste. I have other ideas. Lots of them. But, I don’t want to give them away all at once. If you like this deal, I’ll be happy to send you a proposal with lots of detail. I don’t want to be negative, but I did see that movie about the guy who invented the intermittent windshield wiper, who brought his idea straight to you and you stole it, basically ruining his life.
Look, we’ve all done things we’re not proud of. And, besides, that was the old Ford Motor Company.
The new Ford Motor Company has found its Focus, created its Fusion, made its Escape, and gained its Edge. Pretty good, hah? And, there’s a lot more where that came from.
I’ll be waiting for your call. Oh…and, red, if possible.
Posted by Bruce Coltin at 11:20 AM 6 comments
Labels: business proposal, Ford Motor Company