RPO83

ST. PETERSBURG/ COLOGNE, April 28, 2003 – Ford today announced the addition of a second production shift in its new car plant at Vsevolozhsk, near St. Petersburg, to meet strong demand for the Ford Focus in Russia.

The introduction of a second shift at the plant will double Ford’s workforce in St. Petersburg to 1,100 employees by next month and raise production volume to an annual rate of 20,000 vehicles from July, and 25,000 from December 2003. There is the potential for further expansion up to 100,000 units depending on market demand.

Ford’s St. Petersburg plant, inaugurated in July 2002, is the first production facility owned by a global automotive company in Russia. With an initial investment of $150 million in the project Ford introduced the Ford Focus, which is now available in 4-door, 5-door and wagon body styles, in October last year.

Since its introduction in Russia, the Ford Focus has enjoyed considerable success. Some 3,600 Ford Focus were sold in 2002 and already this year more than 2,300 have been delivered in just the first quarter, representing a nearly 300% increase over Ford's Focus sales in the first quarter of 2002. More than 9,000 customers have also placed orders for the Russian-built Focus.

The popularity of the Ford Focus in Russia mirrors its Europe-wide success story. Since its introduction in 1998 the compact family car has upheld its position as Ford’s most successful model in Europe. Across the continent in 2002, the Focus achieved third place in the top ten best-sellers for the first time ever, underlining its contribution to the steady increase of Ford of Europe’s market share since 2000.

Earl Hesterberg, Vice President Marketing, Sales & Service for Ford of Europe, commented: “The introduction of the second shift in our St. Petersburg plant and the rise in production volume is the right strategic move for Ford, taking its presence in the increasingly important Russian market to a new level. Ford plans to increase its sales in Russia to 18,000 units in 2003, a 170% growth compared with our 2002 result. I am confident that this is only the beginning of a successful and stable growth for Ford in this market.”

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*Retired.