Ford F-Series is still the best selling vehicle in the United States.
Ford Motor Company’s U.S. February sales increased 9% to 195,822 vehicles, its best February in six years. Cars were up 6%, sport utility vehicles rose by 21%, while trucks increased 4%.
The only bad news was moribund Lincoln, which saw sales decrease 30% to 4,900 vehicles in spite of an expensive brand-image advertising campaign that doesn’t have a flagship vehicle to promote.
In higher volume segments, Ford did well. The revised Fusion posted record February sales of 27,875 vehicles, a 28% gain over what was a record in February of 2012. The Escape posted a new record for the second month in a row with February sales of 24,110 vehicles, a 29% increase over last year.
The F-Series, sold 54,489 pickups in February, a 15% increase from last year, and its best February sales results since 2007. This is the F-Series’ 19th consecutive month of monthly sales increases. Transit Connect also improved, selling 3,610 vehicles in February, a 57% increase compared to last year.
Ford also announced its 2013 second-quarter North American production plan, saying it plans to build 800,000 vehicles in the second quarter, up 9% (+63,000 vehicles) from 2012’s second quarter. First quarter production of 770,000 vehicles is unchanged.
About Ken Zino
Ken Zino, editor and publisher of AutoInformed, is a versatile auto industry participant with global experience spanning decades in print and broadcast journalism, as well as social media. He has automobile testing, marketing, public relations and communications experience. He is past president of The International Motor Press Assn, the Detroit Press Club, founding member and first President of the Automotive Press Assn. He is a member of APA, IMPA and the Midwest Automotive Press Assn.
He also brings an historical perspective while citing their contemporary relevance of the work of legendary auto writers such as Ken Purdy, Jim Dunne or Jerry Flint, or writers such as Red Smith, Mark Twain, Thomas Jefferson – all to bring perspective to a chaotic automotive universe.
Above all, decades after he first drove a car, Zino still revels in the sound of the exhaust as the throttle is blipped during a downshift and the driver’s rush that occurs when the entry, apex and exit points of a turn are smoothly and swiftly crossed. It’s the beginning of a perfect lap.
AutoInformed has an editorial philosophy that loves transportation machines of all kinds while promoting critical thinking about the future use of cars and trucks.
Zino builds AutoInformed from his background in automotive journalism starting at Hearst Publishing in New York City on Motor and MotorTech Magazines and car testing where he reviewed hundreds of vehicles in his decade-long stint as the Detroit Bureau Chief of Road & Track magazine. Zino has also worked in Europe, and Asia – now the largest automotive market in the world with China at its center.
