Ford US 8% Sales Slump 2006

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AILING US auto giant Ford Motor Co today said it had suffered an 8 per cent drop in 2006 sales to 2.9 million vehicles.

In December alone, the second-biggest US automaker's year-on-year sales plummeted 13 per cent to 233,621 units.

Over the year, sales of Ford's cars rose 5.4 per cent from 2005 to 1.095 million, but sales of its more profitable pickup trucks plummeted 14.3 to 1.824 million.

The company said it was the second year in a row of higher car sales and the first back-to-back increase since 1993-1994.

But overall, the sales performance in 2006 underlined the troubles facing Ford as it battles to turn around its loss-making operations in the face of a sales onslaught by Asian rivals.

Land-Rover was the Ford group's only brand to post higher sales in 2006, with a rise of 3.5 per cent.

The Mercury, Lincoln and Volvo badges all lost ground, while sales at the premium Jaguar marque dived 32 per cent in the year.

The Focus sedan/hatchback was Ford's best-selling car in 2006, shifting more than 177,000 units, just ahead of the aging Taurus.

The F-series remained Ford's most popular truck and best-selling vehicle overall, with sales last year standing at just over 796,000. But that lagged the 2005 figure by 11.7 per cent.