The AP reprots that Toyota Motor Corp. crushed GM and DaimlerChrysler in September. Toyota saw a 25% increase in year-over-year sales for September while sales dropped for both GM and DaimlerChrysler.
Toyota Motor Corp. trounced the domestic automakers in the U.S. marketplace last month, posting a 25 per cent year-over-year sales increase. General Motors Corp. and DaimlerChrysler AG each saw their sales slip by a few percentage points, while Ford Motor Co.'s sales gained 4.7 per cent.
GM's sales fell 3.1 per cent last month, but the largest North American automaker put a positive spin on the decline, attributing it to a reduction in low-margin sales to rental companies. The company's car sales fell 6.4 per cent, while trucks, including pickups and sport utility vehicles, were down 0.7 per cent. The numbers include the European Saab brand.
DaimlerChrysler said its overall decrease of 2.3 per cent stemmed mostly from its U.S. subsidiary, Chrysler Group, where sales fell 3.8 per cent. Sales of Mercedes-Benz vehicles rose 13.2 per cent. The automaker was to release more detailed numbers later in the afternoon.
Ford's increase over the same month last year was fuelled largely by car sales, which rose 26.2 per cent, while its truck sales fell 5.5 per cent. The figures are for all Ford brands, including Jaguar, Volvo and Land Rover.
The U.S. auto manufacturers are still smarting from rising oil prices. They focused on SUVs while Toyota built hybrids and smaller cars. Aging factories and expensive pensions have also been cited as problem for the U.S. car makers. A post on the Economist's View lists more reasons why Toyota is growing while the U.S. auto companies are lagging.
