Last Monday automakers have reported their mixed US sales results for November. As expected there some new and more fuel-efficient models that performed quite well in Utah and in some parts of the US probably due to consumers' concern over high gas prices and the weakening economy.
The industry will be relying on the increasing sales of small car and crossovers due to the worsening condition not only of the auto industry but of the economy as a whole. General Motors announced last Monday that it will be reducing its first quarter production by at least 11 percent similarly Ford will also be reducing its first quarter production by 7 percent. George Pipas, Ford's top US sales analyst has said that the company is expecting for slow sales for the first half of 2008 and because of this it will have to reduce production.
GM has obtained a drop in sales last November by 11 percent attributed greatly to the decline in demand for trucks due to the slowing pace of new home construction. Chevrolet sales were also down in November that is according to Larry Terry at Brent Brown Automotive Group in Provo. He said that Brent Brown Chevrolet has sold 130 units for November as compared to the 150 units sold in the same month in 2006. He also said "Where we really got hit was in our used-vehicle sales, particularly our used trucks, which normally serve as our bread and butter."
For the month of November both Ford and Toyota has announced flat sales. Although low sales is not new to Ford but compared to the same period last year, this year has turn from bad to worst for the automaker. Ford said that its car sales plunged by 2 percent fortunately its truck sales rose by 2 percent attributed to the strong sales of the small sport utility vehicle Ford Escape and Ford Edge crossover. Likewise the sales of the newly redesigned Ford Focus have increased by 18 percent. But summing up the sales obtained by Ford for the first 11 months of this year it has dropped by 12 percent.
Toyota on the other hand has continued with its drive to become the world's largest automaker by sales. For November Toyota's sales were flat as compared to the same period last year wherein the automaker has obtained a 4 percent increase in car sales plus 109 percent jump for the hybrid Prius offset by a 5 percent decline in sales of sport-utility vehicles and trucks.
Meanwhile, other Japanese automakers like Honda (producer of high quality ) and Nissan have obtained 5 and 6 percent sales increase respectively. Honda's increase in sales was attributed to the introduction of the new Accord sedan and the subcompact Fit which has doubled its sales for November. Unfortunately, Honda's truck sales fell by 11 percent.
Chrysler's car sales rocketed up with 41 percent attributed to the sale of the new Sebring convertible, Dodge Charger and Avenger.
