Ford Expects ‘Battle for Survival’ in the Global Auto Market

Top executives of Ford Motor Co. said today that growing excess capacity in the global auto market during the early 1990s will cause competition to escalate from a fight for market share to a “battle for survival.”

Company Chairman Donald E. Petersen and Vice Chairman Harold A. Poling also predicted in their year-end statement that total U.S. industry sales will decline to about 14.5 million cars and trucks next year, about 400,000 units less than estimated for 1989.

U.S. vehicle sales during 1988 totaled 15.8 million cars and trucks.

The top executives of the nation’s second largest car maker said they expect sales during the first half of 1990 to remain weak but to improve during the second half of the year as the economy gathers steam.

U.S. vehicle sales generally have been weak since early October, the start of the 1990-model year.