GM, Ford Report Lower March U.S. Sales

DETROIT (AP) - General Motors Corp. and Ford Motor Co. said Friday that new vehicle sales in March failed to match year-ago levels, despite hopes for a recovery after a tough winter. Meanwhile, in an oft-repeated pattern, some Asian brands reported record demand.

March's results created a conflicting message about the effect of rising gas prices on buying habits. Gas prices jumped to an average of $2.15 per gallon nationwide last week, according to federal figures.

Toyota Motor Corp. said its gas-electric Prius hybrid, which gets around 55 miles per gallon on the highway, had its best-ever sales of 10,236 vehicles.

"Spurred by escalating oil prices, the demand for fuel-efficient vehicles has definitely stepped up," said Jim Press, executive vice president of Toyota Motor Sales USA Inc.

http://news.moneycentral.msn.com/ticker/article.asp?Feed=AP&Date=20050401&ID=4342092&Symbol=US:F

"Spurred by escalating oil prices, the demand for fuel-efficient vehicles has definitely stepped up"

Seems easy enough to comprehend but I guess GM and Ford are still too busy trying to milk $10-20K profit margins on SUVs to notice.

I believe it is higher. Much higher.

Don

As to "NNN0LHI Fri Apr-01-05 05:06 PM Response to Reply #1
4. Having worked in the auto industry I question that $10-20K profit figure == I believe it is higher. Much higher.

Don"

Having had enough good dinners at Max's on the Boardwalk in West Bloomfield MI - I think you got that one right.

We got a Hybrid...

http://feeds.bignewsnetwork.com/redir.php?jid=1a385316cdebcdf0&cat=3a8a80d6f705f8cc

US sales drop at GM and Ford, foreign rivals gain
By Michael Ellis

DETROIT, April 1 (Reuters) - General Motors Corp. and Ford Motor Co. posted weaker U.S. vehicle sales on Friday, as high gasoline prices hurt demand for SUVs in March, while Japan's Toyota Motor Corp. <7203.T and Nissan Motor Co. reported double-digit gains and their best month ever.

The contrast highlighted a worrisome trend for Detroit where Ford and GM -- both losing market share to foreign rivals -- have been struggling to revive profits in their automotive operations.




GM, which in March warned that it expected sharply weaker profits this year, said its U.S. light vehicle sales fell 1.3 percent in March to 417,281 vehicles. All sales results are adjusted for an extra selling day in March this year, and GM's results excluded its Saab brand.

Ford, the second-largest U.S. automaker, said its U.S. sales dropped 5.1 percent to 285,659 cars and trucks last month, excluding its foreign brands such as Jaguar and Land Rover.
more...

Why in the hell can't Ford & GM for once in their lives be ahead of the competition!!!

This is US Business Management at its worst!!!

These are smart people who have intentionally failed to do the right thing for this country. They have not supported us by producing efficient vehicles, so I feel no sympathy for their demise.

Way to go US car companies. You have converted who once was a "buy American" kind of guy into a happy Toyota owner. Never again will I purchase an American vehicle. I am too patriotic.

at least partially from foreign competition rather than the gas prices. GM has discontinued the S-10 pickup for a larger less fuel
efficient mid-size Colorado pickup. Toyota has redesigned their Tacoma pickup and increased it to a mid-size. While the Ford Ranger
and it's Mazda clone currently are the only compact pick-ups and their sales are down so apparently the American consumer wants a bigger less fuel efficient vehicle. Another interesting thing Toyota designed their new Tacoma to run on premium fuel at about 20 cents more per gallon. Myself I have a 1996 Ranger and have been happy with it. My Ranger is a standard cab with a long bed that you can actually haul something in. You can no longer buy a standard cab Ranger unless it's a stripped down model. All you can find are the extended cab or double cab models with a short bed that is worthless for hauling anything. This goes for all American and foreign products.

We are making the choice that oil is not worth American lives. Too bad that it took the cost of gas rather than the cost of lives to come to the realization.