Toyota November U.S. Retail Sales Beating Ford, Beating Chrysler and Closing In On GM

DETROIT, Nov 18, 2005; Reuters reported that Toyota Motor Corp. grabbed more U.S. retail market share than Ford Motor Co. in early November and it was less than one share point behind General Motors Corp., J.D. Power and Associates said on Friday.

A report from the industry tracking firm's closely watched Power Information Network said GM had the highest retail market share in the first 13 days of November at 18.8 percent.

However, retail share at the world's largest automaker was down 24 percent from the same period a year ago, and Toyota was running close behind with a retail share of 17.9 percent. Toyota, Japan's largest automaker, had a 15.4 percent U.S. retail market share a year earlier.

The report said Ford, which has seen its retail sales decline 30 percent from the year-ago period, placed a distant third with a U.S. retail share of 15.3 percent.

GM and Ford both reported 23 percent declines in their U.S. sales last month, as high gasoline prices hurt demand for their big sport utility vehicles and industrywide sales fell to their slowest pace in seven years.

DaimlerChrysler was in fourth place in early November, with a retail share of 13.6 percent, while Honda Motor Co. Ltd. (7267.T: Quote, Profile, Research) took the No. 5 spot with a 12.2 percent share.

Nissan Motor Co. Ltd., which suffered a 13 percent decline in October sales, appears to be in line for more disappointing results in November, according to the Power Information Network. It said Nissan's retail sales were down 15 percent from the same period last year and its share was holding flat at 7.8 percent.

On an industrywide basis, the report said retail sales in the first 13 days of November were down 15 percent compared with the same time period a year ago.