Ford market share grows in the US

Ford is trying to take advantage of recent problems at GM and Chrysler

Ford, the only one of the "Big Three" US carmakers not to have gone bankrupt, has reported its share of the US market in May was its highest since 2006.

Its sales of 155,954 vehicles in May were down 24% from the same month last year, but up 20% from April.

On the day after filing for bankruptcy, GM announced May sales were down 30% from a year ago but up 11% from April.

Chrysler, which filed for bankruptcy on 30 April, saw its sales in the US fall 47% from May 2008 to 79,010.

Many of Chrysler's sales were a result of heavy discounting because 789 dealers are due to stop selling the company's cars next week.

GM sold 191,875 cars and light trucks during the month, with the worst performance coming from the brands it plans to get rid of: Pontiac, Hummer, Saturn and Saab.

We're encouraged that consumers are beginning to return to showrooms and that the industry continues to show signs of stabilisation Don Esmond, Toyota

Earlier in the day it said it had reached a tentative agreement to sell Hummer, but did not identify the buyer or the value of the agreement.

'Future is now'

Ford has decided to increase production to take advantage of the problems facing General Motors and Chrysler.

It will make an extra 10,000 vehicles in the April to June quarter and 42,000 more than were planned for the following quarter.

"At Ford, the future is now," said Ford's Ken Czubay.

"New products account for 50% of our sales, and demand for these products is driving our market share gains," he added.

Toyota's US sales fell 40% from last year to 152,583, but that was up 21% from April.

"We're encouraged that consumers are beginning to return to showrooms and that the industry continues to show signs of stabilisation," said Toyota's Don Esmond.