UPDATE: Ford Reports May US Sales Rose 14%

Ford Motor Company's

U.S. sales grew 14 percent in May, with cars up 9 percent, utilities up 15 percent and trucks up 18 percent. Retail sales increased 17 percent, marking the best May retail sales results since 2005. "Our fuel-efficient Fusion and Escape have set monthly sales records for four straight months," said Ken Czubay, Ford vice president, U.S. Marketing, Sales and Service. "F-Series sales – fueled by construction growth and pent-up demand – reached their highest level in more than six years." Fusion posted its best-ever May sales of 29,553 vehicles – with its strongest areas of sales growth in the western and southeastern areas of the U.S. The fuel-efficient Escape small utility posted its best-ever sales month since being introduced 13 years ago – a 26 percent increase with 29,123 vehicles sold last month. America's best-selling pickup, the F-Series had its strongest May sales result since 2005. F-Series' 71,604 sales in May represented a 31 percent increase versus last year and its 22^nd straight monthly sales increase.    In May, Lincoln MKZ sales increased 42 percent versus last year. This represents MKZ's best-ever May sales, building on MKZ's best-ever sales month in April. In addition, Ford announces its 2013 third-quarter North American production. The company plans to build 740,000 vehicles in the third quarter, up 10 percent from the 673,000 vehicles produced in the third quarter of 2012. The third quarter plan includes the company's recent announcement to add 40,000 vehicles from a reduced July summer shutdown and the addition of 200,000 units of annualized straight-time capacity starting in the fall of this year. Second quarter production of 800,000 vehicles is unchanged from previous guidance.