Thread: GM, Ford cars knock Toyota, Honda out of Top 10

Jun 02, 2011

GM, Ford cars knock Toyota, Honda out of Top 10

08:37 AMPrint Share By Chris Woodyard, USA TODAY

Chevrolet Malibu has become a hot seller. Here it is in its Eco version.
CAPTIONBy GM, WieckDetroit has finally achieved its dream -- for last month, anyway. It has knocked Japan's four best-selling cars out of the Top 10.

The Honda Accord and Civic, and Toyota Camry and Corolla are always grouped behind the nation's two best-selling pickup trucks, Ford F-Series and Chevrolet Silverado, on the list of top 10. This month, they've been knocked to the teens, Autodata figures show.

A year ago, Camry was was the nation's third best-selling vehicle for May. Last month it was 12th. The fourth place Civic moved to 13th. The fifth place Accord is now 15th. And the sixth place Corolla fell to 16th.

It wasn't due to lack of popularity. Rather, plants both in the U.S. and Japan have been operating at reduced levels because of parts shortages in the wake of the March 11 earthquake and tsunami. Toyota, for instance, reports a shortage of Camrys, with a 30-day supply, and Corolla, with a 50-day supply, well below normal levels.

The result, for the moment, is the kind of world that General Motors and Ford could only imagine. Their cars, not just trucks, outdistanced head-to-head Japanese competition when it came to sales. Chevrolet Malibu was the nation's best-selling vehicle. The midsize was up 17.9% compared to May, 2010. Ford's midsize entry, was fifth and the new, heavily touted Chevrolet Cruze compact was eighth.

The Motor City's good times may not last:

Toyota and Honda say their plants are coming closer to returning to normal and they expect supplies to start showing up in the next couple months. But for this summer, it must feel like the 1960s in Detroit.

Four cars are always part of the Top 10 selling vehicles in the U.S. And this month, none of them are there.

http://content.usatoday.com/communities ... -top-10-/1

That's great that American cars are getting back in the competition!! Hope it lasts.