Ford is hiking incentives on slower-selling 2005 SUVs and high-volume pickups as it tries to clear dealer stocks.
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Dow Jones said the company will begin offering 0% finance for up to six years on the Ford F-150 truck and the larger Explorer and Expedition SUVs while the company’s Lincoln and Mercury brands will also offer the incentive on Mountaineer and Aviator SUVs, which are the same size as the Explorer.
The report noted that the move comes as sales slow due to a variety of factors, including high fuel prices and the so-called pull-ahead effect of high discounts that were offered last summer that led to artificially high vehicle selling rates.
Ford spokesman Jim Cain told the news agency the offer runs until the end of October and is not a response to October sales, which Ford estimates to be lower than normal.
He reportedly said the incentives are needed to move slower-selling SUVs from the 2005 model year off dealer lots by the end of the year.
“Some segments are harder to sell right now than others,” he told Dow Jones, indicating SUVs are not meeting traditional market demand.
Just-auto analysis of September sales showed sales of some Ford SUVs off by 50-60% compared with the previous year.
SUV and light truck sales plunge in September
