REPORT: Ford poised to overtake GM as America's top-selling automaker
2010 Ford Mustang – Click above for high-res image gallery
According to Merrill Lynch's Car Wars study, Ford's improving lineup of cars will be responsible for hauling the company's market share to places it hasn't been in many decades – namely, ahead of General Motors and number one in the U.S. With its recent rise to 16.1% share, Ford has taken the number two spot most recently held by Toyota, and Merrill predicts Ford's share over the next four years will rise another two points to 18%.
Even as it had the best-selling vehicle in America in the F-150, Ford's domestic market share has been shrinking for 13 years. The turnaround comes at the same time that post-bankruptcy GM is expected to decline five points, to about 15%, over the next four years. If the report proves to be true, that would put Ford ahead of every other automaker in the U.S. with a clear swath of daylight between them.
In case you were wondering, Chrysler is predicted to fare even worse, because "Chrysler's product pipeline is dubious and likely to drive significant market share losses." Merrill's analysis of a 6% loss of market share would take the Pentastar down to 6%, while Hyundai, Honda, and Kia are expected to post gains of 3- to 3.5%.
Gallery: 2010 Ford Mustang
[Source: Automotive News, sub req'd]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 4)
geo.stewart 1:37PM (7/16/2009)
speculation.
GM can still leverage its sales in China to keep the economies of scale and lower costs of volume purchasing so I would not count them out yet.
Both Ford and GM are coming out with both arms swinging with several of their models. Both have yet to crack the crucial code for a subcompact in the US. ford had it with the original Focus but the abomination today needs a redress. The Cruze has possibility and Ford bringing over some EuroFoci DNA would help.
Chrysler is going to be a bit player soon enough. They will have to be motivated if they do not want to become Mitsubishi.
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Motor_Yakuza 2:07PM (7/16/2009)
When was the last time Chrysler made a car better then the Lancer, Lancer Evo and the Eclipse? Even the Galant it's better then the Sebring. The Viper and it's of discussion because it's an Icon and an extreme supercar that don't sell to much.
geo.stewart 2:40PM (7/16/2009)
motormouth,
when has EVO (or any rally success) ever translated into volume sales?
I like Mitsus, have ever since the Starion, but they are not a significant player in Autosales, no matter what their engineering talent is in developing a rally car.
tout the EVO all you want but I bet 300C, Charger, SRT8 sales eclipse those numbers.
MikLawry 4:27PM (7/16/2009)
@ Motor(Whatever)
Dude (I assume), are you serious? I own a 2009 Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT8 that will punish that little trash Mitsu Evo. My best friend owns a 2009 Dodge Challenger SRT8 again that will crush "ANY" Mitsu. I will not even go to the Charger, and Magnum because I think I have proven my point. People like you start fueds and make people like myself not like imports because you hail them so much higher than the competition. The average age for the cars you named are like 24 and younger. For that reason is why they only sell 5,000 per year world wide
Mr.Oak 5:15PM (7/16/2009)
Motor_Yaz: The Evo, is a toy for kids. Mitsubishi cars in the US have always had one problem, drive them off the lot, and they're not worth crap.
When I worked in auto sales, we would take mitsubishi cars in on trade. Of all the Japanese brands, the Mitsubishi ALWAYS had the worst residual value. Sure they've made some great cars: Original Diamante, Starion ESi, 3000GT are the ones that comes to mind, all took a beating @ trade in time.
PJ 7:00PM (7/16/2009)
Sorry MikLawry...
From Car & Driver's "Lightning Lap" of Virginia International Raceway:
2007 Dodge Charger SRT8: 3:18.2
2009 Dodge Challenger SRT8: 3:16.3
2007 Mitsubishi Evo IX MR: 3:13.5
2009 Mitsubishi Evo X MR: 3:13.3
And from Road & Track's "Speed" comparo at Willow Springs...
2007 Dodge Charger SRT8: 1:35.5
2007 Mitsubishi Evo IX MR: 1:34.4
Evos are quick. The Dodges are great cars in their own right, but they're also two-ton cars, and physics doesn't care how much "attitude" a car has.
British_Rover 8:45PM (7/16/2009)
Ahh excellent PJ I was looking for those times but got called away to do actual work.
That was some good ownage there.
Randy 12:28AM (7/17/2009)
"Both Ford and GM with both arms swinging"
Um... Dude? Ford is swinging both arms and knocked GM and pretty much every one else right the F out. The only thing swinging near GM is the smelling salts in front of their collective noses.
No offense to GM fans! But let's be realistic, GM has the Camaro, the CTS and some pickups! Everything else is yesterday's news! Ford has everything brand new on all fronts!
Note: I'm not a foe of GM at all! I'm just calling it how I see it.
KC 1:41PM (7/16/2009)
I can't wait to see the smug Italian, Fiat, falls like Titanic. Even if Chrysler is free, Fiat has no resources to turn itself and the dead whale around.
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Alex 2:15PM (7/16/2009)
Why would you want Fiat to fail? They own Ferrari and Maserati! I honestly don't know why anyone would want any of the manufacturers to fail. There are plenty that need overhauling to some extent but they all have attributes that make them important to any motorhead. Even Toyota!
ryan 3:22PM (7/16/2009)
Yeah I myself, have never understood why people WANT automakers to fail. An automaker failing = less options for the masses. Seems pretty stupid and downright hateful to me.
Jeff Banks 1:44PM (7/16/2009)
No suprise given Alan Mulally's track record.
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Matt (that likes ford) 1:44PM (7/16/2009)
HA
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bh 1:48PM (7/16/2009)
Best-seller is the F-Series, not the F-150.
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MeiSooHaityu 2:19PM (7/16/2009)
Toyota is guilty of that as well. They include the Solara in with the Camry when reporting Camry sales figures as well.
:)
Luis 2:53PM (7/16/2009)
Are all F-series' on the same platform? I thought the heavier-duty versions are really on completely different chassis etc. The Solara/Camry are on the same chassis. Why must people pick a totally non-related thread to start bashing something else?
bh 3:30PM (7/16/2009)
The Solara is based on the 02-06 Camry, not the current one, if you want to make a point of it.
John P. 1:51PM (7/16/2009)
I'd say it's about time. Good Job Ford, keep it up and you'll be making gains world-wide as well. What are they worldwide? 4th?
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Farmboy 11:06PM (7/17/2009)
I believe so and their European cars usually can attract attention all over the European market as grand slam hits with press and public (note the Cortina, Mondeo, Fiesta, Ka). With Ford translating cars and design cues over here Stateside, it would not surprise me if Ford not only overtook the US sales, but also bumped up a bit in world sales, possibly into the top 3 in sales.
Dude 1:52PM (7/16/2009)
Not surprised. Americans don't want Government Motors.
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