Toyota passes out Ford

TOYOTA Motor Corp overtook Ford Motor Co to become the No 2 US carmaker by sales in 2007, using new products and relentless strategy to break Ford’s 75-year lock at the top.

Toyota sold 2.62 million cars and trucks in 2007, which amounted to 48,226 more than Ford, according to sales figures released yesterday. Toyota’s sales were up 3% for the year, buoyed by new products like the Toyota Tundra pick-up, which saw sales jump 57%. Ford’s sales fell 12% to 2.572m vehicles.

General Motors Corp remained the US sales leader, selling 3.82m vehicles in 2007. But that was down 6% from the previous year as customers turned away from some large sedans and sport utility vehicles and GM cut low-profit sales to employees and rental car agencies. GM’s car sales fell 8% for the year while truck sales were down 4%.

Overall, the year was expected to be the worst for the auto industry since 1998 as consumers fretted over high petrol prices, falling home prices and the economy.

Jim Farley, Ford’s global marketing chief after a career at Toyota, said the numbers won’t change Ford’s recovery plan.

“It accentuates the difference between how we’re running the business and how our competitors are running the business. It requires us to stick to the plan, no doubt, but it also requires us to really accelerate the development of new products.”