Sales numbers are in for February 2007. As expected Ford Motor and Chrysler Group had bad months, with sales off 13.5% and 8%, respectively. Part of Ford’s drop was a 30% cut in fleet sales, but Ford retail was still down 8% and that’s not good news. In a shocker, General Motors sales were up 3.4% despite an 18% reduction in fleet sales. The best news for GM was retail sales climbed by 11.0%. As as been the case for a while, Toyota was up once again with sales climbing 12.2%.

For the automakers, General Motors lead the pack (311,763), with Ford (211,150), Toyota (187,330) and Chrysler Group (174,506) following behind.

BY AUTOMAKER
BMW Group: 11.9%
Chrysler Group: -8.0%
Ford Motor: -13.5% (Retail down 8.0%, Fleet off 30.0%)
General Motors: 3.4% (Retail up 11.0%, Fleet off 18.0%)
Honda America: 3.2%
Nissan North America: 1.2%
Toyota Motor: 12.2%

BY BRAND
Acura -3.4%
Audi 37.5%
BMW 15.2%
Buick -29.5%
Cadillac -13.0%
Chevrolet 5.3%
Chrysler -16%
Dodge -5.0%
Ford -15.2% (Cars down 25.7%, Trucks off 10.0%)
GMC 22.3%
Honda 4.2%
HUMMER -26.0%
Hyundai 1.4%
Infiniti 5.0% (G35 Sedan up 50.3%)
Isuzu 15.4%
Jaguar -28.3% (XK up 128.8%)
Jeep -5.0%
Kia 13.5%
Land Rover -10.0%
Lexus 6.6% (Cars up 27.0%)
Lincoln 10.8% (Trucks up 38.0%)
Mazda -6.4% (Tribute off 87.1%)
Mercedes -0.3%
Mercury -13.2%
MINI -12%
Mitsubishi 22.0%
Nissan 0.7%
Pontiac -15.6%
Porsche -27.1% (Cayenne down 61%)
Saab -20.3%
Saturn 59.4% (Cars up 60.1%, Trucks up 58.8%)
Subaru -5.6%
Suzuki 1.0%
Toyota 13.0% (Cars up 21.1%, Prius up 87.0%)
Volkswagen 0.2%
Volvo 0.7%

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General Motors and Ford today said their U.S. sales declined in February as they continued to back away from sales to daily rental fleets. While GM said its February U.S. sales would likely be off 6 to 7 percent from February 2006, the automaker expects its retail sales to be flat for the month.

Ford said its February U.S. sales would likely decline by 10 to 15 percent, with its planned reduction in fleet sales accounting for the majority of the decline. Ford expects its sales to commercial and government fleets to be down 20 percent in February, including a 30 percent drop to daily rental companies. Ford F-Series look to be continuing their free fall with sales likely to drop by a double-digit percentage, according to George Pipas, Ford’s chief sales analyst.

Both GM and Ford have planned huges reductions in low-margin fleet sales. While the fleet sales allowed the automakers to keep assembly plants running, they reduced resale values, and eroded the value of the brands.

Final sales results will be released on Thursday, March 1.

## Source: Reuters ##

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Mazda North American Operations announced that its January 2007 U.S. sales were the automaker’s best since 1994. With sales of 19,265 vehicles, Mazda sales were up 6.0 percent versus last year. Sales were led by the MAZDA3, with its best-ever January on sales up 25.3 percent from last year. The MAZDA5 posted an 8.7 percent increase versus last year.

“Our strong sales momentum from last year has carried over into this year enabling us to start the new calendar year off on the right foot,” said Jim O’Sullivan, president and CEO, Mazda North American Operations. “Our vehicle lineup continues to expand as we welcome the CX-9 to the Mazda family later this month.”

Mazda’s all-new 2007 CX-9 three-row, seven-passenger crossover SUV will be arriving in dealerships later this month.

## Source: Mazda ##

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It seems like we have been saying “best-ever” for a long time when talking about Toyota’s U.S. sales, and we are doing it again.

