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DETROIT – GM Certified Used Vehicles, the industry’s top-selling manufacturer-certified used vehicle brand*, today announced a nationwide GMAC rate incentive program on select GM Certified Used Vehicles, including Chevrolet Impala and Malibu models.

The new rate incentive offer, effective July 1, 2008, through September 30, 2008, provides well-qualified GM Certified Used Vehicles buyers with 2.9% APR financing for terms up to 48 months, or 3.9% APR financing for terms up to 60 months from GMAC Financial Services on 2003-2008 models of Chevrolet Impala and Malibu** vehicles purchased from participating GM Certified Used Vehicles dealers.

Well-qualified customers also can receive GMAC 4.9% APR financing for terms up to 60 months on 2003-2008 models of Chevrolet Trailblazer, Tahoe** and Suburban; GMC Envoy, Yukon** and Yukon XL; Pontiac G6; and Buick Lacrosse vehicles at participating GM Certified Used Vehicles dealers.

“In these challenging economic times, value-conscious shoppers can receive new vehicle-like finance rates on some of our most popular GM Certified models,” said Paul Pejza, manager, GM Certified Used Vehicles. “The purchase of a GM Certified Used Vehicle provides them the peace-of-mind assurances and outstanding value that come with purchasing a fully inspected and reconditioned used car or truck backed by the dealer and General Motors.”

A monthly payment at 2.9% APR financing for 48 months is $22.09 for every $1,000 financed. A monthly payment at 3.9% APR financing for 60 months is $18.37 for every $1,000 financed. A monthly payment at 4.9% APR financing for 60 months is $18.83 for every $1,000 financed. Average example down payment is 10 percent. Some customers will not qualify. Not available with other offers. Customers must take delivery from participating GM Certified Used Vehicles dealers by September 30, 2008. See dealer for details.

Consumers can go to www.gmcertified.com to find out more about GM Certified Used Vehicles, locate the closest GM Certified dealer, or search the industry’s largest available certified pre-owned inventory, with 60,000-plus vehicles in inventory.

About GM Certified Used Vehicles

GM Certified Used Vehicles, the auto industry’s number-one selling manufacturer-certified brand*, are high-quality, reconditioned vehicles, available at participating Buick, Chevrolet, Pontiac and GMC dealers. All models are six years old or newer, have 60,000 miles or less, are reconditioned to stringent GM Certified Used Vehicles quality standards and must undergo a rigorous 117-point inspection and reconditioning process. All GM Certified Used Vehicles are supported by a fully transferable five-year/100,000-mile powertrain limited warranty with no deductible (whichever comes first from vehicle’s original in-service date), a three-month/3,000-mile bumper-to-bumper (whichever comes first) comprehensive limited warranty extension, a three-day/150-mile customer satisfaction guarantee, and 24-hour roadside assistance and courtesy transportation during the term of the powertrain warranty. See dealer for details. For more information about GM Certified Used Vehicles, visit www.gmcertified.com.

About General Motors

General Motors Corp. (NYSE: GM), the world’s largest automaker, has been the annual global industry sales leader for 77 years. Founded in 1908, GM today employs about 266,000 people around the world. With global headquarters in Detroit, GM manufactures its cars and trucks in 35 countries. In 2007, nearly 9.37 million GM cars and trucks were sold globally under the following brands: Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet, GMC, GM Daewoo, Holden, HUMMER, Opel, Pontiac, Saab, Saturn, Vauxhall and Wuling. GM’s OnStar subsidiary is the industry leader in vehicle safety, security and information services. More information on GM can be found at www.gm.com.

* Autodata Corp., U.S. Certified Pre-Owned Vehicle Retail Sales – 2007

June

• Ford, Lincoln and Mercury June sales totaled 167,090, down 28 percent versus year ago.
• Ford Focus’ sales to individual retail customers were 9 percent higher than a year ago.
• Ford Flex and Lincoln MKS debut.

First Half

• Ford, Lincoln and Mercury first half sales totaled 1.1 million, down 14 percent.
• Cars and crossovers accounted for 59 percent of first half retail sales; retail sales for cars were up 3 percent versus a year ago and crossovers also were up (less than 1 percent).
• Retail sales fell for SUVs (down 40 percent) and trucks and vans (down 31 percent).

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DEARBORN, Mich., July 1, 2008 – In the first half of 2008, sales of Ford, Lincoln and Mercury cars and crossovers to retail customers were higher than a year ago.  Retail sales for cars increased 3 percent and crossovers also were up (less than 1 percent).  Together, cars and crossovers accounted for 59 percent of Ford’s first half retail sales compared with 49 percent in the first half 2007.

“In the first half, Ford outperformed the industry in both the car and crossover segments,” said Jim Farley, Ford group vice president, Marketing and Communications.  “This performance is crucial to creating an exciting viable Ford delivering profitable growth for all.”

Ford’s new Focus paced the increase in car sales.  In the first half, Focus retail sales increased     53 percent versus a year ago, and Focus was the top-selling domestic car to retail customers.  In the recently released J.D. Power and Associates’ 2008 APEAL study, the Focus improved 88 index points – the largest improvement in the industry.

Mid-size cars also posted retail sales increases in the first half with Ford Fusion up 7 percent, Mercury Milan up 2 percent and Lincoln MKZ up 10 percent.

The Ford Edge paced crossovers with first half retail sales up 19 percent.

