Sales of F-Series pickups and SUVs helped Ford Motor outperform its Detroit crosstown rivals as well as the broader auto industry in the third quarter.
While Ford’s vehicle sales fell by just 4.9% from the same time last year, the drop was about half that of the broader industry and smaller than the sales declines felt by General Motors and Fiat Chrysler.
Such declines typically aren’t cause for celebration, but this year is anything but typical. New vehicle sales have recovered far faster than many expected from the second quarter when the coronavirus pandemic caused plant shutdowns and shuttered dealerships, sending sales down more than 30% compared to 2019.
