May Sales up 8.7% in Canada

With help from an extra selling day, Canadian dealers sold 175,061 new cars and light trucks in May, up 8.7% on a daily rate basis from the 148,727 retailed the prior year.

Ford regained its market leadership, while the Japanese brands made up some lost ground.

Crediting strong sales of the Fiesta B-car, Focus C-car, Taurus large sedan and F-150 pickup, Ford posted May light-vehicle deliveries of 31,670 units, up 16.3% from year-ago’s 25,132 and a 17.8% gain from April. That was enough to put the auto maker back in the lead for the first five months as well.

Although archrival Chrysler outsold like-2011, including May records for five models and all-time-high Ram pickup deliveries, its daily selling rate slipped 5.6% from April and was down 0.9% compared with year-ago.

Japanese auto makers posted a 26.8% increase, compared with prior-year’s tsunami-weakened performance, with Toyota Canada achieving a 52.0% gain. However, they fell 2.9% short of April’s torrid daily selling rate, despite besting April’s volume by 9.7%.

European brands topped their April and year-ago May volumes, but this year’s extra selling day cut the DSR 2.0% and 7.7%, respectively.

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