Ford Explorer & Excursion Sales Continue to Decline

Sources close to Ford declared sales of the Ford Explorer have continued to decline as the year ends in 2004. Sales of the Ford Explorer SUV fell 9% in November to 24,467 while sales of the larger Ford Excursion fell even more at 42% to 1,867. Both vehicles have experienced continued sales declines this year.

Ford has indicated it plans to cut one of two production shifts at its St. Louis Ford Explorer plant at the beginning of next year.

Industry analysts have reminded the public, however, that the F-Series truck sales have remained strong in 2004. Sales of Ford's F-Series pick-up truck line, which includes the Super Duty trucks built at the Kentucky Truck Plant, increased 2.7 percent to 66,477. F-Series sales have increased every month for the past 15 months. For the past three months, Ford has credited a new version of the Super Duty line for keeping sales up.