Skip to main content
Sister Publication Links
  • European Rubber Journal
  • Plastics News
  • Tire Business
web
Subscribe
  • Login
  • Register
  • Subscribe
  • News
    • Automotive
    • Tire
    • Non-Tire
    • Suppliers
    • Silicone
    • Latex
    • Coronavirus
    • Executive Action
    • Government/Legal
    • Opinion
    • Technical Notebooks
    • Women in Tire & Rubber
    • ITEC
    • International Elastomer Show
    • HEXPOL Sponsored Content
    • Failed takeover by Apollo a distant memory for Cooper
      Smithers opens driver, equipment testing center in Michigan
      Trelleborg divests U.K. offshore oil and gas operation
      Myers Industries raising prices citing material costs
    • Failed takeover by Apollo a distant memory for Cooper
      Smithers opens driver, equipment testing center in Michigan
      Trelleborg divests U.K. offshore oil and gas operation
      Myers Industries raising prices citing material costs
    • Trelleborg divests U.K. offshore oil and gas operation
      Myers Industries raising prices citing material costs
      Richard F. Grossman dies at 86
      ARPM readies for 2021 Environmental Health and Safety Summit
    • Arburg publishes its first sustainability report online
      Goldsmith & Eggleton introduces raw materials handling line
      Hexpol acquires Spanish wire and cable compounder
      New Products: Mahr Inc. introduces MarForm MMQ 500 Form Tester
    • New legacy taking shape at Stockwell Elastomerics
      Fenner opens new textile treatment line in Pennsylvania
      Stockwell Elastomerics' legacy moves on
      Larger mixers tout economies of scale, along with the need for speed
    • Ohio firm focuses on making better masks in U.S.
      U.S. to increase NBR, make gloves using Defense Production Act
      Tire Cologne canceled; rescheduled for 2022
      Tire Technology Expo canceled for 2021
    • New legacy taking shape at Stockwell Elastomerics
      Davis-Standard promotes Andrew Alaya to aftermarket sales role
      Harwick Standard adds Flores to West Coast sales team
      GM promotes Siemen to lead sustainability; Parker to retire
    • To boost U.S. microchip production, Biden administration must find supply chains weaknesses
      TIA among associations against increase to minimum wage
      9 Goodyear-Cooper Tire stories you may have missed
      Cooper recalling 430,000+ whitewall LT tires in multiple brands
    • New legacy taking shape at Stockwell Elastomerics
      Column: Discussions of race, equality may mean uncomfortable moments
      Column: Business trips possible because of essential workers
      Editorial: Associations see opportunity for progress under new administration
    • Studying RPA ASTM methods for detecting compound quality differences
      Damage mechanism in oil and gas formulations during downhole testing
      Advancements in synchronous drive belt design for industrial and consumer markets
      Effects of multiple repurposed materials for reinforcements of standard rubber compounds
    • Rubber Division introduces WORD webinar series
      WORD panelists say evolution, authenticity keys to success
      New video celebrates women in rubber industry
      ITEC panelists say women can thrive in tire industry
    • Goodyear recognized by Lockheed Martin as 'elite supplier'
      EV tire advancements to help secure future
      Lambillotte: Only question on AVs is timing
      CAR official says EV future brighter than autonomous
    • Rubber Division introduces WORD webinar series
      Rubber Division seeks abstracts for 200th Technical Meeting
      WORD panelists say evolution, authenticity keys to success
      IEC keynote: Communication key to logistics
    • Sponsored By HEXPOL Compounding
      Faster Access to Your Polymer Compounding Experts Around the World
      Sponsored By HEXPOL Compounding
      Take a walk thru a HEXPOL Lab
      Sponsored By HEXPOL Compounding
      HEXPOL offers a unique selection of High Performance Elastomers to match your application requirements
      Sponsored By HEXPOL Compounding
      It’s what you can’t see that makes the Difference at HEXPOL
  • Blogs
    • Products
    • Wacky World of Rubber
    • New Products: Mahr Inc. introduces MarForm MMQ 500 Form Tester
      New Products: Starrett expands field-of-view for multi-sensor vision system
      New Products: Nova thinks outside the box with sealing tech
      New Products: MonTech introduces 1,500 kN lab press
    • Wacky World of Rubber: How Trelleborg, teens sealed a spot in the world record book
      Wacky World of Rubber: Of chicken and feet, but not chicken feet
      Wacky World of Rubber: Time to go mattress shopping
      Wacky World of Rubber: Because nothing says football like 'frunk' shrimp
  • Newsletters
    • Rubber in Automotive
    • Silicone News
    • Latex News
    • Sign Up for Newsletters
    • Failed takeover by Apollo a distant memory for Cooper
      Smithers opens driver, equipment testing center in Michigan
      Trelleborg divests U.K. offshore oil and gas operation
      Myers Industries raising prices citing material costs
    • New legacy taking shape at Stockwell Elastomerics
      Fenner opens new textile treatment line in Pennsylvania
      Stockwell Elastomerics' legacy moves on
      Larger mixers tout economies of scale, along with the need for speed
    • Sri Trang Gloves starts major capacity expansion
      Synthomer dismisses takeover reports
      Combined Goodyear-Cooper Tire company has tire technology, sustainability edge
      Helixtap launches new digital marketplace for rubber
  • Multimedia
    • Videos
    • Photo Galleries
  • Directory
  • Resources
    • Classifieds & Mold Mart
    • Sponsored Content
    • White Papers
    • HB Chemical
      Sponsored By HB Chemical
      The HB Chemical and Ravago Partnership: Taking Customer Service to a New Level
      Sponsored By HB Chemical
      Above and Beyond with HB Chemical
      Sponsored By HB Chemical
      The Company Behind the Inventory
      Sponsored By French Oil Mill Machinery
      Process Improvement, Cost Reduction with Custom Press Systems
    • Sponsored By Uncountable Inc.
      Labs of the Future: How to Choose a Laboratory Information Management System in 2021
      Sponsored By Uncountable Inc.
      Cooper Standard deploys lab informatics platform to synchronize R&D
      Sponsored By Elkem
      LSR Selectâ„¢: A solution to improve your financial impact in molding applications
      Sponsored By HEXPOL Compounding
      Peroxide Cureable Silicone Injection Molding
  • Data
  • Events
    • RPN Events
    • RPN Livestreams/Webinars
    • Industry Events
    • Past Events
    • ITEC Library
    • International Silicone Conference Library
    • 2021 Healthcare Elastomers Virtual Edition
      2021 Rubber in Automotive Virtual Edition
      2021 International Latex Conference Virtual Edition
      2022 ITEC
  • Advertise
  • DIGITAL EDITION
MENU
Breadcrumb
  1. Home
  2. Coronavirus
July 07, 2020 12:15 PM