Toyota today reported its best-ever January sales, with sales up 5.1 percent over January 2006. While the Toyota Division posted its best-ever January sales of 153,732 units, up 4.7 percent, Lexus did even better with sales up 8 percent.

Toyota car were up 7.2 percent over the same period last year, with the Camry up 10.1 percent over the same period last year. Toyota light truck sales recorded their best-ever January total, with sales up 1.6 percent RAV4 sales were up 22 percent over the same period last year and Highlander and Highlander Hybrid recorded a 13.3 percent increase.

Lexus cars had their best-ever January, with sales up 18.7 percent over January 2006, led by the ES 350, up 53.2 percent. The all-new LS 460 up 142.5 percent. Lexus light trucks sales were off 5.5 percent.

Full press release after the jump.

## Source: Toyota ##

(more…)

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Volkswagen of America, Inc. today announced that its January 2007 sales recorded a 2.3 percent increase over the same period in 2006. The brand’s January ‘07 sales were the best sales for the month of January since 2003.

The VW Jetta sedan continues to be Volkswagen’s most popular model in the U.S., with sales up 3.8 percent. The GTI, Automobile Magazine’s 2007 “Automobile of the Year”, recorded a sales surge of 119.3 percent.

Full press release after the jump.

## Source: Volkswagen ##

(more…)

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General Motors’ January U.S. sales declined by 19.7 percent compared to January 2006, largely from GM’s efforts to reduce daily rental sales this year.

“We are aggressively reducing our daily rental fleet sales as a continuing element of our strategy to offer industry-leading value and improve residuals,” said Mark LaNeve, vice president, GM North American Sales, Service and Marketing.

GM saw retail sales of its full-size pickups increased by 7 percent, with the Chevrolet Avalanche up 77 percent, the GMC Sierra up 13 percent. and the Chevrolet Silverado retail sales up more than 1,000 units. GM’s mid-size utility segment saw retail sales up 132 percent compared to last January, led by sales of GM’s new GMC Acadia and Saturn Outlook.

Full press release after the jump.

## Source: General Motors ##

(more…)

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Thanks to an extra selling day, Chrysler Group reported its sales for January 2007 were up 1 percent compared to last January. Chrysler’s January sales results were driven by solid retail sales, while fleet sales were down. Chrysler’s sales mark the automakers best January in the last six years.

Chrysler Group’s sales were driven in large part by the all-new Jeep Wrangler (up 134 percent) and strong sales of the Jeep Commander (up 30 percent).

The Chrysler brand saw sales drop by 15 percent, despite a 20 percent increase in its best seller, the Town & Country. Jeep sales were up 19 percent, led by the above mentioned Wrangler and Commander. Dodge brand sales were up 3 percent on strong sales of the Ram pickup (up 7 percent) and the new Nitro SUV.

After a record of 10 new vehicle introductions in 2006, Chrysler Group will continue to bring fresh products to dealer showrooms with eight new models to be launched in 2007.

Full press release after the jump.

## Source: Chrysler Group ##

(more…)

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Mercedes-Benz USA today reported its best-ever January with sales up 36.9 percent from last January.

Mercedes-Benz’s January sales were led by a 82.8 percent increase in its luxury light trucks. MB’s passenger cars were up 24 percent from last year.

Mercedes-Benz USA is coming off its thirteenth year of consecutive sales increases.

Full press release after the jump.

## Source: Mercedes-Benz ##

(more…)

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Audi of America today recorded its best January in the brand’s history, with sales up 5.2 percent over last year. January marked the 10th month of the past 12 when Audi sold more vehicles than the pervious year.

“Audi has a great deal of momentum as we enter 2007. We’re coming off record sales in 2006, residual values on our new vehicles are, on average, the best in the luxury set, and the R8 sports car is generating a great deal of interest in the brand.” said Johan de Nysschen, Executive Vice President of Audi of America. “We have three significant launches, including the TT Coupe and Roadster, the R8 mid-engine sports car, and the A5 coupe,” he added.

Audi’s January sales were led by an 11.8 percent increase for the A4 model line, and continuing strong sales of its new Q7 SUV.

