US auto sales in November saw Toyota overtake Ford as the Number Two automaker in the US because Ford cannot keep up with demand as sales reached a 14-year high. The seasonally adjusted annual rate (SAAR) in November – traditionally a slow month – was a breathtaking 18.19 million units compared to 17.13 million units a year ago, according to AutoData. Automakers look sure to beat the 17.35 million annual sales record set in 2000.
Industrywide, 1,319,299 light vehicles were sold last month, compared to 1,455,516 in October. Sales for all brands in 2015, unadjusted for business days, are up 5.4% from 2014 and 1.3% from November 2014.
The inability to produce as many vehicles as the runaway US market can take – specifically trucks, SUVs and crossovers – has hurt some automakers. Notably Ford Motor saw truck sales lag by 4 percentage points as the sales of light trucks in the country jumped 9%. However, through November overall Ford sales increased 5% versus the same period a year ago, thereby keeping pace with a market that is abandoning cars ( -2% CYTD at 7.08 million) in favor of light trucks (+13% at 8.74 million).
One clear benefactor was Toyota Motor whose sales of truck increased 10% to 98,000 in November (+12% CYTD) and its still relatively strong car sales moved it ahead of FMC into the Number 2 US sales spot.
“The auto buy valtrex generic online industry is on-track to exceed 2015 expectations,” said Bill Fay, group vice president and general manager for the Toyota Division. “With the best Black Friday weekend in eight years, Toyota’s record sales of RAV4 and Light Trucks overall contributed to double-digit growth in November.”
It looks like a good bet that Toyota will stay in Number Two for the 2015 year on a retail basis.
“Gas prices, interest rates, and demand are all working together to move vehicles,” said AIADA President Cody Lusk.
Asian nameplates took 45% of the U.S. market last month, up from 44.4% in October. European nameplates rose from 9.6% market share in October to 10.2% last month. Domestic brands fell from 46% market share in October to 44.9% in November.
One clear loser was the Volkswagen brand. The ongoing diesel emissions scandal saw sales drop 25%. Audi sales remained flat. The all-important Top Ten Seller race saw Ford F-Series, Chevrolet Silverado, and Ram pickups take the first three spots as has become the norm since gas prices dropped. Toyota Camry remains the top-selling car, in fourth place. Toyota RAV4 was fifth. Sixth was Honda CR-V. In seventh place, Honda’s Accord also joined the Camry as a Top Ten winner list. In eighth and ninth place, were Honda Civic and Toyota Corolla. Nissan Rogue maintained its tenth place spot for the month with sales up 49.8% compared to November 2014.
