Ford was the big winner amongst the Detroit Three both in December and full-year 2009 sales. Adjusted for selling days, the blue oval booked a 23.9% year on year rise to 180,870 units. Full year sales were off 14.7% to 1,656,119. In contrast, GM was off 12.4% to 207,576 units last month and down 29.9% for the full year (2,072,237). Chrysler, though up on November, was down 10.3% year on year to 86,291 units and off 36% to 927,200 – its worst annual result in 47 years.
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“Ford’s plan is working,” said Ford’s sales chief Ken Czubay. “Customer consideration continues to grow for our high-quality, fuel-efficient vehicles.
The US market finished the year down 21.2% to 10,402,215 units with Detroit’s 4,656,028-unit slice down 26.6%.
“The year-over-year comparison reflects a 38% reduction in fleet, reduced overall incentive spending and the orderly wind-down of the Pontiac and Saturn brands,” GM sales chief Susan Docherty said. “Our sell-down of Pontiac and Saturn inventory is 10 months ahead of schedule and we only have about 1,700 vehicles left – 800 Pontiacs and 900 Saturns. This shows real progress in our action plans.
“We’re looking forward to 2010 as a year when the economy continues a modest recovery, industry sales begin to improve and our outstanding new products build additional sales momentum.”
Amongst the Asian import brands, Hyundai and affiliate Kia remained on a roll – up 30.6% to 33,797 and 33.5% to 21,048 respectively last month. They were the only brands to report a full-year rise – 8.3% ti 435,064 at Hyundai and 9.8% to 300,063 at Kia.
Toyota boosted December sales 22.9% to 187,860 units and Honda was up 15.6% to 107,143. Nissan booked a 9.7% rise to 73,404.
“Emerging from the rollercoaster of 2009, the industry has gained positive momentum for a gradual recovery,” said Don Esmond, senior vice president of automotive operations, Toyota Motor Sales, USA. “Despite a tough market, TMS performed solidly, reaching its goal to grow market share. With Toyota continuing as the best-selling overall brand and Lexus as the best-selling luxury brand in America, we’re looking forward to a bright 2010.”
Full-year tallies saw Toyota down 20.2% (1,770,149), Honda off 19.5% to 1,150,784 and Nissan down 19.1% to 770,103.
“The good news is that the market appears to be stabilising and we have more reasons for optimism in 2010,” said John Mendel, executive vice president at American Honda. “There seems to be light at the end of the tunnel; let’s hope it’s not another train coming, but rather, brighter days ahead.”
“The industry is coming out of a very tough year; it’s good to see 2009 behind us,” said Brian Carolin, Nissan’s sales and marketing chief. “Despite the huge challenges and uncertainties of last year, combined Nissan and Infiniti market share set a record in 2009. And looking ahead, we’re encouraged by some signs of economic improvement. Showroom traffic is building and consumer confidence is rising.”
Of the European groups, Volkswagen was up 8% to 29,417 while BMW managed a gain last month, inching up 1.4% to 23,617 units. The final VW tally for the year was 296,170, down 4.7% and BMW managed 241,727, down 20.3%.
Daimler was down 6.9% in December to 20,948 and off 17.8% for the year (205,401) and Porsche was down 8.7% to 2,118 last month and off 24.3% to 19,703 for the year.
Ford’s F-series ended the year topping the model sales chart with 413,625 units, comfortably ahead of Toyota’s Camry (356,824). Ford also had the top selling Detroit model – the Fusion whose 180,671 sales displaced GM’s Chevrolet Impala (165,565).
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