<SEC-DOCUMENT>0000037996-01-500037.txt : 20011009
<SEC-HEADER>0000037996-01-500037.hdr.sgml : 20011009
ACCESSION NUMBER:		0000037996-01-500037
CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE:	8-K
PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT:		2
CONFORMED PERIOD OF REPORT:	20011002
ITEM INFORMATION:		Other events
ITEM INFORMATION:		Financial statements and exhibits
FILED AS OF DATE:		20011002

FILER:

	COMPANY DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			FORD MOTOR CO
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0000037996
		STANDARD INDUSTRIAL CLASSIFICATION:	MOTOR VEHICLES & PASSENGER CAR BODIES [3711]
		IRS NUMBER:				380549190
		STATE OF INCORPORATION:			DE
		FISCAL YEAR END:			1231

	FILING VALUES:
		FORM TYPE:		8-K
		SEC ACT:		1934 Act
		SEC FILE NUMBER:	001-03950
		FILM NUMBER:		1750420

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		ONE AMERICAN ROAD
		CITY:			DEARBORN
		STATE:			MI
		ZIP:			48126
		BUSINESS PHONE:		3133223000

	MAIL ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		ONE AMERICAN RD
		CITY:			DEARBORN
		STATE:			MI
		ZIP:			48126
</SEC-HEADER>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>8-K
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>e100201cover.txt
<TEXT>






                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

                             Washington, D. C. 20549




                                    FORM 8-K

                                 CURRENT REPORT




                     Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the
                         Securities Exchange Act of 1934


                         Date of Report October 2, 2001
                                        ---------------
                        (Date of earliest event reported)


                               FORD MOTOR COMPANY
                               ------------------
             (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)


                                    Delaware
                                    --------
                 (State or other jurisdiction of incorporation)


                  1-3950                                38-0549190
                  ------                                ----------
         (Commission File Number)              (IRS Employer Identification No.)


 One American Road, Dearborn,  Michigan                     48126
 --------------------------------------                     -----
(Address of principal executive offices)                   (Zip Code)



         Registrant's telephone number, including area code 313-322-3000
                                                            ------------

<PAGE>

                                      -2-

Item 5.  Other Events.
----------------------

     Our news release dated October 2, 2001 concerning U.S. retail sales of Ford
vehicles in September 2001, filed as Exhibit 20 to this report,  is incorporated
by reference herein.

     The U.S.  economy  continues  to be  volatile  and there is a great deal of
uncertainty right now. In this more challenging and very uncertain  environment,
planning  is  difficult.  Earlier  this  month,  we cut our third  quarter  2001
production by about 120,000 units because of transportation  disruptions and the
more uncertain outlook.  On September 17, we introduced a 0.0% financing program
to jumpstart sales.  While we are pleased that our 0.0% financing program in the
U.S. helped sales improve in the second half of September,  this program is very
expensive.

     We now see our third  quarter  2001 U.S.  marketing  costs as a percent  of
revenue  coming in about 10% higher than our previous  estimate of 14.5%.  Also,
Hertz is experiencing  significantly  lower volume as both business and personal
travel have been  sharply  curtailed.  As a result of the higher U.S.  marketing
costs and lower earnings at Hertz,  we now expect our third quarter loss will be
greater than the present analysts' consensus estimate for the third quarter.

     In addition,  given current and expected market conditions for U.S. vehicle
sales for the remainder of the year, the third quarter  production cuts will not
be made up in the fourth  quarter of this year. As a result of this,  the higher
marketing costs we're incurring and the lower volume Hertz is experiencing,  our
full-year  earnings will fall short of our previous forecast of 70 cents a share
before one-time items.

     Finally,  if U.S.  vehicle  sales  for the  remainder  of the year  decline
further,  then additional production cuts in the fourth quarter of 2001 would be
likely.  We will continue to monitor  vehicle  demand  carefully over the coming
months.

     We will  provide  additional  details,  including  an update to our  fourth
quarter production plans when we announce our third quarter financial results on
October 17, 2001.


Item 7.  Financial Statements, Pro Forma Financial Information and Exhibits.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------

                                    EXHIBITS
                                    --------

Designation           Description                      Method of Filing
-----------           -----------                      ----------------

Exhibit 20            News Release dated
                      October 2, 2001                  Filed with this Report



<PAGE>

                                      -3-

                                    SIGNATURE
                                    ---------

     Pursuant to the  requirements  of the Securities  Exchange Act of 1934, the
registrant  has duly  caused  this  report  to be  signed  on its  behalf by the
undersigned thereunto duly authorized on the date indicated.

                                           FORD MOTOR COMPANY
                                           -------------------------------
                                           (Registrant)


Date:  October 2, 2001                     By: /s/Kathryn S. Lamping
                                               ---------------------------
                                                  Kathryn S. Lamping
                                                  Assistant Secretary


                                  EXHIBIT INDEX
                                  -------------


Designation           Description
-----------           -----------

Exhibit 20            News Release dated October 2, 2001



</TEXT>
</DOCUMENT>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>EX-20
<SEQUENCE>3
<FILENAME>e100201ex20.txt
<TEXT>
                                                                     Exhibit 20

NEWS

Contact:
George Pipas
1.313.323.9216
gpipas@ford.com

Media Information Center
1.800.665.1515 or
1.313.621.0504
media@ford.com

Go to http://media.ford.com
for news releases and
high-resolution photographs


IMMEDIATE RELEASE
FORD MOTOR COMPANY'S SEPTEMBER U.S. SALES DECLINED 9.7%

AMERICA'S BEST-SELLING TRUCK SETS NEW SEPTEMBER SALES RECORD

DEARBORN, MI, October 2, 2001 - U.S. customers purchased or leased 295,215 cars
and trucks from Ford, Mercury, Lincoln, Jaguar, Volvo, and Land Rover dealers in
September. This represents a decline of 9.7 percent from a year ago.
Year-to-date, the company's U.S. sales totaled 2.96 million cars and trucks,
down 10.7 percent from last year's record sales.

Ford, America's best-selling brand of cars and trucks, achieved September sales
of 248,331, down 8 percent from a year ago. Ford dealers reported record
September sales (74,787) for Ford F-Series, America's best-selling truck since
1977. The previous record (73,052) was set in 1986. Ford Mustang posted
September sales of 13,919, up 18.1 percent from a year ago. Year-to-date sales
for the Ford Escape reached 115,565 as September sales totaled 12,961.

Jaguar posted record September sales of 3,020, up 4.6 percent from a year ago,
led by the all-new Jaguar X-TYPE. Volvo posted September sales of 7,714, up 1.3
percent from a year ago, on the strength of the S60, Volvo's all-new mid-size
sedan, and the V70 XC sport wagon.

Mercury, Lincoln, and Land Rover had lower sales than a year ago.


</TEXT>
</DOCUMENT>
</SEC-DOCUMENT>
