Ford’s 2010 Sales Up 19 Percent – Foundation Set for Growth in 2011

Big U.S. automakers are reestablishing their prowess in the global marketplace. Ford’s full-year sales totaled 1.935 million, up 19 percent versus a year ago, marking the largest increase of any full-line manufacturer. Ford’s December retail sales were the highest for any month since August 2009, up 17 percent versus a year ago. Total sales (including fleet deliveries) were 190,976, up 7 percent versus a year ago. The total sales result includes a 40 percent reduction in deliveries to daily rental customers.

Ford’s U.S. market share was higher for the second year in a row marking the first back-to-back increase in market share since 1993. Ford’s U.S. market share in 2010 is estimated at 16.4 percent, up 1.1 points from 2009 and 2.2 points from 2008.

“With our balanced line of high-quality, fuel-efficient products, we have a solid foundation to deliver more sales and improved results in 2011,” said Ken Czubay, Ford vice president, U.S. Marketing, Sales and Service. “Consideration for Ford is increasing beyond our traditional areas of strength – signaling that the seeds of growth already have taken hold.”

December Sales Highlights
Ford’s December retail sales increased 17 percent versus a year ago. Among brands, Ford retail sales were up 20 percent and Lincoln was up 3 percent. Mercury retail sales were down 29 percent, consistent with the company’s plan to discontinue the brand by the end of 2010.

Car retail sales increased 26 percent paced by record monthly sales for the all-new Ford Fiesta subcompact (5,212) and higher retail sales for the Ford Focus and Fusion and Lincoln MKZ. Fusion total sales of 22,629 were a record for the month of December.

Retail sales for utilities were up 17 percent paced by higher retail sales for the Ford Escape, and the all-new Ford Edge and Lincoln MKX. Ford Explorer retail sales were more than double a year ago buoyed by the introduction of the all-new 2011 Explorer.

Truck retail sales were up 11 percent as F-Series recorded its highest sales month (54,888) since December 2007. Demand for the Transit Connect, Ford’s new purpose-built commercial van, continued to grow as December total sales increased 41 percent.

Full-Year Sales Highlights
In 2010, Ford benefited from its full family of cars, utilities and trucks. For the year, cars were up 17 percent, utilities were up 13 percent and trucks were up 27 percent. Sales for Ford’s F-Series truck were 528,349, up 28 percent. The F-Series was the best-selling truck in America for the 34th year in a row and the best-selling vehicle, car or truck, for the 29th year in a row. In the commercial van segment, sales for the Ford Econoline totaled 108,258, up 26 percent and Transit Connect added sales of 27,405.