Toyota’s sales jump while GM, Ford fall
Toyota's U.S. sales jumped 11.7 percent in March compared with a year ago, boosted by record hybrid sales and strong overall car sales. Industrywide, light vehicle sales by major automakers rose 0.8 percent to 1.54 million, Autodata Corp. said Tuesday.
The overall rise in U.S. sales came despite GM and DaimlerChrysler's sales falling about 4 percent each, and Ford posting a 9 percent drop. Ford still held off Toyota for the No. 2 U.S. sales spot for the month, and Ford regained from GM the claim to having the nation's top-selling pickup truck, even though F-series sales fell 15.1 percent.
The numbers come as the Detroit Three have seen Asian rivals led by Toyota capture growing shares of the U.S. market. Autodata's figures show GM, the world's largest automaker, had 22.4 percent of the U.S. market in March, with Ford holding 17.1 percent and Toyota with 15.7 percent. Still, GM and Ford said sales of their newer vehicles generally improved.
Jesse Toprak, chief economist for the Edmunds.com auto Web site, said the Japanese automakers will continue to prop up the broader sales picture. At year's end, he estimates GM's share at 24 percent, Toyota's at 17 percent and Ford's at 15 percent.
"The trend for the rest of the year will continue, but the growth for Toyota will slow down somewhat," Toprak said. More at Newsday