"It's a sign of the times," said George Pipas, U.S. sales analysis manager for Ford. "I was convinced and several others of us were convinced that this would be a watershed month."
The F-series truck saw its monthly sales plummet 31 percent in May to 42,973.
Ford isn't the only manufacturer facing a grim future for its trucks. General Motors said Tuesday it was shifting from a truck and SUV-dominated product mix to more of a car-based mix. It also plans to close four truck plants and possibly sell the Hummer brand.
Toyota, which invested $1.3 billion in a Tundra plant and supplier park in San Antonio, saw sales of its full-size pickup truck fall 31.5 percent in May from a year earlier.
The winners?
Honda, riding the wave of customers seeking better fuel efficiency, said its sales rose 18 percent; a 36 percent increase in car sales made up for an 8 percent decline in truck and SUV sales.
Nissan said its sales rose 8 percent, with a 19 percent increase in car sales offsetting a 10 percent decline in trucks.
Are we surprised? If you've been laid off of your job at a truck plant--or perhaps an American who would like to see American companies at the forefront of industry, who do you blame?
