Here is an optimistic view: it will get get worse and then they go really bad – moneys gone.

Ford now predicts that U.S. auto sales will total between 13.7 million and 14.2 million units this year, according to Automotive News. Ford’s low end prediction of 13.7 million is the lowest in the industry.

General Motors has set a forecast of 14 million units, while Chrysler hasn’t publicly adjusted its figures. In March, Chrysler CEO Bob Nardelli said Chrysler was planning on a 15.5 million unit year.

Whats funny is GM owns 6 more companys then ford and they only predict that they’ll sell 800,000 more units, very sad. Chrysler’s goal is definately far-fetched and Bob Nardelli is going to look like a douche when they only sell 5 million units. That makes me smile

You makes your bed, you lie in it. Try building reliable, non-crappy cars that people want to buy.

Unit sales wont break 13.6 million in 2008. The first half ran at a 12.5M annualized run rate. Sales would have to suddenly jump up 20% over the first half and average basically over 15M in the second half to get the total for the year in the high 13s. I see no reason to believe consumer sentiment will rocket that high in the second half over the first. Nothing new is coming out that is so desirable, gas will not drop a buck by August, and people are nervous.

Now where’s that tool, ‘NoNameDufus’? I remember his SHIAT talk believing things weren’t as bad as I predicted things would be … and it’s only starting. All manufacturers will suffer over the next few years, not just Ford. Buy gold, seriously. Thank me later.

buy Smith & Wesson stock

ihustle, take a class on reading comprehension: the numbers are totals for all industry not for one company. BTW, does Ford management are higher achievers then GM because they screwed up only 3 divisions instead of 6?

I don’t know, Mayer. Sales go up at Christmas time, don’t they? Just make sure you don’t get your daughter a red car when she really wants a blue one:

http://youtube.com/watch?v=e59XIFU6oz0

Ford = a four letter word for BORING.

beatus, sales go way down at Christmas.

Sorry, ihustle, Ford won’t sell 13.7 million in 2008, the whole INDUSTRY will. Ford will sell maybe 2 million between their 4 car divisions in 2008. From Jan-June, Ford’s sold less than 1.15 million (including Volvo). GM’s sold 1.58 million so far, so they stand to be close to a million higher than Ford by year-end.

Toyota = a six-letter word for dead?

Dang, Inline6, I guess I just thought that since I usually buy around that time, everyone else did, too. But then they are probably saving for other stuff. And I don’t buy cars for presents (I wish I could), I just happen to shop at that time whenever I need a car. It’s unexplainable, other than coincidence. But I’ve found some pretty nice deals during that time, which is good.

Mark Fields proves, once again, that he’s completely full of hot air. Ford could replace him with a chimp and get the same results – and save big since the chimp won’t abuse the corporate jet.

*Inline* Whats sad is GM owns twice as many companys and there not that far ahead

Stig, chimps don’t style hair in mullets. Ford will loose.

Actually, GM is far ahead in sales. In may and June, Ford did not follow GM, it followed Honda in US sales.

It’s too bad that all the manufacturers in Detroit are run by complete idiots. A blind retard could have looked at the way things were going with the petrolium market back in 2006 and recognised that a shift away from trucks & SUVs was coming. When Katrina hit and gas crossed $3/gal for the first time they all should have been able to hear the death knell for their overpriced gas guzzlers… and now they want the government to bail them out? I don’t think so. This is the punishment they get for not being smart about business.

Hindsight is 20/20. If anyone here new fuel was going to shoot up like it has and did not retire using that knowledge in the futures market and is now here bragging about it STFU. NIce move.

RaineMan, think for just a moment…

It takes a car between 3 and 4 years to go from drawing board to Job 1 (The only reason it seems like the Camaro is taking forever is because we’ve seen it at every stage of development…from drawing board to job 1). If everybody realized what they were supposed to do in 2006, the earliest their more fuel-efficient vehicles would be coming out would be 2009.

And look! GM’s GMT900 hybrids, the Vue 2-mode, a 37mpg Cobalt/G5, etc. are here! So are the more fuel-efficient Lambdas, which are getting even more efficient for 2009. And the Volt and Cruze are coming in 2010. Not to mention the fact that GM already had the most fuel-efficient trucks/SUVs in 2006, and came out with mild hybrids in 2007.

However, Kia’s introducing the Borrego, which is a BOF midsize SUV while everyone is moving to crossovers. And Toyota’s given us the Sequoia and Land Cruiser/LX570, which took a step backward in fuel economy in 2008.

And ihustle,

Ford may own fewer brands than GM, so their sales per brand might be higher, but Ford 1) doesn’t really have a true luxury division, 2) doesn’t have as many niche-market brands.

Hummer and Saab are niche brands. The truth is, the Chevrolet and Ford brands sell about the same overall. GMC sells more than twice the amount Mercury and Lincoln do, combined. Pontiac outsells Mercury and Lincoln combined, too. Buick outsells both Lincoln and Mercury, despite the fact they only have 3 vehicles. Saturn outsells them both, too.

Honda only has two brands, and Toyota has 3, but both they’re outselling Ford’s 4 brands combined.

GM may have 8 brands (Ford had 6 until a couple of months ago, btw), but a million more units is a million more units, and that is massive.

shaver, the price of fuel went up very gradually. In 2002 it was about $1.25, in 2003 $1.75 so there was enough warning since. Nobody in 2003 said that fuel prices will go down. Why execs did not listen or did not act is question for investors to ponder.

INLINE Buick does not outsell lincoln and mercury. Im looking at the #S AS i type. Neither does pontiac. I dont know where you get you information from but it is way off. Thanks for trying though