Car sales indicate broader troubles

Despite popular new vehicles such as the GMC Acadia and Ford Edge, General Motors Corp. and Ford Motor Co. continue losing their share of new car and truck buyers in dealer showrooms across America, according to the latest retail sales data provided exclusively to the Free Press by the Power Information Network.

In recent months, those Detroit automakers have largely blamed their falling market share on the decision to sell fewer vehicles to rental-car companies, but this analysis shows they are also losing plenty of regular consumers, too. Chrysler Group, meanwhile, maintains its position, thanks to the strength of its fresh Jeep lineup and incentives nearing $4,000 a vehicle.

Overall, that mixed performance meant that fewer than half of American consumers bought a vehicle from Detroit's automakers in the last three months. This is the second straight quarter Detroit has fallen below the halfway-point in retail market share.

Last year, about 51% of the new cars and trucks purchased in America were from Detroit's automakers. From January to March, that fell to 48.8%. From April to June, the number was 47.8%.

Foreign automakers are eagerly picking up the slack, but Toyota Motor Corp. is putting Detroit under the most heat. More at Detroit Free Press