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 29, 2001
                                         --------------
                        (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
                                                            ------------




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

     Mr. Jacques  Nasser,  President and Chief  Executive  Officer of Ford Motor
Company ("Ford"), is announcing today, March 29, 2001, that Ford continues to be
comfortable with the consensus  analysts' earnings estimate for Ford of 54 cents
per  diluted  share for the first  quarter of 2001,  as  reported  by First Call
Corporation  as of March 26, 2001,  but is not expressing any comfort level with
such estimate for Ford for full-year 2001 of $2.55 per diluted share.

     The foregoing  constitutes  "forward looking statements" within the meaning
of the  Private  Securities  Litigation  Reform  Act of 1995.  These  statements
involve a number of risks,  uncertainties,  and other  factors  that could cause
actual  results to differ  materially  from  those  stated,  including,  without
limitation:  greater price competition in the United States and Europe resulting
from  currency   fluctuations,   industry   overcapacity  or  other  factors;  a
significant  decline in industry  sales,  particularly  in the United  States or
Europe,  resulting from slowing  economic growth;  market  acceptance of our new
products; currency fluctuations; economic difficulties in South America or Asia;
higher  fuel  prices;  a market  shift  from truck  sales in the United  States;
lower-than-anticipated  residual  values  for  leased  vehicles;  labor or other
constraints  on our ability to  restructure  our business;  increased  safety or
emissions regulation  resulting in higher costs and/or sales restrictions;  work
stoppages at key Ford or supplier  facilities;  and the  discovery of defects in
vehicles resulting in delays in new model launches, recall campaigns,  increased
warranty costs or litigation.


                                    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:  March 29, 2001                      By: /s/ Kathryn S. Lamping
                                               -----------------------------
                                               Kathryn S. Lamping
                                               Assistant Secretary