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Auto Sales Plunge 10.7% in May

Much of the drop is the result of a shift from truck sales to small cars. Planned cuts in fleet sales and a work stoppage also contributed.

by Staff
June 4, 2008
1 min to read


U.S. vehicles sales declined 10.7 percent in May, the result of a shift from truck sales to small cars, according to news reports.

Chrysler’s sales fell 28.2 percent.

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The manufacturer said much of the decline was due to an “unusually high 40 percent cut in monthly fleet sales to businesses such as car rental companies.”

Ford Lincoln Mercury sales were down 16 percent for the month. Ford said both retail and fleet sales were down by the exact amount, 16 percent.

GM said that total vehicle sales for May declined 27.5 percent. The company said about 100,000 vehicle sales, including 15,000 to 18,000 potential fleet sales, were lost in May due to a work stoppage at parts supplier American Axle.

While Japanese automakers’ sales rose in contrast, Toyota’s May U.S. sales fell more than 4 percent.

The sharp drop in demand for the Tundra pickup and its sport-utility vehicles could not be offset by the gains for smaller cars and the Prius hybrid.


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