DEARBORN, Michigan (AFP) – Ford Motor Co. on Wednesday reported a four percent drop in February U.S. sales compared with a year ago.

For the month of February, sales totaled 244,021 vehicles as most of Ford Motor's brands, with the exception of Land Rover's strong increase, sold fewer vehicles than a year ago.

The high-volume Ford brand reported a 1.6 percent decline in sales to 204,846 units.

Mercury sales fell 14 percent while Lincoln sales slid 14.3 percent.

Among the luxury nameplates owned by Ford, Jaguar saw a 43 percent drop and Volvo sales fell 19.3 percent, but Land Rover sales increased 27.8 percent.

Overall for Ford, truck sales fell 5.4 percent to 153,083 units while car sales fell 1.4 percent to 90,938 units during the month of February.

The company plans to produce 890,000 vehicles -- 325,000 cars and 565,000 trucks -- in the second quarter of 2006.