More good news from Ford: debt down by US$9.9 Billion

Selling shares and slashing jobs (and, bonuses, and budgets and entire models) has helped the Ford Motor Company find a way to reduce its debt from US$25.8 billion (AU$36.4 billion) at the end of 2008, down to US15.9 billion (AU$22.4 billion) in just three months. And without government handouts.

Ford has proved to be in a much better financial situation than the other Big Three alumni, GM and Chrysler, with efforts to reduce debt and restructure to cut its bank burden by almost one third. The changes are still on paper, but Ford and Ford Credit plan to use an accrued US$2.4 billion (AU$3.4 billion) in cash plus 468 million shares of Ford common stocks and bonds.

Recent breakthroughs with the union have also helped bring about the changes.

"By substantially reducing our debt, Ford is taking another step toward creating an exciting, viable enterprise," said Ford President and CEO Alan Mulally.

"As with our recent agreements with the UAW, Ford continues to lead the industry in taking the decisive actions necessary to weather the current downturn and deliver long-term profitable growth."

The lightened debt load of nearly 10 billion US dollars (AU$13.4 billion) will save the company about half a billion per annum with the going interest rate.

For those with strength in numbers, the finance-heavy press release is below...

OFFICIAL PRESS RELEASES:

FORD COMPLETES DEBT RESTRUCTURING INITIATIVES; REDUCES DEBT BY $9.9 BILLION AND LOWERS ANNUAL INTEREST EXPENSE BY MORE THAN $500 MILLION

DEARBORN, Mich., April 6, 2009 - Ford Motor Company (NYSE: F) announced today the successful completion of debt restructuring initiatives that will reduce Ford's Automotive debt by $9.9 billion from $25.8 billion at December 31, 2008, and lower Ford's annual cash interest expense by more than $500 million based on current interest rates.

Previously Announced Debt Restructuring Initiatives

On March 4, 2009, Ford and Ford Credit announced the major components of a comprehensive debt restructuring: (1) a conversion offer in which Ford offered to pay a premium in cash to induce the holders of any and all of the $4.88 billion principal amount outstanding of its 4.25% Senior Convertible Notes due December 15, 2036 (the "Convertible Notes") to convert the Convertible Notes into shares of Ford's common stock (the "Conversion Offer"); (2) a $500 million cash tender offer by Ford Credit (the "Term Loan Offer") for Ford's senior secured term loan debt (the "Term Loan Debt"); and (3) a $1.3 billion cash tender offer (the "Notes Tender Offer") by Ford Credit for certain of Ford's unsecured, non-convertible debt securities (the "Notes").

Results of Conversion Offer

The Conversion Offer expired at 9:00 a.m., New York City time, on April 3, 2009 (the "Expiration Date"). As of the Expiration Date, approximately $4.3 billion principal amount of Convertible Notes were validly tendered and accepted for purchase, according to information provided by Computershare, Inc., the Exchange Agent with respect to the Conversion Offer. This will result in the issuance of an aggregate of approximately 468 million shares of Ford's common stock and the payment of an aggregate of $344 million in cash ($80 in cash per $1,000 principal amount of Convertible Notes converted), plus the applicable accrued and unpaid interest on such Convertible Notes, on the expected settlement date of April 8, 2009. Upon settlement of the Conversion Offer, approximately $579 million aggregate principal amount of Convertible Notes will remain outstanding.

Holders who validly tendered and did not withdraw their Convertible Notes by 9:00 a.m., New York City time, on the Expiration Date and whose Convertible Notes were accepted for purchase will receive, for each $1,000 principal amount of the Convertible Notes converted, 108.6957 shares of Ford's common stock plus $80 in cash and the applicable accrued and unpaid interest.

Previously Announced Results of Term Loan Offer

On March 23, 2009, Ford Credit announced that the Term Loan Offer, which expired at 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on March 19, 2009, had been over-subscribed. Based on the tenders received, Ford Credit increased the amount of cash used from $500 million to $1 billion to purchase $2.2 billion principal amount of Ford's Term Loan Debt at a price of 47 percent of par. This transaction settled on March 27, 2009, following which Ford Credit distributed the Term Loan Debt to its immediate parent, Ford Holdings LLC. The distribution of the Term Loan Debt is consistent with Ford Credit's previously announced plans to pay distributions to Ford of about $2 billion through 2010.

Approximately $4.6 billion aggregate principal amount of Term Loan Debt remains outstanding.

Results of Notes Tender Offer

Concurrent with this announcement, Ford Credit separately announced today by press release the results of its previously announced $1.3 billion cash tender offer for Ford's unsecured, non-convertible debt securities. As of the April 3, 2009 expiration date of the Notes Tender Offer, approximately $3.4 billion principal amount of Notes were validly tendered and accepted for purchase, according to information provided by Global Bondholder Services Corporation, the Depositary and Information Agent with respect to the Notes Tender Offer. This will result in an aggregate purchase price for the Notes of approximately $1.1 billion, to be paid by Ford Credit on the expected settlement date of April 8, 2009. Upon settlement of the Notes Tender Offer, such Notes will be transferred from Ford Credit to Ford in satisfaction of certain of Ford Credit's tax liabilities to Ford. After settlement of the Notes Tender Offer, approximately $5.5 billion aggregate principal amount of the Notes will remain outstanding.

In addition, as Ford previously announced, it has elected to defer future interest payments related to the 6.50% Cumulative Convertible Trust Preferred Securities of Ford Motor Company Capital Trust II (the "Trust Preferred Securities"), which will result in the deferral of $184 million in interest on the Trust Preferred Securities annually.

