The first June sales figures are in with Ford posting a whopping 28 percent decline – to 167,090 vehicles – compared to June 2007. Through the first half of 2008, Ford’s sales are down 14 percent, totaling just 1.1 million units.
Jim Farley, Ford’s group vice president of marketing and communications, largely blamed the sales slump on record high oil prices and consumers’ dramatic shift to more fuel-efficient models.
Ford ’s car and crossover sales actually outpaced the market – with the Focus grabbing the title of top-selling domestic car – but the Blue Oval’s sales were dragged down by its larger vehicles. Ford saw its SUV sales decline by a staggering 40 percent, with truck and van sales off the mark by 31 percent, according to Automotive News.
