Ford Motor Co. said Tuesday its US sales tumbled 28.1 percent in June compared with a year ago with sport utility vehicle sales skidding over 50 percent.
The number two US automaker said weak consumer confidence had dented overall sales and the surge in fuel costs has accelerated a move to more fuel-efficient vehicles.
“Consumer fundamentals and consumer confidence deteriorated as the first half unfolded,” said Jim Farley, Ford group vice president.
“The economy enters the second half of the year with a notable absence of momentum and a high degree of uncertainty.”
He added, “Clearly, the rapid rise in gasoline prices, and the resulting shift toward fuel efficient vehicles, has been challenging, but it also provides an opportunity.
“In addition to adjusting our capacity and production plans to produce more cars and crossovers, we are introducing several new vehicles with class-leading fuel economy.”
Ford said that its domestic nameplates, including Lincoln and Mercury, witnessed a 28 percent drop in sales from a year ago while the Volvo nameplate had a drop of 26.9 percent.
Ford this year sold its Jaguar and Land Rover nameplates to India-based Tata Motors.
For cars, the decline was 12.0 percent for the month while sales of crossovers, which are SUVs built on car platforms, fell 15 percent.
Sales of domestic nameplate SUVs slid 54.7 percent, highlighting the move away from fuel-hungry vehicles in the US market.
