XPost: alt.autos.ford, alt.autos.toyota, alt.trucks.ford   
      
   On Tue, 3 Jun 2008 14:54:03 -0400, "C. E. White"   
    wrote:   
      
   >Ford F series loses title as top-selling vehicle in May   
   >   
   >Richard Truett   
   >Automotive News   
   >June 3, 2008 - 2:17 pm ET   
   >   
   >The Ford F-150 pickup truck has been dethroned as America's favorite vehicle   
   >for the first time since 1991 -- by two Toyota sedans.   
   >   
   >According to preliminary sales figures released by automakers, Ford Motor   
   >Co. sold 42,973 F-series trucks in May, while Toyota Motor Corp. sold 52,826   
   >Corollas and 51,291 Camrys.   
   >   
   >The last time a car outsold the F series was October 1991.   
   >   
   >Jim Farley, Ford group vice president for marketing and communications, said   
   >the F series' loss to Toyota's cars was a "significant development."   
   >   
   >"But it's not surprising, given the fuel price," Farley said. "That's just a   
   >sign of the times. I think May has been a watershed month."   
   >   
   >Toyota said Corolla sales rose 12.4 percent in May, but were down 9.5   
   >percent for the first five months compared with the same period a year ago.   
   >Camry sales have been flat.   
   >   
   >A structural shift   
   >   
   >"The all-new Corolla really found its stride this month," Toyota Motor Sales   
   >President Jim Lentz said in a statement. "Launched amid soaring fuel prices   
   >and economic uncertainty, Corolla strikes a sweet spot for buyers seeking   
   >refinement in addition to fuel efficiency and affordability."   
   >   
   >Ford CEO Alan Mulally said the fact that cars are outselling trucks is   
   >further evidence that the industry is undergoing a change in consumer   
   >preference.   
   >   
   >"We really believe we are seeing a structural shift with the fuel prices   
   >going through the $3.40-to-$3.60" range. It's interesting that a lot of   
   >others are saying the same thing now," Mulally told reporters Monday, June   
   >2, at a dinner in Washington.   
   >   
   >"So I think we're seeing a structural shift where, with the prices being   
   >high in the United States, we're seeing exactly what happened in Europe a   
   >number of years ago, where the customers are going to make economic   
   >decisions, and they're going to move toward smaller and medium-sized   
   >vehicles."   
   >   
   >Amy Wilson and Andrew Grossman contributed to this report.   
   >   
      
   You are comparing apples to oranges, please compare trucks to trucks.   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)