US Carmakers See Sales Slide in August

VOA News
September 1, 2010 at 1:45 pm

Two of the top three American automakers reported U.S. car sales fell in August, but said there are still indications the industry is returning to health.

General Motors, the largest U.S. automaker, said Wednesday U.S. sales fell 25 percent compared to last August. Rival Ford Motor Company said its sales slid 11 percent.

GM officials said they were not surprised by the decline from last year. U.S. auto sales surged in August 2009 thanks to a government program – “Cash for Clunkers” – that paid cash to drivers who traded in old cars for new, more fuel-efficient models.

Ford officials said that even though they sold fewer cars last month, overall sales this year are stronger than they were during 2009.

Chrysler Group, the number three U.S. automaker, said Wednesday that its sales rose 7 percent in August.

Chrysler’s sales have risen for the past five months. A company official said the numbers show Chrysler is accomplishing its goal of steady and sustainable growth.

Both Chrysler, which is owned by European carmaker Fiat, and GM got bailout loans from the U.S. government. Some information in this story was provided by AP, AFP and Bloomberg.