Ford Motor Company U.S. sales increased 14% in February to 179,119 vehicles sold compared to February of 2010. Retail sales increased 19%. The Ford brand was up 14%, while Lincoln posted a 16% increase compared to year-ago levels. Early indications are that the overall auto industry sales were up ~16%, with a seasonally adjusted annual rate or SAAR or 13.3 million for light vehicles.
Leading the way at Ford was the F-Series pickup truck sales totaled 47,273 pickups, up 26% – V6 engines made up 57% of F-150 retail sales in February; the expensive EcoBoost option accounted for 43% of mix. Trucks continue to be the real strength at Ford with trucks up 21%. Cars were up 16%, sport utilities up 5%, with Escape setting a best-ever February sales record with 18,666 vehicles sold. The aging Escape has had two consecutive best-ever sales months in January and February – its strongest-ever start to a year.
Ford Motor Company’s North American production plan is to build 730,000 vehicles in the second quarter of 2012, up 3% (20,000 vehicles) compared with the second quarter 2011. First quarter production (675,000 vehicles) is unchanged from the previous forecast. This means that Ford is not counting on the current increase in demand to be sustained.
Edmunds had Ford sales incentives at $2,827, the second highest in the industry for the month behind leader GM at $3,257.
