Ford Announces Higher Sales In December; GM and Chrysler Still Lag

Ford Motor Co. is the only one of the "big three" American auto companies to report an increase in sales during December.

Ford's domestic sales rose 33 percent from a year ago, making December the company's best month since May 2008, the company said in a report out Tuesday. Ford's sales fell 15 percent overall for 2009, the New York Times reported.

In November, Ford announced its first profit in North America since 2005. It is the only major U.S. automobile manufacturer that did not file for bankruptcy last year.

The company attributed its success to $1 billion in cost reductions at its manufacturing operations, as well as a boost from the government's "cash for clunkers" program, in which Ford Focus and Escape models were leading sellers.

General Motors said its sales were down six percent in December, mostly because of a drop in sales by the four brands it was shutting down, the Times reported. Sales were up slightly -- about two percent -- at the four brands GM is keeping: Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet and GMC. For the year, GM said its sales declined 30 percent.

Sales at Chrysler were down four percent in December and 36 percent on the year.