Ford - what's hot, what's not

Business Week

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..Ford has been hammered on some key products in the first six months of the year. Sales of the once-mighty Explorer are down 20%. F-Series pickups, still the biggest-selling truck, are down 12%. Mustang is down

11%. The Five Hundred and Freestyle models, which are being renamed Taurus and Taurus X, are down 37% on the year. Ford has even resorted to adding sales incentives to its premium performance versions of the Mustang, like the Ford Shelby GT500, something it hasn't done in the past.

But there are bright spots in the Ford portfolio. Demand for crossover SUVs helped push the Ford Edge and Lincoln MKX, and resulted in the first sales increase in the Lincoln-Mercury division since last October. The Edge was named the auto industry's top-performing new vehicle in J.D. Power and Associates' 2007 Automotive Performance, Execution and Layout Study (APEAL) in June...

The redesigned Ford Escape

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was up 33% in June. The gas-guzzling Ford Expedition, redesigned last fall, has defied the gravity of that falling full-size segment and is up 22% through June. The Lincoln brand was up 15% on the strength of the new MKX crossover and MKZ sedan. An improving Lincoln brand is all the more important going forward because of Ford's apparent decision to sell off its Jaguar, Land Rover, and Volvo brands...

Mustang V6 sales are down, in June v June of 06 but V8 sales are up, v June of 06 to the point Ford can not meet demand. Ford as increased the ratio of V8 to V6 every year beginning with the new model in 2005 and has added convertible production as well.

As is the case with every manufacture at the end of every model year, Ford is offering extra equipment on V6 Mustangs to increase end of model year sales, but where did they get the information Ford is offering incentives on V8 Mustangs? V8s like the California GT, Shelby GT500 and GT300 are actually selling for well over MSRP.

In the case of the Shelby GT500, and GT300 as much as $5,000 to $10,000 over MSRP. The limited production restyled 2008 Shelby GT/500KC, only 1,000 of which will be build, are projected to go for $15,000 or more over the MSRP of $48,000 when introduced next spring ;)

mike