Full press release after the jump.

## Source: Audi of America ##

(more…)

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Porsche delivered 3,103 vehicles in North America in January 2007, down 7 percent from January 2006, as last year’s sales were buoyed by over 1,000 deliveries of the new Cayman S.

Porsche’s sports car sales were led by the 911, with a record-setting January with sales up 15 percent over last year’s sales. Boxster/Cayman series sales were off 52 percent, with last year’s strong sales resulting from the highly anticipated premiere of the Cayman series.

With excitement generated by the world debut of the new 2008 Cayenne, the current Cayenne saw sales increase by 37 percent. Sales of the new Cayenne begin in North America on March 3.

## Source: Porsche ##

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BMW Group reported its January U.S. sales were down 1.8 percent from the same month in 2006.

BMW brand sales were up 2.1 percent, to 19,761 vehicles compared to the same period last year. MINI sales were off 30.4 percent in January, ahead of the launch of the MINI Cooper MkII.

The all-new MINI Cooper and MINI Cooper S hardtops will go on sale in the United States on February 17th.

## Source: BMW ##

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Despite a 1.7 percent sales decline based on daily sales rates, American Honda posted its best-ever January sales of 100,790, surpassing its previous record set last year. American Honda’s January light truck sales hit a record high of 47,378, up 11.0 percent compared to 2006.

Honda Division posted record January sales of 87,773 (down 0.2 percent based on daily sales rates). Honda’s light trucks were up 7.1 percent, led by a 48.1 percent increase in CR-V sales. Honda passenger car sales were off 5.9 percent, despite a 12 percent increase in Accord sales.

Acura Division January sales were down 10.6 percent. Acura’s light truck sales were up 48.7 percent versus last year, while Acura passenger car sales were off 33.1 percent

## Source: Honda ##

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Nissan North America announced its January U.S. sales were up 4.5 percent from last year. Nissan Division sales were up by 4.3 percent over last year led by strong sales of the new 2007 Altima (up 39.7 percent from last year).

Nissan’s Infiniti Division recorded a sales increase of 6.8 percent over last year. Infiniti’s new G35 sedan led the way with sales up 71.1 percent over last year.

Full press release after the jump.

## Source: Nissan ##

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Ford Motor Co.’s January U.S. sales dropped by 19 percent compared to the same period last year. This year’s drop is largely the result of a planned reduction in sales to daily rental companies. Ford’s sales to daily rental companies were cut by 65 percent. Ford’s retail sales in January were down 5 percent.

“All of us at Ford are focused on restructuring our business to be profitable at lower volumes and offering more of the products people want, including more cars and more crossovers,” said Mark Fields, Ford’s President of The Americas.

Ford’s focus on retail customers is leading to increased residual values, which are up by as much as 11 percent. Ford’s new 2007 Edge crossover has resale values higher than Toyota Highlander and Nissan Murano.

In a positive piece of news, the Ford Edge posted sales of 5,586 and MKX sales were 1,699, in the vehicle’s first full month on the market. Overall, Ford’s new products have done well with its midsize trio continuing to do well and its Expedition and Lincoln Navigator full-size SUVs up for five and four consecutive months respectively.

Press release after the jump.

## Source: Ford ##

(more…)

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Ford Motor Co. announced today that it expects its January U.S. sales will likely fall 20 percent due to reductions in sales to fleets. George Pipas, Ford’s sales analyst, told reporters that fleet sales would fall 40 percent in January, led by a 60 percent drop in sales to car rental agencies.

“This is not going to be the biggest decline in fleet sales,” Pipas said.

Ford expects its fleet sales to be “just north of 700,000″ in 2007, down from 900,000 units in 2006, because of the automaker’s planned cuts in sales to daily rental fleet. Ford is expecting double-digit declines in fleet sales every month this year.

Ford’s retail sales in January are likely to be about the same as last year, but F-Series sales will likely decline from last year’s levels.

Ford will officially announce U.S. January sales tomorrow.

## Source: Reuters ##

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