This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It will not be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/business/7024857.stm

The article has changed 6 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 0 Version 1
Ford sees US sales fall sharply Ford sees US sales fall sharply
(about 2 hours later)
Automotive group Ford sold less than 190,000 cars in the US last month, 21% less than last September and much worse than a 4% fall predicted by analysts. Sales at US car group Ford sank last month after the recent financial turmoil spooked customers.
Ford sold less than 190,000 vehicles, 21% lower than at the same time last year, and much worse than the 4% fall predicted by analysts.
Car sales fell 39% to 56,000 while truck and sports utility vehicle sales fell 9% to 134,000, Ford said.Car sales fell 39% to 56,000 while truck and sports utility vehicle sales fell 9% to 134,000, Ford said.
Retail sales fell 15% after the recent financial turmoil spooked customers. A drop in its truck sales led to Japanese rival Toyota posting a 4% drop in overall vehicle sales.
Sales to hire-car companies fell 62%, though this was in line with Ford's plan to cut back deals that hurt its image and where profit margins are low. Ford is struggling to hold on to a near 15% share of the US market amidst efforts to restructure to cut losses.
Ford's figures were knocked by a 62% drop in sales to hire-car companies, though this was in line with Ford's plan to cut back deals that hurt its image and where profit margins are low.
Sales of Ford's best-selling F-series pick-up trucks fell more than 20%.Sales of Ford's best-selling F-series pick-up trucks fell more than 20%.
Ford is struggling to hold on to a near 15% share of the US market, amidst efforts to restructure to cut losses. Buyer worries
Sales of trucks and 4x4 vehicles - so-called gas guzzlers - have been slipping as consumers turn to more efficient smaller cars and hybrids in an effort to cut fuel bills.
Analysts suggest US consumers have also been tightening their belts when it comes to big purchases in the wake of recent credit worries and trouble in the housing market.
Experts add that the fall in sales at the Japanese rival also signalled a bad month for automakers in the US as the group had managed to rack up gains in recent months.
Toyota's overall decline compared to last year was also led by its trucks, with sales down 5.7%. Car sales slipped 3.5%.
However, the figures suffered from being compared with the same month in 2006, which was the group's best September on record.