GM U.S. auto sales up 4%; Ford sales rise 3%; Chrysler down 30%
Detroit News staff and wire reports
November 04, 2009 20:12 PM
General Motors Co. joined Ford Motor Co. in reporting a sales increase in October, but Chrysler Group LLC saw a significant decline.
GM's sales increased 4 percent last month compared to a year earlier, the first such increase in 21 months.
GM sold 177,603 vehicles in October and gained market share for the third straight month. The automaker estimates it has 21 percent of the total light vehicle market.
"I don't want anybody to think we have this licked," said Susan Docherty, GM vice president of U.S. sales. "We have a lot of work to do."
Ford reported a 3 percent rise in monthly sales over October of last year.
The Dearborn-based automakers reported October U.S. sales of Ford, Lincoln and Mercury vehicles totaled 132,483.
Ford says it marked the 12th time in 13 months that its U.S. market share increased as it continues to grab buyers from competitors. Sales of cars and crossovers are seeing double-digit increases, while sales of sport utility vehicles and pickups are down. Retail sales of the Taurus have nearly tripled year-ago levels, Ford reported.
Ford said its sales rose 21 percent from September, when auto sales were still in a hangover after the cash for clunkers program boosted sales this summer. Automakers had said October would be a test of how strong the market is without any effect from clunkers.
"Consumer demand for our new high-quality, fuel-efficient products are driving Ford's market share gains," said Ken Czubay, Ford vice president, U.S. Marketing Sales and Service. "Ford vehicles are among the 'freshest' available by any automaker -- with more than 80 percent of our sales in October coming from our new 2010 models."
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