Ford Sales Fall 2.2%; Industry Rises 1.4%

Ford Motor Co. said its U.S. sales of cars and trucks fell 2.2% in March from a strong year-ago period, within analysts’ expectations and amid continued strength by Japanese auto makers. Dearborn, Mich.-based Ford said car sales, including imports, fell 9.9% to 143,922, while sales of pickups, sport-utility vehicles and minivans rose 3.5% to 201,142. Coupled with General Motors Corp.’s better-than-expected increase and double-digit gains from most Japanese auto makers, industrywide sales are running 1.4% above strong year-ago levels. Toyota Motor Corp. posted its best-ever March sales of 121,751, up 5% from a year ago. Earlier this week, Detroit-based GM said its overall March sales increase of 4.1% was helped by a favorable comparison to last March, when a United Auto Workers strike shuttered production at several plants.