GM, Ford Sales Fall; Toyota, Nissan Sales Rise

123jump.com Staff
01 May, 2008
New York City

General Motors and Ford report sales decline but Toyota and Nissan sales rise. As consumer watch the rising fuel cost, more people chose to buy smaller vehicles and forego purchase of light trucks. There were also two fewer selling days in April this year compared to April 2007. GM unit sales declined 17% and sales at Ford fell 12%. Toyota unit sales rose 3.5% and at Nissan sales surged 6.7%.

[R]3:15PM New York – Domestic automakers continue to lose ground to Japanese and foreign companies.[/R]

General Motors in the U.S. in April delivered 260,922 and produced 242,000 vehicles including 128,000 cars and 114,000 trucks. April production declined 28% or 9300 from a year ago.

In April GM sold 16.3% fewer vehicles to 260,922 vehicles compared to 311,687 vehicles a year ago on two fewer days of selling. Car sales declined 0.2% to 120,824 and light truck sales fell 27% to 136,814 units. Truck sales in the month were 140,098 compared to 190,678 units.

Hummer sales fell 45.6% to 2,380 units and Cadillac sales declined 14.7% to 14,359, Chevrolet sales fell 15.4%, and Pontiac sales fell 8.9% to 24,009 units. Buick sales declined 4.3% to 12,665 units.

There were 24 selling days compared to 26 days a year ago in April.

GM revised its forecast for second quarter North America production to 950,000 units down from prior forecast of 130,000 vehicles. Yesterday General Motors lowered its forecast for annual industry sales to mid to high 15 million vehicles from its previous forecast in January of low 16 million vehicles.

Toyota sales rise 3.5%

Toyota reported April sales of 217,700 compared to 210,457 a year ago. There were two less selling days in the current quarter and Toyota managed to increase its monthly sales for the fourth month in a row. Passenger car sales rose 12% to 134,863 and light truck sales fell 7.9% to 82,837.

Of the total sales at Toyota, Lexus group of car sales fell 10% to 23,350 and Toyota division vehicles rose 5.4% to 194,350.

Nissan sales in April 2008 rose 6.7%.

Ford sales decline 12%

Ford Motor Company sales in April declined 12% to 200,727 including Jaguar, Volvo and Land Rover brands. Ford brand sales declined 10.5% to 165,997 units and other brands sales declined as well led by a decline in Land Rover brand of 39.3% to 2,557, in Mercury brand of 26%, in Lincoln brand of 12.6% to 10,340, in Volvo brand of 12.1% to 7,138 but Jaguar sales rose 25.4% 1,785.

Ford car sales fell 1% to 80,732 units and truck sales declined 18.3% to 120,814. Ford sales

Higher gas prices are accelerating the industry-wide shift from trucks and traditional sport utility vehicles to cars and crossovers. At Ford, April sales for sport utility vehicles were 36 percent lower than a year ago and trucks were 19 percent lower.

Sales to rental companies declined 32%. Overall, Ford, Lincoln and Mercury sales totaled 189,247, down 12% compared with a year ago. Retail sales to individual customers were down 7%.