Sales of Explorer, Escape SUVs Boost Ford Sales 10% in July

Ford was expected to sell up to 213,000 vehicles in July, up 10.2% year-over-year, but down nearly 4% compared with June 2014.

Sales of the Explorer SUV totaled 16,797 in July and the Escape posted its best-ever July sales of 26,558 units. The Fusion compact sold 23,942 units last month, its best-ever sales for July.

The company’s best-selling F-Series pickup sales rose 5% in July after sliding 11% in June. Ford sold 63,240 F-Series trucks in July with the lowest incentives of the three major truck makers, according to the company’s press release.

Ford truck sales are up just 0.3% year-over-over for the first seven months of 2014 as the company prepares to introduce its widely anticipated aluminum-body F-150 Series pickup trucks in the fourth quarter. The aluminum body panels and other technology improvements have cut the weight of the trucks by about 700 pounds, which will help improve fuel economy. That improvement comes at a cost though. Prices for the new models will be higher by $360 to as much as $3,615. The five models in the new line will start at a base price for the low-end model of $25,420 and a base price of about double that for the high-end version.

Ford shares were trading higher by about 0.5% Friday morning, at $17.10 in a 52-week range of $14.40 to $18.12.

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