GM, Ford, Chrysler May Have Lowest Sales in 9 Years
General Motors Corp., Ford Motor Co. and
DaimlerChrysler AG's Chrysler unit may have their worst U.S. sales year since 1992, forcing production cutbacks at factories over the next year, according to industry analysts.
The companies together will sell as few as 10.3 million North American-built vehicles this year, the lowest since 9.5 million nine years
ago, CSM Worldwide estimated.
U.S. industrywide sales will decline 6.4 percent to 16.2 million light vehicles this year as the economy slows and attacks in New York and Washington reduce consumer confidence, forecaster DRI-WEFA estimated.
Although that would be the third-best sales year ever, Ford, General Motors and Chrysler are losing ground as rivals such as Toyota Motor Corp. and Honda Motor Co. gain market share.
CSM's forecast was based on North American-built vehicles. Adding in the U.S. sales of foreign subsidiaries Volvo, Land Rover and Jaguar with Ford and Saab with General Motors boosts the total by about 480,000 cars and trucks, and still would mark the worst
combined sales for the three automakers in eight years.
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