<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>8-K
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>e031605cover.txt
<TEXT>





                                  UNITED STATES
                       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: March 16, 2005
                                         --------------
                        (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
                                                            ------------


Check  the  appropriate  box  below  if the  Form  8-K  filing  is  intended  to
simultaneously  satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the
following provisions:

[ ] Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act
     (17 CFR 230.425)
[ ] Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act
     (17 CFR 140.14a-12)
[ ] Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange
     Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))
[ ] Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange
     Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))



<PAGE>

                                      -2-

Item 8.01.  Other Events.
------------------------

     Our  news  release  dated  March  16,  2005  concerning  first-quarter  and
full-year earnings guidance, filed as Exhibit 99 to this report, is incorporated
by reference herein.  The exhibit discusses our earnings guidance on a per share
basis that  excludes  special  items.  The most  directly  comparable  financial
measure   calculated  and  presented  in  accordance  with  generally   accepted
accounting  principles  to this  measure is  earnings  per share on a basis that
includes  special  items.  We believe the earnings per share  measure  excluding
special items is useful to investors because it excludes elements that we do not
consider  indicative of earnings  from our on-going  operating  activities  and,
accordingly,  provides  investors with a more relevant measure of the results of
our operations.


Item 9.01.  Financial Statements and Exhibits.
---------------------------------------------


                                    EXHIBITS
                                    --------

Designation           Description                   Method of Filing
-----------           -----------                   ----------------

Exhibit 99            Press release dated
                      March 16, 2005                Filed with this Report












                                    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 hereunto duly authorized.

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


Date:  March 16, 2005                     By: /s/ Kathryn S. Lamping
                                              ----------------------
                                              Kathryn S. Lamping
                                              Assistant Secretary


<PAGE>

                                      -3-

                                  EXHIBIT INDEX
                                  -------------


Designation           Description
-----------           -----------

Exhibit 99            Press release dated March 16, 2005








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