Sales figures for August have revealed the US car industry continues to see varied performances among the top companies.

While Toyota and General Motors (GM) both announced increases during August compared to the previous year, Ford, Honda and DaimlerChrysler all saw significant falls during the same period.

It appears that an increase in fuel-efficient and more environmentally-friendly vehicles are having an important impact on sales figures, with Toyota and GM's efficient offerings performing particularly well.

Toyota stated that last month was its best-ever August performance in the US, with fuel-efficient vehicles proving popular among customers.

However, despite a 3.9 per cent increase in sales at GM, the company also announced that it is set to cut its North American production levels by 12 per cent over the remaining months of 2006 as it looks to keep a lid on its inventory growth.

Meanwhile, Honda and DaimlerChrysler suffered a 3.2 per cent dip in sales, while Ford continued to suffer the most, posting an 11.6 per cent drop.


Ÿ Adfero Ltd