8-K

                  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   April 12, 1996
                 (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 Numbe)     (IRS Employer Identification No.)


 The American Road, Dearborn,  Michigan             48121
(Address of principal executive offices)          (Zip Code)



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




Item 5.  Other Events.

     As described in a news release dated April 12, 1996, which
is filed as Exhibit 20 to this Report and incorporated by
reference herein, Ford Motor Company ("Ford") and Mazda Motor
Corporation ("Mazda") have agreed, subject to government
approvals, to strengthen their relationship and to Ford
increasing its ownership interest in Mazda from 25% to 33.4%.
The increase in Ford's ownership of Mazda will be accomplished by
Ford purchasing from Mazda newly-issued shares of common stock of
Mazda for an aggregate purchase price of approximately $500 million.


Item 7.  Financial Statements, Pro Forma Financial Information
and Exhibits.



                             EXHIBITS


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

Exhibit 20          News release dated              Filed with this Report
                    April 12, 1996




                             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:  April 12, 1996                  By:/s/Peter Sherry, Jr.
                                          ---------------------
                                          Peter Sherry, Jr.
                                          Assistant Secretary



                          EXHIBIT INDEX


DESIGNATION              DESCRIPTION                 PAGE
- -----------              -----------                 ----

Exhibit 20            News release dated
                      April 12, 1996

EX-20

          
                         FORD MOTOR COMPANY



Contact:          Ken Brown
                  (313) 322-9214


        FORD-MAZDA STRENGTHEN RELATIONSHIP; FORD INCREASES EQUITY


     DEARBORN, Mich., April 12 -- Ford Motor Company and Mazda
Motor Corporation today agreed to strengthen their long-established
relationship with Ford increasing its equity in Mazda.

     Ford and Mazda said they view this further integration as an
essential step for the two companies to benefit from each other's
resources and skills in the increasingly competitive automotive
industry, particularly in Asia.

     "Mazda is pleased to be able to cooperate more closely with
Ford to develop our two companies' abilities to meet the challenges
of the marketplace of the twenty-first century, while still
maintaining each company's separate identity," said Yoshihiro Wada,
president of Mazda Motor Corporation.

     The new agreement between the companies provides for Ford to
contribute additional capital to Mazda and increase its
shareholding from 25 percent to 33.4 percent, contingent on the
necessary government approvals.

                               -2-

     "Ford and Mazda believe that closer coordination
of our cooperative strategies and plans, particularly in the areas
of product development, manufacturing and distribution of vehicles,
will enable both companies to improve competitiveness and to
achieve improved economies of scale and efficiencies," said Wayne
Booker, executive vice president of Ford Motor Company.

     The coordinated strategies will be implemented at Mazda under
the leadership of Henry Wallace, whose appointment as president of
Mazda Motor Corporation, effective June 27, 1996, is being
announced today by Mazda.  It is anticipated that there will be a
modest increase in the number of Ford personnel nominated to Mazda
management positions.  Presently, there are seven Ford-nominated
directors on Mazda's board, four of whom hold executive positions
in Mazda.

     Mazda's leading bank, The Sumitomo Bank, Limited, has
indicated its support for these new plans to strengthen the Ford-
Mazda relationship.

     Mazda and Ford have been business associates since the 1960s.
Ford acquired a 25 percent equity stake in Mazda in 1979.  The
companies implemented a closer strategic relationship in 1993,
since which time a number of new cooperative projects have been
launched, including formation of a joint-venture company to
manufacture pickup trucks in Thailand and supply of Mazda-badged
cars by Ford operations in Europe.

     "The strengthening of the relationship being announced today
is a continuation of the steadily increasing cooperation of the two
companies," said Alex Trotman, chairman of the board and CEO of
Ford Motor Company.  "By making even more effective use of our
combined global resources, we will further improve the
competitiveness of both Ford and Mazda."


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4/12/96