Japan Auto Firms in U.S. Outpace Big 3 in Mid-June

Big Three auto sales fell in mid-June compared to a year earlier but most Japanese auto makers that operate U.S. assembly plants reported strong gains, figures released by the industry indicated Tuesday.

The sales increase by the “Japanese transplants,” led by a 60.3% surge at Honda, provided further evidence of the aggressive inroads that Japan’s auto giants are making in the U.S. market.

Overall, however, sales of cars and light trucks made in North America dipped 1.5% for the period compared to a year earlier, suggesting that the industry is still suffering from the nationwide recession that began about a year ago.

Ford Motor Co. said sales fell 14.3%, and General Motors Corp. reported a 1.1% decline.

Associated Press estimated that sales at Chrysler Corp., which no longer divulges sales figures for each 10-day reporting period, fell about 3.6%. AP’s estimate is based on market share during the previous 12 months.

For the 10 days ending June 20, the nine auto makers that report sales said they sold 28,648 vehicles a day, compared to 28,978 vehicles a day in year-ago period.

Big Three sales, including the Chrysler estimate, were down 6% compared to a year ago.

On the other hand, sales of Japanese nameplate vehicles made in U.S. plants increased 45.5%. American-made Hondas led the way with a 60.3% surge. Honda sales for the year to date are down 0.3%.

For the year to date, total North American vehicle sales are running 11.1% behind last year’s pace, a number that is improving but still bleak.

GM reported an 8.9% increase in vehicle sales for the first 10 days of the month, most of that in fleet sales to customers such as car rental companies. But in the second 10 days of the month, GM spokeswoman Karen Longridge said, “there wasn’t a big, huge fleet thing in there.”

The big drop at Ford--car sales were down 14.8% and trucks sales 13.7%--and the flat sales at GM allowed GM’s Chevrolet division to overtake Ford in year-to-date vehicle sales for the first time since Chevy outsold Ford in 1986.