Ford’s surge was led by the rebounding F-Series pickup truck at 528,000 units.
Ford Motor Company full-year sales in the U.S. totaled 1.935 million, up 19% compared to a year ago, the largest in any year since 1984. Ford claimed it was the largest increase of any full-line manufacturer last year.
When Toyota numbers are in later today, Ford might have reclaimed the Number Two U.S. sales position that Toyota holds.
General Motors clearly leads the U.S. market, a position that it held for decades, but GM’s lead and overall market share have been decreasing for decades. In 2010 GM actually increased share slightly though.
Ford’s U.S. market share was higher for the second year in a row, marking the first back-to-back increase in market share since 1993. Ford’s U.S. market share in 2010 is now estimated at 16.4%, up 1.1 points from 2009 and 2.2 points from 2008.
“We have a solid foundation to deliver more sales and improved results in 2011,” said Ken Czubay, Ford vice president, U.S. Marketing, Sales and Service. “Consideration for Ford is increasing beyond our traditional areas of strength – signaling that the seeds of growth already have taken hold.”
Ford also said it begins 2011 with several new high-volume products for the U.S. market. In December, the first all-new Ford Explorers were delivered to customers. In addition, the first 2011 model F-150 pickup trucks – long a segment Ford leads – with new powertrains were delivered. In the first quarter, Ford expects to begin shipments and deliveries of the all-new 2012 Ford Focus.
Ford also noted that it will benefit from a full sales of year of the new F-Series Super Duty pickup, all-new Edge and MKX crossovers and the Fiesta sub-compact car.
About Ken Zino
Ken Zino, publisher (kzhw@aol.com), is a versatile auto industry participant with global experience spanning decades in print and broadcast journalism, as well as social media. He has automobile testing, marketing, public relations and communications experience. He is past president of The International Motor Press Assn, the Detroit Press Club, founding member and first President of the Automotive Press Assn. He is a member of APA, IMPA and the Midwest Automotive Press Assn.
Zino is at home on test tracks, knows his way around U.S. Congressional hearing rooms, auto company headquarters, plant floors, as well as industry research and development labs where the real mobility work is done. He can quote from court decisions, refer to instrumented road tests, analyze financial results, and profile executive personalities and corporate cultures.
He also brings an historical perspective while citing their contemporary relevance of the work of legendary auto writers such as Ken Purdy, Jim Dunne or Jerry Flint, or writers such as Red Smith, Mark Twain, Thomas Jefferson – all to bring perspective to a chaotic automotive universe.
Above all, decades after he first drove a car, Zino still revels in the sound of the exhaust as the throttle is blipped and the driver’s rush that occurs when the entry, apex and exit points of a turn are smoothly and swiftly crossed. It’s the beginning of a perfect lap.
AutoInformed has an editorial philosophy that loves transportation machines of all kinds while promoting critical thinking about the future use of cars and trucks.
Zino builds AutoInformed from his background in automotive journalism starting at Hearst Publishing in New York City on Motor and MotorTech Magazines and car testing where he reviewed hundreds of vehicles in his decade-long stint as the Detroit Bureau Chief of Road & Track magazine. Zino has also worked in Europe, and Asia – now the largest automotive market in the world with China at its center.
