The Detroit News / The Detroit News


Despite lackluster December sales, a few bright spots emerged for beleaguered U.S. automakers as one of their rockiest years yet drew to a close.
But the Ford brand managed to eke out enough sales volume in 2006 to ****** back the best-selling brand crown from rival Chevy, selling 2,415,059 units to Chevrolet's 2,396,532 vehicles. Last year, General Motors Corp.'s Chevy brand held the top spot.

Ford's F-series also won the popularity contest among light trucks, while Toyota Motor Corp.'s Camry maintained its lead among cars.

For all of 2006, Ford's sales were down 8 percent compared to 2005. For the second year in a row, the company's car sales rose, aided by mid-size sedans such as the Fusion and Mercury Milan. But truck sales dropped by 14 percent, dragging down overall performance

 

Not bad .

 

you know i dont even know why we even have A Ford vs. the competion board cause as far as im concerned FORD has no competiton

 

From Ford's own CEO:


Mulally called Toyota "the finest machine in the world, the finest production system in the world. So we went to study with the master. I really wanted to connect with each of the manufacturers in the industry and to do it quickly," said Mulally, who was hired away from aircraft maker Boeing Co. by Ford.__________________

 

I can see you're going to be using that quote a lot DOHC

's good though, might talk some sense into at least a few people.

 

Probably and I doubt it.........

 

I can just see the quote in a Toyota ad somewhere along the line.

 

I think it's a great move if they really studied them! Bit of a change in stragedy from back in the 50's to the 70's wouldn't you say!?! The Japanese did the very same thing to us! They were over here studying our methods of manufacturing, and what we were manufacturing, many times over the decades.

All they did was show up here in America, at a manufacturer of interest, all with camera's and around 5+ people each with note pads and pens in hand busy like bee's. I've seen it many a time over my span of careers/jobs.

It's about time someone from this country start doing the same in return.

All they did was try to improve on what we were doing and how we were doing it, and in large part they succeeded, but lets not forget hey also continue to have the favor of unfair trade agreements in nearly every sector with the US, and that's just Japan.

I just read not long ago that China's ratio of export/import with the US stands at 6/1 (units), and are thinking of putting tariff's on our 1 because of something or govt recently said. I sincerely believe our own govt is letting us down in many ways but especially in our trade agreements.

 

I'm gonna have to agree with you there linkinluver... Ford trucks rock. Im a livin witness to that. Ford aint got nothin to worry about they aint going anywhere

 

IMO Ford trucks do rock, but I wouldn't say they have nothing to worry about in the truck market. As long as they continue to strive to be the best in the truck market as they have for the last 30+ years only then will they have nothing to worry about.

 

I think this is one of the smartest statements Mulally could make. There is noting wrong with saying that you know your own limitations and shortcomings... and it says a lot about the man. He seems to be saying, "Yes, you are better than us right now, but we are coming to knock you off the top of the heap." I only hope that he can do what he says he wants to do with the current problems of the unions and the pensions that are still being paid out. Those are going to be huge stumbling blocks along the way.

 

I think Mulally is pretty bright guy. I think he will do wonders for FORD. Even bringing back the Tauras name is a bold move

 

How did this Ford vs Chevy sales figures original post get so quickly sidetracked into another Toyota thread?

I think it is significant that the Ford brand outsold Chevrolet, considering that corporate-wide, GM outsold all others by a considerable margin. GM does have more brands. From Cobalt to Malibu to Impala, todays Chevy passenger cars are bland, blander and blandest. Granted, the 500 is right there with the Impala in Sominex styling, but Ford has Focus, Fusion and Mustang.

Jim