(AP) - Ford Motor Co., the nation's second largest automaker, said Tuesday its September U.S. sales rose as an increase in car sales outweighed a drop in truck sales.
Ford's September sales rose 4.7 percent to 237,664 vehicles in September, compared with 227,051 vehicles for the same month in 2005. Adjusted for one additional selling day in this September compared to last, overall Ford sales rose 0.65 percent.
Truck sales fell 5.5 percent to 145,553 from 154,061 in September 2005, as Ford Escape sales fell 16.2 percent to 10,095 and Ford Freestyle sales fell 46.8 percent to 3,801.
Meanwhile, sales of the Ford Explorer sport utility vehicle were up 21.9 percent to 15,701 and sales of the company's top selling F-Series pickups rose 1.7 percent to 70,822.
Car sales rose 26.2 percent to 92,111 from 72,990 in the year-ago period, as sales of the Ford Taurus sedan rose 64.1 percent to 22,811 and Ford Mustang sales rose 30.7 percent to 14,341.
Sales of the automaker's namesake brand rose 7.4 percent to 202,886, while sales of Mercury vehicles fell 2 percent to 13,117 and Lincoln sales dropped 24 percent to 7,362.
Jaguar sales tumbled 45.8 percent to 1,158, while Land Rover sales edged up 1.3 percent to 3,469 and Volvo sales rose 1.6 percent to 9,691.
So far this year, Ford sales are down 8.5 percent to about 2.28 million vehicles from 2.49 million for the first nine months of 2005.
Adjusted for one additional selling day, Ford sales are down 8.9 percent for the year-to-date.
Meanwhile, DaimlerChrysler said September U.S. auto sales fell 2.3 percent, mostly on softness at Chrysler Group.
The automaker said in September it sold 188,761 vehicles, down from 193,108 vehicles during the same period a year-ago. Adjusted to include an extra selling day in August of this year compared to last, sales fell 6 percent.
Year-to-date, the automaker's sales fell 7.3 percent to 1.8 million vehicles from 1.9 million vehicles a year ago. On an adjusted basis, sales declined 7.7 percent.
Chrysler Group sales fell 3.8 percent to 168,888 vehicles from 175,556 vehicles last year. Adjusted for an extra selling day, sales fell 7.5 percent. Year-to-date, Chrysler sales slipped 9.1 percent to 1.6 million vehicles from 1.8 million vehicles during the same period last year. Year-to-date sales fell 9.4 percent on an adjusted basis.
Sales of Mercedes-Benz vehicles rose 13.2 percent to 19,873 vehicles from 17,552 vehicles a year ago. Sales rose 8.8 percent on an adjusted basis. The automaker cited strength in lineup of luxury sport-utility vehicles.