U.S. Auto Sales Rise 4.8% in February

U.S. sales of new autos rose in February, led by demand at General Motors Corp., DaimlerChrysler’s Chrysler Group and Japan’s top three automakers. Ford Motor Co.’s sales fell, prompting production cuts.

Asian automakers’ share of the U.S. market rose for a third straight month, to 34.1%, as industry sales rose 4.8% from a year earlier to 1.28 million, Autodata Corp. said.

Sales of cars and light trucks -- sport utility vehicles, pickups and minivans -- rose 5.9% at GM and 1.2% at Chrysler. Their Big Three rival Ford posted a 2.4% decline.

Sales rose 18% at Toyota Motor Corp., 46% at Nissan Motor Co. and 7.1% at Honda Motor Co.

The Big Three automakers need to boost sales to halt the gains in market share by Japanese and South Korean rivals. The U.S.-based companies’ domestic brands fell 1.8 points, to 59.8% in the month.

“I don’t know how they’re going to reverse that market share loss other than bringing out new models,” said Brian Eisenbarth, vice president at Davidson Investment Advisors in Great Falls, Mont., which manages about $900 million and sold its GM stock in January. “There’s just a constant flow of quality product from Toyota.”

The Asian automakers have increased their share of the U.S. market in 12 of the last 13 months, according to Autodata statistics.

Cars and light trucks sold at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 16.4 million, Autodata said. The Woodcliff Lake, N.J., firm tracks industry sales.

GM spent $4,428 per vehicle on incentives in February and is spending the most ever by an automaker this year, according to CNW Marketing/Research Inc. in Bandon, Ore. Incentive spending was $4,306 at Ford and $4,197 at Chrysler. By contrast, Toyota spent $2,855 per vehicle last month, and Honda spent $1,638.

GM sold 353,117 vehicles as light truck sales rose 3.4% and car sales rose 8.6%, the Detroit-based company said. The automaker benefited from a 20% rise in sales of Pontiac vehicles and a 14% increase in demand for GMC trucks.

Ford, the second-largest U.S. automaker, sold 261,694 vehicles, for its fifth straight monthly decline, the company said.

Chrysler, the third-largest U.S. vehicle seller, said it sold 172,647 vehicles, led by an 8% rise in truck sales, including a 31% increase in combined sales of Jeep Liberty, Wrangler and Grand Cherokee sport utility vehicles.

Toyota, which ranks fourth in the U.S., said higher sales of 146,783 cars and trucks were led by demand for Toyota Sienna minivans and Lexus luxury brand RX 330 SUVs. Toyota’s incentive spending fell 1.2% from January, CNW said.

Honda, Japan’s No. 2 automaker, said its U.S. sales rose to 105,779 vehicles, aided by gains for Acura luxury models and the Honda Pilot SUV. Tokyo-based Honda ranks fifth in the United States.

Nissan said sales of cars and light trucks rose to 74,863 units, helped by new models such as the Titan pickup and Armada SUV and by demand for Infiniti luxury vehicles.