Registration No. 333-
    ========================================================================
                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549
                                  -------------

                                    FORM S-8

                             REGISTRATION STATEMENT
                                      UNDER
                           THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933
                                  ------------

                               FORD MOTOR COMPANY
             (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

        Delaware                                    38-0549190
(State or other jurisdiction            (I.R.S. Employer Identification No.)
of incorporation or organization)

       One American Road
       Dearborn, Michigan                             48126-1899
(Address of principal executive offices)              (Zip Code)

                                   -----------

                  FORD MOTOR COMPANY DEFERRED COMPENSATION PLAN
                            (Full title of the Plan)
                                   -----------

                              J. M. RINTAMAKI, Esq.
                               Ford Motor Company
                                 P. O. Box 1899
                                One American Road
                          Dearborn, Michigan 48126-1899
                                 (313) 323-2260
 (Name, address and telephone number, including area code, of agent for service)
                                   -----------

                         CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE


========================== ======================== ======================== ======================== ================
                                                                                          
                                                       Proposed maximum         Proposed maximum         Amount of
 Title of securities to    Amount to be registered    offering price per       aggregate offering      registration
      be registered                                       obligation                 price**                fee
-------------------------- ------------------------ ------------------------ ------------------------ ----------------
  Deferred Compensation
      Obligations*               $10,000,000                 100%                  $10,000,000             $809
========================== ======================== ======================== ======================== ================


*   The Deferred Compensation Obligations are unsecured obligations of Ford
    Motor Company to pay deferred compensation in the future in accordance with
    the terms of the Ford Motor Company Deferred Compensation Plan.
**  Estimated solely for the purpose of determining the registration fee.

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                                      - 2 -

                  FORD MOTOR COMPANY DEFERRED COMPENSATION PLAN

                             ----------------------

            INCORPORATION OF CONTENTS OF PRIOR REGISTRATION STATEMENT

     The  contents  of  Registration   Statement  Nos.   333-85138,   333-56660,
333-31466,   333-74313,   333-65703,   333-47733,  333-20725  and  33-62227  are
incorporated herein by reference.


               INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT

Item 8. Exhibits.

Exhibit 4.1 -   Ford Motor Company Deferred Compensation Plan as amended and
                restated as of January 1, 2000, filed as Exhibit 10-R to the
                Registrant's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended
                December 31, 1999 and incorporated herein by reference.

Exhibit 4.2 -   Amendment to Ford Motor Company Deferred Compensation Plan,
                effective as of April 12, 2000. Filed as Exhibit 4.2 to
                Registration Statement No. 333-56660 and incorporated herein by
                reference.

Exhibit 4.3 -   Amendment to Ford Motor Company Deferred Compensation Plan,
                effective as of June 1, 2000. Filed as Exhibit 4.3 to
                Registration Statement No. 333-56660 and incorporated herein by
                reference.

Exhibit 5.1 -   Opinion of Kathryn S. Lamping, an Assistant Secretary and
                Counsel of Ford Motor Company, with respect to the legality of
                the securities being registered hereunder. Filed with this
                Registration Statement.

Exhibit 5.2 -   Opinion of Bonnie S. Gorichan, Counsel to Ford Motor Company,
                with respect to compliance requirements of the Employee
                Retirement Income Security Act of 1974. Filed with this
                Registration Statement.

Exhibit 23 -    Consent of Independent Certified Public Accountants. Filed with
                this Registration Statement.

Exhibit 24.1 -  Powers of Attorney authorizing signature. Filed as Exhibit 24.1
                to Registration Statement No. 333-87990 and Exhibit 24.2 to
                Registration Statement No. 333-100910 and incorporated herein by
                reference.

Exhibit 24.2 -  Certified resolutions of Board of Directors authorizing
                signature pursuant to a power of attorney.  Filed as Exhibit
                24.2 to Registration Statement No. 333-87990 and incorporated
                herein by reference.



                                      -3-

      The Registrant. Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of
1933, the registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it
meets all of the requirements for filing on Form S-8 and has duly caused this
Registration Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto
duly authorized, in the City of Dearborn, State of Michigan, on this 27th day of
March, 2003.

                                        FORD MOTOR COMPANY

                                        By:   William Clay Ford, Jr.*
                                           -----------------------------------
                                             (William Clay Ford, Jr.)
                                           Chairman of the Board of Directors

    Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this
Registration Statement has been signed by the following persons in the
capacities and on the date indicated.





