As gas prices fluctuate, so do pickup and SUV sales
The American buying public may have a very short attention span. Could it be that memories of the record high gas prices of a few months back have already faded away into oblivion? The answer is a definite maybe, as full-size pickups and SUV sales have rebounded a bit from their historic lows, but are still nowhere near where they were a year or two ago. What's more, automakers seem to believe that fuel prices are set to stay high and the current lowered prices are an illusion. So, don't expect the big truck-producing Detroit 3 and Toyota to begin ramping production back up, despite the slight sales increases.
The introduction of the new Ford F-150 and Dodge Ram for 2009 will likely keep sales of big trucks improving for the next couple of months at least. Both automakers have made some improvements in the name of fuel efficiency, with Ford going so far as to introduce a specific SFE model that features gas-saving tweaks. Still, buyers who need the utility of a truck will buy one, and the rest of the market will probably continue to shift towards smaller and more efficient cars and crossovers.
[Source: Automotive News - sub. req'd]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Noz 2:57AM (10/28/2008)
We really do live in a society of idiots and morons.
The pain they will suffer is duly deserved.
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dennisctc 9:13AM (10/28/2008)
If people can afford them, they're free to buy them!! At least til Obama and Gore start taking more freedoms away from us!
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s10 5:03PM (10/28/2008)
Please stop abusing the word freedom... and get informed if you want to contribute to a discussion, instead of just talking nonsense.
Brn 10:08AM (10/28/2008)
I agree that the sales of trucks and suvs did needed to be cut way down. I thought that ten years ago. However...
Perhaps the extreme gas prices caused this to happen much too quickly. Maybe a little catchup is needed for things to properly balance? Nah, let's just call Americans and the Big 3 stupid.
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andrea 2:04PM (10/29/2008)
Watch this video to learn the real truth about high gas prices. Click here for enlightenment http://www.thetruthabout.com/public/266.cfm?affID=and16
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Mike 11:33PM (10/29/2008)
The fact that people were buying LESS of those cars was a great thing for the environment, maybe not so much for the economy. People are going to buy what ever car they can afford and what ever car suits their needs best. I agree that a person who needs to buy a truck or SUV for their occupation is going to buy one, but it is nice to see that those companies are making an effort to save the driver a little money and make them more green.
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