Washington - The slide in sales for US carmakers continued to ease slightly in June, despite two of the so-called Detroit Three spending at least part of the month in bankruptcy, according to monthly sales data released Wednesday. But Ford, the only major US carmaker to avoid bankruptcy, has taken advantage of its struggling rivals.
The June figures completed a depressing picture for all carmakers operating in the United States over the first half of 2009. Sales have plunged more than a third since the US recession deepened in October.
General Motors, which spent the entire month of June in bankruptcy, said sales fell 33 per cent in June from a year earlier, to 174,785 vehicles. But that is better than an average drop of 40 per cent through 2009.
Ford said sales fell only 11 per cent in June to 154,873, better than any other major carmaker in the United States. Sales have plunged 33 per cent over the first six months of the year.
Chrysler emerged from bankruptcy in mid-June under the control of Italian manufacturer Fiat. Its sales plunged 42 per cent in June to 68,297 but said it had increased its share of the US market by 1 per cent.
Foreign rivals have also been suffering. Japanese firm Toyota, the world's largest carmaker, dropped 32 per cent in June to 131,015 and has fallen 38 per cent in 2009.
German giant Volkswagen witnessed sales dropping 16 per cent in June and 17 per cent over the course of the year.