Gasoline prices increased a dollar (from $3 to $4 a gallon) during the first half and this accelerated the decline in SUV and truck sales.  In the first half, retail sales for the company’s SUVs declined 40 percent versus a year ago and retail sales for trucks and vans declined 31 percent.

First half fleet sales declined 11 percent (including a 20 percent decline in daily rental sales).

Overall, June sales of Ford, Lincoln and Mercury vehicles totaled 167,090, down 28 percent versus a year ago.  First half sales totaled 1.1 million, down 14 percent.
 
“Consumer fundamentals and consumer confidence deteriorated as the first half unfolded,” said Farley.  “The economy enters the second half of the year with a notable absence of momentum and a high degree of uncertainty.”

He added, “Clearly, the rapid rise in gasoline prices, and the resulting shift toward fuel efficient vehicles, has been challenging, but it also provides an opportunity.  In addition to adjusting our capacity and production plans to produce more cars and crossovers, we are introducing several new vehicles with class-leading fuel economy.”

In June, Ford introduced a new crossover, the Flex, with best-in-class highway fuel economy of  24 miles per gallon and Lincoln introduced the MKS.  In 2009, the MKS will be the first vehicle equipped with Ford’s new EcoBoost engine technology.

The 2009 model Ford Escape and Mercury Mariner started production in June.  Equipped with a new 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine and six-speed transmission, the Escape and Mariner deliver best-in-class fuel economy in the small utility segment with 28 highway miles per gallon.  The Escape and Mariner Hybrid remains the most fuel-efficient utility vehicle on the planet, delivering 34 city mpg and improved highway rating of 31 mpg – up from 30 mpg.

Later this year, production of the redesigned Ford Fusion, Mercury Milan and Lincoln MKZ will begin, including new Fusion Hybrid and Milan Hybrid versions.

In addition, Ford has announced plans to bring the European Transit Connect to North America in 2009 – the most fuel-efficient commercial van on the market. 

Note: The sales data included in this release and the accompanying tables are based largely on data reported by dealers representing their sales to retail and fleet customers.

About Ford Motor Company

Ford Motor Company, a global automotive industry leader based in Dearborn, Mich., manufactures or distributes automobiles in 200 markets across six continents.  With about 228,000 employees and about 90 plants worldwide, the company’s core and affiliated automotive brands include Ford, Lincoln, Mercury, Volvo and Mazda.  The company provides financial services through Ford Motor Credit Company.  For more information regarding Ford’s products, please visit www.ford.com.

DEARBORN, Mich., July 1, 2008 – The 2008 Ford Explorer is more resistant to damage and less likely to cause damage to other vehicles in low-speed crashes than other midsize sport utility vehicles, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) reported today.

“The Ford Explorer has been the benchmark SUV for family capability, safety and value for two decades,” said Darryl Hazel, president, Ford Customer Service Division. “Insurance companies are more likely to give Explorer customers discounts because of this established track record.”

Ford was the first to market with crash structures on SUVs that are more compatible with passenger cars. When the Explorer was redesigned for the 2002 model year, the front bumper was dropped nearly two inches, to better align with the crash structures of passenger cars.

The 2008 Explorer retains that design, which helps to reduce damage to cars in common slow-speed incidents and allows lower vehicles’ energy-absorbing bumpers to do their work. The Explorer is the only midsize SUV to receive the government’s highest frontal crash test rating for six consecutive years.

“Ford has more IIHS Top Safety Picks than any other brand, and more government 5-star safety-rated vehicles than any other automaker in history,” Hazel said. “Part of this safety success is that our larger family and work vehicles are more compatible with smaller vehicles.”

The Explorer outperformed several other midsize SUVs in 10 mile-per-hour crash tests with the back of a typical midsize car. The test results will be used in the IIHS’s petition to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration for the standardization of bumper height for all passenger vehicles.

“One big difference is that the Explorer’s bumpers line up pretty well with those on cars, so when this SUV hits a car or a car hits it, the bumpers on both vehicles engage instead of over- and under-riding each other,” said Institute president Adrian Lund. “When cars collide with other cars, their bumpers usually line up pretty well, but in SUV-to-car crashes, the bumpers often don’t match up at all. The result can be thousands of dollars of unnecessary damage in low-speed crashes.”

In front-to-rear collision tests, the other SUVs overrode the rear bumpers of stationary Hyundai Sonatas causing damage ranging from $3,891 to $4,737, and each SUV sustained more than $1,000 damage. By comparison, the Explorer sustained less than $1,000 damage, and it inflicted only about one-third as much damage on the midsize sedan.

The IIHS reported that real-world crash data is consistent with the tests. The Explorer had lower-than-average losses under the same insurance coverage during the same years compared to the competitive models.

“There’s no evidence that the relatively effective bumpers on the Ford Explorer compromise its off-road performance or its utility at loading ramps,” Lund said. “The Explorer shows that you can still have the utility of an SUV without making bumpers so high that they don’t line up with cars.”

Ford Motor Company

Ford Motor Company, a global automotive industry leader based in Dearborn, Mich., manufactures or distributes automobiles in 200 markets across six continents. With about 228,000 employees and about 90 plants worldwide, the company’s core and affiliated automotive brands include Ford, Lincoln, Mercury, Volvo and Mazda. The company provides financial services through Ford Motor Credit Company. For more information regarding Ford’s products, please visit www.ford.com.