RPO83

OAKVILLE, Ont., August 1, 2002 – Ford of Canada truck sales hit an unprecedented high in July as part of a sales streak which saw five vehicles -- Ford Focus, Expedition and Explorer, as well as Lincoln Town Car and Navigator – shatter long-standing sales records.

Overall, Canadian automotive shoppers purchased 23,336 new Ford and Lincoln vehicles in July, up 6.5 per cent from the same month last year. Truck sales jumped 5.5 per cent to set a new record at 15,059 units while car sales increased 8.5 per cent to 8,277 units.

"In a strong industry, it's imperative that you offer consumers the selection and value that they expect. Our July sales clearly show that Ford is delivering on those expectations. From compact car to full-size SUV, we have what customers are looking for," said Torrey Galida, vice president of marketing, Ford Motor Company of Canada, Limited.

Customers are snapping up both the new 2003 Ford Expedition and 2003 Lincoln Navigator, helping to drive overall SUV sales up 17 per cent at Ford of Canada. And Ford Explorer continues to lead the segment in July marking its third record-breaking month in a row.

"The truck market in Canada has never been more competitive with more models, from more manufacturers, than ever before. And while Ford has typically been seen as a truck powerhouse, hitting an all-time high for July truck sales, led by the Ford Explorer, is proof that the legacy continues," Galida added.

July Highlights

New July sales records set by:

Ford Explorer – up 12.7 per cent.
Ford Expedition -- up 60.2 per cent
Ford Focus – up 7.8 per cent
Lincoln Town Car – up 136.5 per cent
Lincoln Navigator – up 220.3 per cent

Overall Lincoln sales were up 94 per cent, an all-time high for July and the third-best month ever.
Sales of Ford Mustang rose 8.7 per cent.
Ford Ranger sales jumped 21.1 per cent.
Ford Econoline scored a 36.9 per cent sales increase.

Attached Images

03_nav_beach.jpg (12.1 KB, 588 views)

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