Ford sales in U.S. jump 10% in December, 11% for year

Ford Motor Co. reported Wednesday that its total company sales in the United States in December 2011 were up 10 percent, and its U.S. sales jumped 11 percent in the whole year due to strong demand for its small car, utilities and truck. The automaker sold 210,740 units in December, a 10 percent increase from December 2010. Total Ford Motor company sales for the year increased to 2,148,806 vehicles, up 11 percent for the year, the company said. Meanwhile, Ford brand 2011 U.S. sales climbed 17 percent, totaling 2,062,915 vehicles, and it was the first time the Ford brand has passed the 2 million mark since before the recession in 2007. In December, Ford brand sales were 201,737, up 16 percent from a year earlier. Small car, utilities and truck sales drove Ford\'s marketplace performance in 2011. Small car sales were up 25 percent in 2011 with 244,291 cars sold. Ford Fusion had a record year with 248,067 vehicles sold. Ford sold 68,278 F-Series pickups in December, representing its best December sales results since 2006. For the year, F-Series sales totaled 584,917 trucks, making it the only vehicle to break the 500,000 vehicle sales mark last year. \"The year finished on a high note, with industry sales momentum strengthening as the year came to a close,\" said Ken Czubay, Ford vice president, U.S. Marketing, Sales and Service. \"We saw Ford sales strengthen as well, posting our best December retail sales month since 2005 and closing the year as America\'s best-selling brand.\"