SOUNDBITES: FEBRUARY 2010 SALES

Higher sales for every brand and in every product category propelled Ford Motor Company to a 43 percent sales increase in February versus a year ago. Compared with January, Ford’s February sales are up 22 percent. Ford Sales Analyst, George Pipas, says the plan is working.

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Cut #1:	"The market continues to be tough, but we've started the year with a 24 percent sales increase in January, and a 43 percent increase in February, it's a very positive start in what continues to be a very challenging environment." :15 sec.
	Pipas says Ford needs to stay the course and continue the plan.
Cut #2:	"We're going to keep concentrating on building products that people want to buy and that they'll value and if we do that, then the results will take care of themselves and it won't always be the case that we are able to put these kind of numbers on the board, but I think it shows continuing progress on this plan that we're on." 22 sec
	According to Pipas, Ford, Lincoln and Mercury February sales being up 43 percent versus year ago and 22 percent higher than January were about what they expected.
Cut #3:	"We expected both an increase in retail sales and we achieved that, retail sales were up 28 percent this month versus a month ago. The fleet business was up a little over 70-percent, both in magnitude and direction that was generally consistent with our expectations for the month." :17 sec.
	Helping Ford reach this sales numbers is there number one selling vehicle the Ford Fusion.
Cut #4:	"The Fusion was the biggest percentage increase an amazingly the car, ever since it was introduced has 10 monthly sales records in the last 11 months. And this kind of economic backdrop, that's really an impressive performance." :17 sec.
	More important and impressive than that, as explained by Pipas, customers are crossing over from other brands to buy Ford products.
Cut #5:	"The conquest rate is 25% higher then it was with the 2009 model….so this improved fuel economy and the acknowledged improvement in quality status of the product is really giving us strong consideration and sales from customers who had not purchased a Ford before." :22 sec.
	Pipas sees the Fusion as the poster child of the future for Ford and all it's other products.
Cut #6:	"Products like the Fiesta, Focus and all of our other products are based on these same pillars. And that is as the Fusion that's to deliver fuel economy, smart design, technology, quality and safety in everyone of our new products…." :16 sec.
	But if you're looking for even more performance and head-turing styling, Burin insists that you consider the Ford Edge Sport.

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