Ford email to news media today:



Given the sudden jump in gas prices, and the awareness of Earth Day,
Ford Motor Company expects to post the best-ever sales of its hybrid
vehicles in April. This will follow month over month increases for
2006 (see table below),

With 7 selling days left in April we have already:

Exceeded the record-best Mariner Hybrid sales, of 150 Mariners in
December '05.
Are closing in on our record-best Escape Hybrid sales of 1800 Escape
Hybrids in September '05, and expect to post the best-ever sales
record for Escape Hybrid by the end of April.

This can be attributed to a number of factors, including:

0% financing being extended nationwide. In March, we offered 0% in
California and Washington DC, and saw double digit sales jumps.
Continued marketing, including Kermit the Frog ads, and two high-
profile appearances in Extreme Makeover: Home Edition.
Launching the dealer tax hotline, where dealers can get the latest
federal, state, and local tax incentives available to Escape Hybrid
owners (totaling up to $6000).