<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>8-K
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>e121603cover.txt
<TEXT>



                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

                             Washington, D. C. 20549




                                    FORM 8-K

                                 CURRENT REPORT




                     Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the
                         Securities Exchange Act of 1934


                        Date of Report December 16, 2003
                                       -----------------
                        (Date of earliest event reported)


                               FORD MOTOR COMPANY
                               ------------------
             (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)


                                    Delaware
                                    --------
                 (State or other jurisdiction of incorporation)


                 1-3950                                38-0549190
                 ------                                ----------
        (Commission File Number)              (IRS Employer Identification No.)


 One American Road, Dearborn, Michigan                    48126
 -------------------------------------                    -----
(Address of principal executive offices)                (Zip Code)



         Registrant's telephone number, including area code 313-322-3000
                                                            ------------






<PAGE>

                                      -2-

Item 5.  Other Events.
---------------------

     In connection with a debt securities  offering in Europe by our subsidiary,
Ford Motor Credit Company,  scheduled to settle December 17, 2003, the following
disclosure was included in the related offering document:

     As disclosed in Ford Credit's quarterly report on Form 10-Q for the quarter
ended  September  30,  2003,  Ford  is  conducting   negotiations  with  Visteon
Corporation,  its largest supplier and former automotive components  subsidiary.
Conclusion of such  negotiations  could be imminent.  Any agreement with Visteon
likely would require Ford to incur a significant  non-cash  charge in the fourth
quarter of 2003.














                                    SIGNATURE
                                    ---------

     Pursuant to the  requirements  of the Securities  Exchange Act of 1934, the
registrant  has duly  caused  this  report  to be  signed  on its  behalf by the
undersigned thereunto duly authorized on the date indicated.

                                           FORD MOTOR COMPANY
                                           -----------------------------------
                                           (Registrant)


Date:  December 16, 2003                   By: /s/Kathryn S. Lamping
                                               -----------------------
                                               Kathryn S. Lamping
                                               Assistant Secretary








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