Reports from last week show that overall sales for the Ford Motor Company are up 14% across the board from last year’s numbers. After climbing out of a compromised financial position and a low share price (under 2$ per share) in 2008, the domestic auto maker is showing signs of health and reclaiming its position as a top choice in the North American car and truck market.
Numbers for Ford car sales are up in YOY (year over year) values, but sales for trucks has also climbed to the tune of 9%, according to the July 1 announcement from Dearborn. The Fiesta and Focus car models account for a lot of the growth in car sales, for a combined sales gain of 66%. Ford writers take particular care to note that both the Fiesta and the Focus are small cars that figure on Kelley Blue Book’s much-touted list of “Cool Cars Under $18,000” that might be having an outsized effect on consumer opinions.
Another top-selling Ford vehicle is the 2011 Ford Explorer, which is apparently up 59%. Ford suggests that “retail sales” for the Explorer are up even more, and it’s apparent that many customers still in the market for an SUV are fond of this vehicle, as well as the Ford Escape, which has also been selling well.
Even Lincoln sales are up about 17% according to Ford. The Lincoln nameplate is something that you might not be hearing a lot about these days, but unlike some other minor brands, Lincoln vehicles are still in production and, apparently, still leaving dealer’s lots.
In trucks, Ford’s F-Series remains a best-seller. The company reports that many buyers are choosing V6 engines over the V8 options, which is not surprising, as even truck buyers are looking for lower prices at the gas pumps. Other Ford truck models, including the Ranger, Transit Connect, and Ecoline, also posted gains.
The sales numbers reported by Ford actually come from dealers across the country. These new figures represent a picture of how the current auto market is treating a domestic company with a long history – look for further evidence of these trends at a lot near you, and do related research on current blue book values and more to get equitable deals at the lot.