About Ford Motor Company

Ford Motor Company, a global automotive industry leader based in Dearborn, Mich., manufactures or distributes automobiles across six continents. With about 213,000 employees and about 90 plants worldwide, the company's brands include Ford, Lincoln, Mercury and Volvo. The company provides financial services through Ford Motor Credit Company. For more information regarding Ford's products, please visit www.ford.com.

About Ford Motor Credit Company

Ford Motor Credit Company LLC is one of the world's largest automotive finance companies and has supported the sale of Ford Motor Company products since 1959. It is an indirect, wholly owned subsidiary of Ford. It provides automotive financing for Ford, Lincoln, Mercury and Volvo dealers and customers. More information can be found at www.fordcredit.com and at Ford Motor Credit's investor center, www.fordcredit.com/investorcenter.

Safe Harbor and Other Required Disclosure

This news release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements are based on expectations, forecasts, and assumptions by the management of Ford and involve a number of risks, uncertainties, and other factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those stated, including, without limitation, those set forth in "Item 1A-Risk Factors" and "Item 7 -Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations -Risk Factors" of Ford's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2008. Readers are encouraged to read Ford's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission to learn more about the risk factors associated with Ford's businesses.

Ford cannot be certain that any expectations, forecasts, or assumptions made by management in preparing these forward-looking statements will prove accurate, or that any projections will be realized. It is to be expected that there may be differences between projected and actual results. Our forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of their initial issuance, and we do not undertake any obligation to update or revise publicly any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise.

FORD MOTOR CREDIT COMPANY ANNOUNCES RESULTS OF ITS TENDER OFFER

* Ford Motor Credit Company's tender offer for Ford Motor Company's unsecured, non-convertible debt securities resulted inapproximately $3.4 billion principal amount of debt securities tendered andaccepted for purchase. Ford Credit will use $1.1 billion in cash to purchase the debt securities.

* Concurrently, Ford Motor Company separately announced today the results of its previously announced conversion offer for its 4.25% Senior Convertible Notes due December 15, 2036. As of the expiration date, approximately $4.3 billion convertible notes were validly tendered and accepted for purchase.

* As previously announced, Ford Credit used $1 billion to purchase $2.2 billion principal amount of Ford's term loan debt at a price of 47 percent of par.

DEARBORN, Mich., April 6, 2009 - Ford Motor Credit Company announced today the results of its $1.3 billion cash tender offer (the "Notes Tender Offer") for Ford Motor Company's (NYSE: F) unsecured, non-convertible debt securities (the "Notes"), of which approximately $8.9 billion aggregate principal amount was outstanding as of February 28, 2009, as set forth in detail in the table below.

The Notes Tender Offer expired at 9:00 a.m., New York City time, on April 3, 2009 (the "Expiration Date"). As of the Expiration Date, approximately $3.4 billion principal amount of Notes were validly tendered and accepted for purchase, according to information provided by Global Bondholder Services Corporation, the Depositary and Information Agent with respect to the Notes Tender Offer. This will result in an aggregate purchase price for the Notes of approximately $1.1 billion, to be paid by Ford Credit on the expected settlement date of April 8, 2009. Upon settlement of the Notes Tender Offer, such Notes will be transferred from Ford Credit to Ford in satisfaction of certain of Ford Credit's tax liabilities to Ford. After settlement of the Notes Tender Offer, approximately $5.5 billion aggregate principal amount of Notes will remain outstanding.

The table below sets forth in detail the amount of Notes of each series validly tendered and accepted for purchase as of April 3, 2009.

Holders of Notes that validly tendered their Notes by 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on March 19, 2009 (the "Early Tender Date") and whose Notes were accepted for purchase will receive the previously announced Total Consideration. Holders of Notes that validly tendered their Notes after 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on the Early Tender Date and prior to 9:00 a.m., New York City time, on the Expiration Date and whose Notes were accepted for purchase will receive the previously announced Tender Offer Consideration only. Delivery of the Total Consideration or Tender Offer Consideration, as applicable, plus the applicable accrued and unpaid interest, is expected to be made by Ford Credit on April 8, 2009.

In addition, concurrent with this announcement, Ford separately announced today by press release the results of its conversion offer in which it offered to pay a premium in cash to induce the holders of its outstanding 4.25% Senior Convertible Notes due December 15, 2036 (the "Convertible Notes") to convert any and all Convertible Notes into shares of Ford's common stock (the "Conversion Offer"). As of the April 3, 2009 expiration date of the Conversion Offer, approximately $4.3 billion Convertible Notes were validly tendered and accepted for purchase, according to information provided by Computershare, Inc., the Exchange Agent with respect to the Conversion Offer. This will result in the issuance of an aggregate of approximately 468 million shares of Ford's Common Stock and payment of an aggregate of $344 million in cash ($80 in cash per $1,000 principal amount of Convertible Notes converted) plus the applicable accrued and unpaid interest on such Convertible Notes. Delivery of the Conversion Offer consideration is expected to be made by Computershare, Inc. on April 8, 2009. Upon settlement of the Conversion Offer, approximately $579 million aggregate principal amount of Convertible Notes will remain outstanding.

On March 23, 2009, Ford Credit announced that its $500 million cash tender offer (the "Term Loan Offer") for Ford's senior secured term loan debt (the "Term Loan Debt"), which expired at 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on March 19, 2009, had been over-subscribed. Based on the tenders received, Ford Credit increased the amount of cash used from $500 million to $1 billion to purchase $2.2 billion principal amount of Ford's Term Loan Debt at a price of 47 percent of par. This transaction settled on March 27, 2009, following which Ford Credit distributed the Term Loan Debt to its immediate parent, Ford Holdings LLC, whereupon it was forgiven. Approximately $4.6 billion aggregate principal amount of Term Loan Debt remains outstanding.

The distribution of the Term Loan Debt is consistent with Ford Credit's previously announced plans to pay distributions to Ford of about $2 billion through 2010.