RPO83

DEARBORN, Mich. – In less than a year – June 16th, 2003 – Ford Motor Company will mark its 100th year of building automobiles. As part of the yearlong celebration, Ford will launch a special-edition Centennial Package, which will be offered on key Ford vehicles in the spring of 2003.

The special-edition vehicles, of course, will be offered in "any color you want as long as it’s black."

As the legend goes, when Henry Ford’s production machine was rolling at full speed at his Highland Park (Mich.) Assembly Plant and the Model T was breaking production records every day, the vehicle was offered in "any color so long as it is black," as Henry Ford himself would say.

Black paint dried faster than other colors, allowing Henry Ford and his team to produce cars more quickly and efficiently. This, in turn, helped drive down the price and made the automobile within reach of the middle class consumer for the first time. From an original price of $850, the Model T price dropped to well below $300 by the early 1920s. That was a value hard to beat.

Centennial Package

Ford’s color palate has grown significantly since the early years, but the vehicles of today – the cars, trucks and SUVs – still represent a value that is hard to beat. Ford is the best-selling brand of vehicles in America, thanks in part to key vehicles such as F-Series, Explorer, Taurus, Focus and Mustang. The special 2003 Centennial Package will be offered on these five vehicles.


"They were a natural choice to represent the Centennial for us," said Steve Lyons, Ford Division president. "Like the Model T, they are hallmark products for Ford, the vehicles at the foundation of the brand. They say a lot about who we are and what we do."


In fact, all five vehicles have helped shape Ford Motor Company and, in their own way, the automobile business:


Ford Explorer, when launched in 1990, helped define and establish the SUV segment. It remains the best-selling SUV in America.
Ford Taurus redefined the sedan segment when it was launched in 1985. It is still one of the top-10 selling vehicles in the U.S.
In 1964, when the Mustang was launched, a love affair began that is still alive today. Few cars have as strong a following as Mustang.
Since the F-Series was introduced as the Ford F-1 in 1948, the truck has served as the workhorse for America. It is the best-selling vehicle in the U.S. and has been for the past 25 years.
Focus is Ford’s Model T for the 21st century: a great value that puts excellent driving dynamics and outstanding packaging in reach of most new-car buyers. Focus is currently the best-selling car in the world.

Ford vehicles with the Centennial Package will be offered in black only, with special interiors and unique badging. Additionally, buyers will receive special commemorative gifts from Ford. Production will be limited to 4,000 or less of each Centennial vehicle. Pricing of the special-edition packages will be announced at a later date.

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*Retired.