Another good month for Ford, another bad month for Lincoln ...

 

Lincoln's results are deceptively bad. MKZ deliveries dropped to a trickle during the new model's launch as they concentrated on getting quality where they wanted on it. So it looks horrible but it's really a unique set of circumstances. With the car now getting to lots in quantity, March should tell us how the MKZ is really doing and what that means for Lincoln.

Fusion looks like it took a chunk out of Camry:
Fusion: 27,875 +28%
Camry: 31,270 -9.5%

That's getting to be a tight race.

 

I went to the Milwaukee auto show last weekend ... the longest waiting line was for MKZs (they had all 3s - 2.0 EB, 3.7 and the hybrid).

As for Fusion ... I would wait few more months to see how well the new 2013 model is selling. I'm sure that a good part of that 27,875 sales was the old 2012 model with huge rebates.

 

The Fusion set sales records in a couple months in CY 2012 (July and August that I know of for sure) and I would agree that older inventory with huge incentives probably played a role in those excellent figures. However, Fusion sales have been on fire, with Ford's car setting yet another sales record last month (February 2013), after setting one the prior month, too (January 2013). The 2013 Fusion went on sale in the summer of 2012, so, this long after its initial release, I think it's pretty safe to say the "One Ford" Fusion (and Escapes from the looks of things) are pretty significant successes.

http://corporate.ford.com/our-compan...les-up-9-37718

Ford Motor Company Sales Up 9 Percent, Best February In Six Years; Fusion, Escape Set Sales Records

• Ford Motor Company U.S. February sales up 9 percent – best February in six years, with cars up 6 percent, utilities up 21 percent and trucks up 4 percent
• Fusion sets an all-time February sales record, surpasses last year’s record by 28 percent
• Escape produces its best February sales ever; Explorer reaches best February sales since 2006, up 59 percent
• America’s best-selling pickup for 36 years running, F-Series posts 15 percent gain
• Ford announces 2013 second-quarter production of 800,000 vehicles, up 9 percent from the prior year

http://media.ford.com/article_displa...ticle_id=36838

Ford Fusion Achieves Best-Ever July Sales, Explorer Best July Sales in Six Years, F-Series Gains for 12th Straight Month

http://media.ford.com/article_displa...ticle_id=36952

Ford Escape, Fusion Deliver Best-Ever August Sales; Company Sees Gains in Cars, Utilities and Trucks

http://wot.motortrend.com/ford-fusio...#axzz2MMp8j6uy

Ford Fusion, Escape Have Record January 2013 Sales, Lincoln Slips 18.2 Percent

 

I bet fusion would of even sold better if the lots had more stock. Most dealers here sell them so fast they only have five or so at a time.

 

...or had they not suffered so many recalls.

 

Model switchover months always see a huge drop in sales. New MKZ looks great and different than most of the other bland new offerings companies are putting out these days so March should see a nice spike for Lincoln.

 

China Auto Sales Rise 19.5% - Analyst Blog
5:26p ET March 11, 2013 (Zacks.com)
According to the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers (CAAM), vehicle sales in China went up 19.5% to 2.84 million units in Jan–Feb from 2.37 million units a year ago. The increase in sales was much higher than last year. In 2012, sales grew 4.3% to 19.3 million vehicles.

However, sales fell 13.6% in Feb due to the Lunar New Year holidays. However, strong sales by Ford Motor Co. (F) and Hyundai Motor Co. lifted sales in the world’s biggest market during the period. Sales of vehicles, including buses and trucks, escalated 15% to 3.39 million units in the first two months of the year, according to the CAAM.

Ford reported a 46% rise in sales to 105,209 vehicles while Hyundai reported more than 40% increase in sales to 177,000 vehicles in the period. General Motors Company (GM) and its Chinese joint venture partners sold 525,835 vehicles in the period, up 7.9% from Jan–Feb 2012.

Sales of Japanese brands, including Toyota Motor Corp. (TM), Nissan Motor Co. (NSANY) and Honda Motor Co. (HMC), hampered due to the political conflict between Beijing and Tokyo over disputed islands in the East China Sea. According to the CAAM, sales of Japanese passenger cars dipped 17.1% year-over-year in Jan-Feb this year.

Sales of Volkswagen AG’s (VLKAY) Audi, improved 16% in the period. Audi is the top-selling luxury brand in China. However, Daimler AG’s (DDAIF) Mercedes-Benz posted a 39% decline in sales to 26,829 vehicles during the period under study.

According to the CAAM, auto sales in China are expected to rise 7% to more than 20 million vehicles in 2013, led by strong demand for passenger vehicles and economic recovery. The association believes SUVs will remain the fastest- growing segment in the year while commercial vehicles will record a moderate gain in sales.

However, the Chinese government is concerned about rising air pollution in the country due to the ever increasing vehicles on the road. As a result, China’s State Council announced a stricter standard for auto fuel recently, which will be promoted nationwide by 2017. These steps may damage the health of the auto industry in China.

 

what recalls

 

I seen about 30 different new ones on the road this weekend