Domestic manufacturers watched sales slide significantly in 2006 while Toyota continued to make big strides in the United States, leapfrogging Chrysler for the No. 3 spot and closing in on No. 2 Ford Motor Co.
Toyota's sales were up 12.5 percent for the year, by far the biggest increase of any manufacturer. It topped 2.5 million vehicles, including sales of its Lexus and Scion brands, in the United States for the first time.
Toyota also was the big winner in December, with sales up 12.3 percent; General Motors Corp. and Ford both slipped 13 percent. Toyota sold 228,322 vehicles in December, within 3,260 of Ford.
Toyota attributes the gains to new products, including fuel-efficient models such as the Camry hybrid and Yaris subcompact.
"We had so much new product this year that helped," said spokesman John McCandless. "All the indications are that we will continue to have slow, steady growth."
Global Insight analyst George Magliano wonders how long it can continue.
"They can't just keep putting those numbers up," Magliano said. "But they are going to be up again in 2007, and the industry will be down, so they will grab more market share."
GM, which sold 4.06 million vehicles in the United States last year, is likely to remain No. 1 on its home turf for several years because Toyota doesn't have comparable production capacity, Magliano said. Globally, however, Toyota expects to pass GM this year.
Industry sales were down 2.6 percent for the year, to 16.6 million, the lowest since 1998, and most forecasters predict another decline. Global Insight sees U.S. sales at 16.3 million this year.
For the year, GM was down 9 percent, Ford 8 percent and the Chrysler Group 7 percent. Chrysler is the U.S. unit of DaimlerChrysler AG.
Toyota gained 2 points of market share, to 15.4 percent, posted its 11th straight year of record U.S. sales and passed DaimlerChrysler for third place among manufacturers. Its Camry sedan was the best-selling passenger car in the U.S. for the fifth straight year, and Lexus was the top luxury brand for the seventh year in a row.
Ford's F-Series pickup remained the industry's most popular model overall for the 25th consecutive year, despite sales slipping 12 percent, to 796,000.
Though domestic manufacturers took sales hits last year, Magliano predicts Chrysler will rebound in 2007 as several new models gain traction in the marketplace.
New models, including full-size pickups, also should help stabilize GM sales this year, but Magliano sees Ford continuing to shrink. Ford anticipates it will sell fewer vehicles in its Ford, Lincoln and Mercury brands as part of a restructuring it hopes will make it profitable in 2009.
"I don't think Ford is going to do more than continue to struggle," Magliano said, citing a lack of new products that will sell in volume other than the Edge, a crossover.
To boost its chances, Ford rolled out new incentives Wednesday, adding lease programs and loyalty bonuses of $500 to $3,000 for returning customers.
The F-150 pickup, for example, offers a 36-month lease for $249 a month with a $1,999 down payment. Purchase options include a $3,000 rebate or 2.9 percent financing, the same deal offered in December. The new deals run through Feb. 28.
This continues another trend at Ford, which spent more than GM on incentives last year. GM scaled back its deals after reducing sticker prices on most models a year ago.
"I give GM higher marks than Ford on that," Magliano said. "They've both lost share, but GM is spending less on incentives, and that's helping their bottom line."
GM spent $2,982 per vehicle in December, according to automotive consumer Web site Edmunds.com, 17 percent less than a year ago. Ford's were up 9 percent, to $3,437, and Chrysler's were up 7 percent, to $3,812.
GM has continued most of its year-end incentives through January. The largest is $2,500 on some large pickups.
Chrysler has rebates up to $4,000 on its Town & Country and Dodge Caravan mini-vans and up to $5,000 on the Dodge Ram pickup.
In Chicago Tribune, 04 de Janeiro de 2007.
São os "novos tempos" a que nem o patriotismo americano escapa, a prová-lo está a ultrapassagem da Toyota à Chrysler, sendo actualmente a terceira marca mais vendida nas terras do Tio Sam.
Toyota's sales were up 12.5 percent for the year, by far the biggest increase of any manufacturer. It topped 2.5 million vehicles, including sales of its Lexus and Scion brands, in the United States for the first time.
Toyota also was the big winner in December, with sales up 12.3 percent; General Motors Corp. and Ford both slipped 13 percent. Toyota sold 228,322 vehicles in December, within 3,260 of Ford.
Toyota attributes the gains to new products, including fuel-efficient models such as the Camry hybrid and Yaris subcompact.
"We had so much new product this year that helped," said spokesman John McCandless. "All the indications are that we will continue to have slow, steady growth."
Global Insight analyst George Magliano wonders how long it can continue.
"They can't just keep putting those numbers up," Magliano said. "But they are going to be up again in 2007, and the industry will be down, so they will grab more market share."
GM, which sold 4.06 million vehicles in the United States last year, is likely to remain No. 1 on its home turf for several years because Toyota doesn't have comparable production capacity, Magliano said. Globally, however, Toyota expects to pass GM this year.
Industry sales were down 2.6 percent for the year, to 16.6 million, the lowest since 1998, and most forecasters predict another decline. Global Insight sees U.S. sales at 16.3 million this year.
For the year, GM was down 9 percent, Ford 8 percent and the Chrysler Group 7 percent. Chrysler is the U.S. unit of DaimlerChrysler AG.
Toyota gained 2 points of market share, to 15.4 percent, posted its 11th straight year of record U.S. sales and passed DaimlerChrysler for third place among manufacturers. Its Camry sedan was the best-selling passenger car in the U.S. for the fifth straight year, and Lexus was the top luxury brand for the seventh year in a row.
Ford's F-Series pickup remained the industry's most popular model overall for the 25th consecutive year, despite sales slipping 12 percent, to 796,000.
Though domestic manufacturers took sales hits last year, Magliano predicts Chrysler will rebound in 2007 as several new models gain traction in the marketplace.
New models, including full-size pickups, also should help stabilize GM sales this year, but Magliano sees Ford continuing to shrink. Ford anticipates it will sell fewer vehicles in its Ford, Lincoln and Mercury brands as part of a restructuring it hopes will make it profitable in 2009.
"I don't think Ford is going to do more than continue to struggle," Magliano said, citing a lack of new products that will sell in volume other than the Edge, a crossover.
To boost its chances, Ford rolled out new incentives Wednesday, adding lease programs and loyalty bonuses of $500 to $3,000 for returning customers.
The F-150 pickup, for example, offers a 36-month lease for $249 a month with a $1,999 down payment. Purchase options include a $3,000 rebate or 2.9 percent financing, the same deal offered in December. The new deals run through Feb. 28.
This continues another trend at Ford, which spent more than GM on incentives last year. GM scaled back its deals after reducing sticker prices on most models a year ago.
"I give GM higher marks than Ford on that," Magliano said. "They've both lost share, but GM is spending less on incentives, and that's helping their bottom line."
GM spent $2,982 per vehicle in December, according to automotive consumer Web site Edmunds.com, 17 percent less than a year ago. Ford's were up 9 percent, to $3,437, and Chrysler's were up 7 percent, to $3,812.
GM has continued most of its year-end incentives through January. The largest is $2,500 on some large pickups.
Chrysler has rebates up to $4,000 on its Town & Country and Dodge Caravan mini-vans and up to $5,000 on the Dodge Ram pickup.
In Chicago Tribune, 04 de Janeiro de 2007.
São os "novos tempos" a que nem o patriotismo americano escapa, a prová-lo está a ultrapassagem da Toyota à Chrysler, sendo actualmente a terceira marca mais vendida nas terras do Tio Sam.
][}
Comentário