Ford Motor Company retained its Number Two sales position in the U.S. during May by posting sales of 208,993 compared to a resurgent Toyota Motor Sales result of 202,973 new cars and trucks. If you back out discounted fleet sales, Toyota is clearly Number Two. Ford Motor was up only 6.5% (933,000) in a U.S Auto market that grew more than 13% year-to-date. Toyota Motor Sales was up 24% ( 868,000), while it still plays catchup because of production interruptions last year.
Whether Ford can retain the Number Two spot as it converts plants to build the new 2013 Fusion and Escape as well as the Lincoln MKZ remains to be seen. Ford is capacity restrained and during May it could have sold more of ‘high demand” vehicles such as the Ford Fusion.
As usual, the F-Series pickup posted another strong month at 55,000 vehicles, a 29% gain year-over year. However, the Mustang came alive during a good weather month, posting sales of 10,000 units, a 58% increase year-over-year giving Ford some distance over Toyota, which was within 1,614 units of Ford in April.
Mustang also bested Chevrolet Camaro by 1,000, a reversal for Chevy which has been consistently outselling the original pony car since its revision two years ago.
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.
