Ford keeps sales crown
Ford Motor Co. of Canada was Canada’s top-selling automaker in 2011 for the second consecutive year, boosted by sales of its popular F-series pickup truck.
Ford Canada said it sold 275,978 vehicles last year, 3% more than in 2010. Truck sales again made up about three-quarters of its total sales.
“Full-sized trucks are experiencing record-breaking sales in Canada,” said Scott Cauvel, vicepresident of sales at Ford Canada.
The F-series was the top-selling vehicle in Canada for the second year in a row in 2011.
Ford was also Canada’s leading auto seller for the month of December, selling 19,381 vehicles, a dip of 0.5% from a year ago.
“We are optimistic that the Canadian auto industry will continue to grow in 2012,” Cauvel said in a statement.
GM Canada, a unit of General Motors, took second spot for vehicle sales in 2011. It sold 242,830 cars and trucks, a dip of 1.7% on 2010.
“Our 2011 results reflect the highly competitive automotive market in Canada,” said Kevin Williams, president and manag- ing director of GM Canada.
For the month of December, GM Canada, whose product lineup includes the Chevrolet Cruze, Buick Regal and Cadillac SRX, sold 18,282 vehicles, a drop of 9%.
Even so, Williams said he was optimistic about the new year. “Our new products and focus on the customer are hitting the mark with Canadians, which bodes well for 2012,” he said.
Earlier, Chrysler Canada said it chalked up its best sales numbers in nine years in 2011 and was also the No. 1 market share gainer in the country for the sec- ond year in a row.
The Detroit-based automaker said its sales rose 13% last year to 230,992, lifted by sales of its Ram pickup trucks and putting it in third place for overall sales. For the month of December, sales increased 2% to 14,628 vehicles.
“We experienced our highest retail sales results since 2002 and have two of the ‘Top 5’ best-selling vehicles in the country with our Ram truck and Dodge Grand Caravan,” Chrysler Canada President and Chief Executive Reid Bigland said in a statement.
— Reuters