General Motors have posted a 13 per cent drop in sales in February with Japan's Toyota reporting a drop of 2.8 per cent.

Meanwhile Ford has seen its profit drop by 6.6 per cent after losing its place as the second-largest auto maker in the US to Toyota last year.

Speaking after the Geneva auto show, Vice Chairman of General Motors Bob Lutz described sales in the US as "very disappointing" but said he expected to see conditions improve.

Sales of cars and light trucks at GM stood at 268,737 in February, down from 308,411 a year earlier with light trucks selling 19 per cent fewer and cars 1.2 per cent fewer.

The firm is planning to build 1.08 million vehicles in North America in the second quarter, a decrease from 1.14 million a year earlier.

Meanwhile Toyota has sold 182,169 vehicles in February since being established as the second largest auto maker in the US.

This represents a drop of 2.8 per cent down from 187,330 a year earlier with sales of passenger cars falling by 4.2 per cent.

Ford saw sales of its passenger cars drop by 9.3 per cent to 64,333 although the Focus had an 11 per cent increase.

Ÿ Adfero Ltd