Q: Ford has a commercial that says something to the effect of, "Ford is America's top-selling brand." What do they mean by this? Is it domestic vehicle production, domestic car production, world production? It seems to be such an ambiguous statement that they could say that it's true no matter how it was questioned. What is the truth? — Fred Scanling, Big Canoe
A: Ford sold nearly 2.2 million cars in the U.S. in 2012, the only brand or "nameplate" to reach 2 million in domestic sales last year, a spokesman with J.D. Power and Associates told Q&A on the News in an email. Ford is considered a nameplate of Ford Motor Co., which also includes Lincoln, and had combined sales was 2.25 million in 2012, John Tews wrote. "It is especially tricky — and often requires reading the fine print at the bottom of the ad — when the manufacturer and nameplate share the same name," he wrote. Ford said no other nameplate has had more than 2 million sales in the U.S. since 2007, before the recession. General Motors sold nearly 2.6 million cars in 2012, and its nameplates include Chevrolet, GMC, Buick and Cadillac. GM's 2012 sales breakdown: Chevrolet (1.85 million), GMC (413,881), Buick (180,408) and Cadillac (149,782). Ford's F-series pickup was the bestselling vehicle in the U.S. in 2012, with 645,316 sold, a 10 percent increase from 2011. It has been the top-selling model in the U.S. market for more than 30 years.
Andy Johnston wrote this column. Do you have a question about the news? We’ll try to get the answer. Call 404-222-2002 or email q&a@ajc.com (include name, phone and city).
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