Ford’s April U.S. sales dip 7%; cars gain – MarketWatch

Dearborn, Mich.-based Ford said it sold 262,722 cars and trucks in April, with the Fusion, Mercury Milan and Lincoln Zephyr sedans as well as the crossover Ford Escape and Freestyle posting gains as consumers moved away from the automaker’s more gas-thirsty vehicles.

“These new, fuel-efficient cars are helping our dealers to retain owners and capture new ones,” said Al Giombetti, head of Ford and Lincoln Mercury sales. “We never have been in a better position to compete for customers in an environment of rising gasoline prices.”

On the downside, Ford’s Explorer sales plunged 42% and Expedition sold 33% fewer vehicles. Even the F-Series truck, Ford’s best-selling vehicle, saw sales fall 9% to 64,749 units. There was one fewer selling day in April 2006 than a year ago.

The company said April was its best month on record for its Ford Escape and Mercury Mariner hybrids, with sales more than doubling to 3,420 vehicles from 1,590 in March.

Ford reiterated its goal of producing up to 250,000 hybrids a year globally by 2010 and backed its commitment to offer hybrid technology in at least eight vehicles, including: Ford Escape, Fusion, Five Hundred, and Edge; Mercury Mariner, Milan, Montego; and Lincoln MKX.

The sales reports for Ford trucks were not good, except for their gas-saving Escape Hybrids. Yay! We love ours and think it’s the best larger hybrid on the market. Their commitment to making more hybrid versions of other model types is good news, too. I’d be interested to know what their “low end” hybrid models might run – because they need to offer a hybrid car for every budget – ESPECIALLY for people on a low enough income that they won’t qualify for the proposed “gas rebate.”