STRONG CAR SALES DRIVE FORD TO #1 IN CANADA

OAKVILLE, Ontario, January 4, 2011 – As the only major automaker to increase car sales in 2010, Ford Motor Company of Canada, Limited finishes the year as best-selling manufacturer in the industry -- the first time in more than 50 years. Ford continues its streak as the F-Series marks 45 consecutive years as the top-selling pickup truck in Canada. With 97,913 units sold in 2010, the F-Series is also the best-selling vehicle ever in a single year in Canadian history.

In 2010, car sales were up 20 per cent, truck sales increased 19 per cent and total vehicle sales rose 19 per cent. Results were driven by strong performance across the entire lineup including the Ford Focus, Fusion, Mustang, Taurus, Transit Connect, Escape, Edge, Lincoln MKX and MKT, which all saw year-over-year sales gains.
For December, car sales increased 17 per cent, truck sales increased 7 per cent and overall sales increased 9 per cent. The month also marks the best December sales in more than a decade.

"Sales titles are nice to have but we remain focused on building long-term, sustainable, profitable growth," said David Mondragon, president and CEO, Ford of Canada. "We expect the Canadian market to grow moderately this year, by about 2 per cent. Ford is well-positioned to build on its sales success by offering a balanced product portfolio of cars, CUVs, SUVs and trucks."

In the next few months, several new high-volume products hit showrooms across Canada including the all-new Ford Focus; a key vehicle that shows Ford's global platform approach, and Explorer; which has been reinvented for the 21st Century with the best fuel economy and safety in its class. And the F-Series legacy continues to strengthen with all-new F-150 powertrains, including a 3.7 litre V-6 offering 12.8 L/100 km in the city and 8.9 L/100 km on the highway and the fuel-sipping EcoBoost engine.

"With fuel prices rising at the pump, history shows consumers will begin migrating from trucks to cars in 2011," Mondragon said. "With our strong focus on fuel-efficient cars, Ford can take advantage of this shift in buying behaviour. Canadian consumers can find world-class quality, leading technology as well as best-in-class fuel economy at their local Ford dealership."