Ford to Hike Prices on ’93 Models by 3% : Autos: Average car sticker will rise $599. One analyst says it shows that the company intends to remain aggressive in the marketplace.

Ford Motor Co. said Wednesday that it will increase the average price of its 1993 model cars by $599 over current models, while light trucks will go up an average of $563.

The No. 2 auto maker said pre-introductory prices effective immediately allow dealers to sell early customers the 1993 models at guaranteed prices. Prices might be higher when models are formally introduced Sept. 24.

The prices announced Wednesday work out to a 2.9% average increase for cars and 3% for trucks.

Ford’s popular mid-size Taurus and Mercury Sable are going up 3%, $561 and $587, respectively, leaving them a few hundred dollars cheaper than the least expensive of Chrysler’s new LH cars, the Dodge Intrepid, which carries a $15,930 base price.

“To give the best value to our customers, we have held down price increases on our new vehicles to levels below inflation,” said Robert L. Rewey, vice president of Ford’s North American sales operations.

The highest increase was on the executive series of the luxury Lincoln Town Car, which will cost $2,979, or 9.5%, more. Ford spokeswoman Carolyn Burke said many popular options on the vehicles have been made standard.

The smallest increase among cars was for the Ford Tempo and Mercury Topaz, 2.4%, or about $290.

Among trucks, the hot-selling Ford Explorer sport-utility vehicle is priced 1.3% higher, or about $300 above the 1992 model.

Ford previously announced prices for its redesigned sporty Probe, the subcompact Escort and Mercury Tracer and the new Mercury Villager minivan.

“It’s another sign that signals how aggressive Ford is going to be in the marketplace,” said Chris Cedergren of AutoPacific Group Inc. in Thousand Oaks. “Ford has been very aggressive during the 1992 model year, and this 2% to 3% increase is another example.”

In a slowly recovering car and truck market, Ford gained 1.3 percentage points of market share in the first six months of the year.

“They just want to keep that momentum going, and one way to do that is to keep prices down,” Cedergren said.

Much of that gain has come at the expense of Japanese auto makers, whose midyear price increases on 1992 models sent some import customers to check out the U.S. Big Three offerings.

Cedergren said he believes that Ford sees a good opportunity to grab market share from General Motors Corp., which has made its top priority returning to profitability in its North American operations.

But GM’s aggressive third- and fourth-quarter production schedules hint that the No. 1 auto maker “will try to mirror what Ford has done” in keeping price increases down, Cedergren said.

Japanese auto makers probably will raise prices in the 3% range on 1993 models, but Cedergren said he expects some restraint on mid-priced models, such as the popular Toyota Camry.

“The Japanese will raise prices more quickly than the domestics, but they will have to be competitive to sell the cars,” he said.

GM and Chrysler Corp. spokesmen said Wednesday they expect to make general pricing announcements either late this month or in early August.