Ford Announces Discount to Help Wildfire Victims and to Thank California's Firefighters

IRVINE, Calif., Oct. 31 -- Ford and Lincoln Mercury are announcing today that, for the month of November, they will extend their employee A-Plan pricing discount to California families whose vehicles were lost in the recent Southern California wildfires.

Further, as a way of saying "thank you" to firefighters across the state of California for their tireless efforts in containing the fires, all firefighters and their immediate households statewide will receive the same A- Plan pricing discount.

Discounts both for fire victims and for firefighters apply to any 2007 or 2008 Ford, Mercury or Lincoln car, truck, CUV or SUV (excluding the Mustang Shelby GT 500).

"As a way of expressing our concern to victims and saying to the firefighters, 'Thank you from our family to your family,' we are extending this unique opportunity to those who have been impacted by the fires, both to those who lost vehicles to the fires and to the firefighters who gave so selflessly to contain them," stated Hal Dewsnap, Ford Lincoln Mercury California regional manager. "We recognize that the impact of this disaster will be far-reaching, and we want to extend our support beyond the initial steps announced last week. This will not be an advertised offer. We are simply reaching out to those in need after a loss, and rewarding our firefighters after an exceptionally difficult period."

  To claim the discount:

   - Those with a vehicle loss are invited to see their Ford or Lincoln
     Mercury dealer with information concerning their vehicle loss from one
     of the following sources, indicating that their present vehicle was
     lost as a result of the fires:

        - Insurance or FEMA claim form or

        - Copy of police report

   - California firefighters can simply show a valid/current badge and/or
     department ID card from a California-based fire department OR current
     California State Firefighters Association ID card, and state or Federal
     ID showing residency in the state of California at the time of
     purchase.

   - Customers eligible for this program also are eligible for other
     incentive programs offered to the general public in California.

This announcement from Ford follows programs announced on October 25th specifically for those affected by the Southern California wildfires:

   - Ford Motor Company donated 20 specially equipped vehicles - 11 Ford F-
     250 and F-350 Super Duty trucks and nine Ford Expedition sport utility
     vehicles - to fire and rescue departments in some of the areas most
     devastated by the fires.

   - Ford Motor Company Fund contributed $100,000 to the San Diego Chapter
     of the American Red Cross to help with relief efforts.

   - Longer term, Ford employees in Southern California will be called upon
     to volunteer time to assist in community recovery and relief efforts
     through Ford Volunteer Corps, a corporate-wide program established by
     Ford Motor Company Executive Chairman Bill Ford after the December 2004
     tsunami in Southeast Asia.

   - Ford Motor Credit announced that it will offer some payment relief to
     customers impacted by the wildfires through the Ford Credit Disaster
     Relief Program. The program allows customers to delay one or two
     monthly payments, resuming their regular payment schedules when their
     situations improve.

Ford Motor Company, a global automotive industry leader based in Dearborn, Mich., manufactures or distributes automobiles in 200 markets across six continents. With about 260,000 employees and about 100 plants worldwide, the company's core and affiliated automotive brands include Ford, Jaguar, Land Rover, 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.