Ford May Top GM In March Sales

[SidDithers]

http://www.autoobserver.com/2011/03/ford-may-top-gm-in-march-sales.html

While it is no sure bet just yet, Ford Motor Co. has a shot at beating General Motors Co. for U.S. sales leadership in March, a month in which the Seasonally Adjusted Annual Rate (SAAR) of sales is expected to be 13.1 million vehicles. Ford will sell 210,400 vehicles in March to GM’s 208,400, according to Edmunds.com’s forecast released Thursday. However, as demonstrated dramatically of late, much can happen in the last week of the month and especially in this environment of rising gas prices, a catastrophe in Japan and turmoil in the Middle East.

The race between Ford and GM this month surely will be neck-and-neck. A number of factors -- a last-minute sales drive, inventory issues, a fleet order – could decisively shift the advantage. If Ford does beat GM in sales, it would be the first time since February, 2010. Before that, Ford hadn’t surpassed GM since 1998, according to Edmunds.com’s records.

And if Ford moves ahead of GM in March, it would be largely due to GM’s sales drop-off more than any extraordinary sales performance by Ford. In March, GM throttled back on its high incentives spending of January and February that included always-popular customer loyalty and lease pull-ahead deals aimed at getting the automaker off to a fast sales start in 2011. Those deals expired on Feb. 28, and, as is typical when a major incentive program ends, there is a hangover effect.

Good job, Ford.

:thumbsup:

Sid

[Initech]

1. I'm heavily considering ordering a new Focus.

40 mpg, Michigan built. No hybrid engine needed. I even read a review saying that the new Focus uses better quality interior materials than the Audi A4 does. Now that's saying something!

[SidDithers]

2. I really like the 5-door...

saw a couple of demo models the other day and I had to loop back around to double check what they were.

Edit: one of them was an ST, which looked amazing.
Edit 2: might have been a Titanium. :hi:

Sid

[Initech]

3. I test drove the 5-door last night, it was pretty awesome c

[Skidmore]

4. Doesn't matter which one is at the top to me. We were looking at prices

last week and talking about what happens if our car gives out. We would like to buy new and hold onto a car for 15-20 years, however, prices in the range of $20-50K are out of range for us.