         Signature                                         Title                            Date
         ---------                                         -----                            ----
                                                                                  

     William Clay Ford, Jr.*                    Director, Chairman of the Board
-------------------------------                 and Chief Executive Officer and
    (William Clay Ford, Jr.)                    Chair of the Environmental and
                                                Public Policy Committee
                                                (principal executive officer)

      John R. H. Bond*                          Director
-------------------------------
     (John R. H. Bond)


     Edsel B. Ford II*                          Director                                March 27, 2003
-------------------------------
    (Edsel B. Ford II)


       William Clay Ford*                       Director
-------------------------------
      (William Clay Ford)


    Irvine O. Hockaday, Jr.*                    Director and
-------------------------------                 Chair of the
   (Irvine O. Hockaday, Jr.)                    Audit Committee




                                      -4-

         Signature                                         Title                            Date
         ---------                                         -----                            ----


       Marie-Josee Kravis*                      Director and Chair of the
-------------------------------                 Compensation Committee
      (Marie-Josee Kravis)


     Richard A. Manoogian*                      Director
-------------------------------
    (Richard A. Manoogian)


      Ellen R. Marram*                          Director and Chair of the
-------------------------------                 Nominating and Governance
     (Ellen R. Marram)                          Committee



       Homer A Neal*                            Director
-------------------------------
      (Homer A. Neal)


       Jorma Ollila*                            Director                                March 27, 2003
-------------------------------
      (Jorma Ollila)


      Carl E. Reichardt*                        Director, Chair of
-------------------------------                 the Finance Committee
     (Carl E. Reichardt)                        and Vice Chairman


      Robert E. Rubin*                          Director
-------------------------------
     (Robert E. Rubin)


     Nicholas V. Scheele*                       Director and President and
-------------------------------                 Chief Operating Officer
    (Nicholas V. Scheele)


       John L. Thornton*                        Director
-------------------------------
      (John L. Thornton)




                                      -5-


       Allan D. Gilmour*                        Vice Chairman and
-------------------------------                 Chief Financial Officer
      (Allan D. Gilmour)                        (principal financial officer)


      Donat R.  Leclair*                        Vice President and Controller
-------------------------------                 (principal accounting officer)
     (Donat R.  Leclair)



*By: /s/K. S. Lamping
   ---------------------------
    (K. S. Lamping,
     Attorney-in-Fact)





                                      -6-

                                  EXHIBIT INDEX


                                                                                  Sequential Page
                                                                                   at Which Found
                                                                                 (or Incorporated
                                                                                     by Reference
                                                                                 ----------------
                                                                           
Exhibit 4.1 -   Ford Motor Company Deferred Compensation Plan as amended and
                restated as of January 1, 2000, filed as Exhibit 10-R to the
                Registrant's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended
                December 31, 1999 and incorporated herein by reference.

Exhibit 4.2 -   Amendment to Ford Motor Company Deferred Compensation Plan,
                effective as of April 12, 2000. Filed as Exhibit 4.2 to
                Registration Statement No. 333-56660 and incorporated herein by
                reference.

Exhibit 4.3 -   Amendment to Ford Motor Company Deferred Compensation Plan,
                effective as of June 1, 2000. Filed as Exhibit 4.3 to
                Registration Statement No. 333-56660 and incorporated herein by
                reference.

Exhibit 5.1 -   Opinion of Kathryn S. Lamping, an Assistant Secretary and
                Counsel of Ford Motor Company, with respect to the legality of
                the securities being registered hereunder. Filed with this
                Registration Statement.

Exhibit 5.2 -   Opinion of Bonnie S. Gorichan, Counsel to Ford Motor Company,
                with respect to compliance requirements of the Employee
                Retirement Income Security Act of 1974. Filed with this
                Registration Statement.

Exhibit 23 -    Consent of Independent Certified Public Accountants. Filed with
                this Registration Statement.

Exhibit 24.1 -  Powers of Attorney authorizing signature. Filed as Exhibit 24.1
                to Registration Statement No. 333-87990 and Exhibit 24.2 to
                Registration Statement No. 333-100910 and incorporated herein by
                reference.

Exhibit 24.2 -  Certified resolutions of Board of Directors authorizing
                signature pursuant to a power of attorney.  Filed as Exhibit
                24.2 to Registration Statement No. 333-87990 and incorporated
                herein by reference.