Pickups salvage disastrous Q2 for U.S. auto industry

Hannah Lutz
Automotive News
  • Tweet
  • Share
  • Share
  • Email
  • More
    Print
    Sales of the GMC Sierra were down 5 percent in the second quarter.

    Full-size pickups became the U.S. auto industry's largest segment in the second quarter as the coronavirus pandemic slashed new-vehicle sales by roughly one-third.

    Big pickups outsold compact crossovers, which had been No. 1 every quarter since sedans fell out of favor with consumers in recent years. Including the midsize segment that Jeep and Ford have reentered, one in four vehicles sold by nonluxury brands from April through June was a pickup, according to the Automotive News Data Center.

    "Even when the vehicle market goes completely sideways, the truck market stays straight and true," said Karl Brauer, executive publisher of Kelley Blue Book. "This is particularly good news for domestic brands like Chevrolet, Ford and Ram, all of which rely heavily on high-profit truck sales. This trend will likely continue as the economy recovers and consumers look to start delayed home improvements, relocations and other truck-friendly activities."

    Excluding Mercedes-Benz and Jaguar Land Rover, which are expected to report their results this week, U.S. new-vehicle sales plummeted 34 percent in the second quarter.

    Industry sales suffered as plant shutdowns reduced inventories and many dealerships had to temporarily close or complete transactions online to comply with government restrictions. Pickup volume declined less than most other segments, in part because of the 0 percent financing offers auto makers rolled out as the pandemic roiled the economy. Many dealers said they sold the majority of the pickups they had in stock.

    "GM entered the quarter with very lean inventories and our dealers did a great job meeting customer demand, especially for pickups," Kurt McNeil, General Motors' U.S. vice president of sales operations, said in a statement. "Now, we are refilling the pipeline by quickly and safely returning production to pre-pandemic levels."

    GMC Sierra sales dipped 5 percent in the second quarter, and Chevy Silverado volume fell 14 percent. Both nameplates were among the few to post increases for the first half of the year.

    Sales dropped 23 percent in the second quarter for the Ford F-Series and 35 percent for the Ram pickup line. Sales of midsize pickups—such as the Toyota Tacoma, Ford Ranger and Jeep Gladiator—slid 16 percent. Pickups represented 25 percent of nonluxury brand sales, up from 21 percent a year earlier.

    Other segments that fared better than average include subcompact crossovers, down 8.3 percent, and large premium crossovers, down 8 percent. Meanwhile, sales of subcompact cars and minivans fell by more than half.

    Ford Motor Co. posted second-quarter sales increases for just two vehicles in its lineup: the Explorer, up 12 percent, and the Ranger, up 20 percent. Large utilities and pickups are performing better because people need them for work, and affluent consumers who often buy such vehicles have been less affected by the pandemic, said Mark LaNeve, Ford's vice president of U.S. marketing, sales and service.

    "The unemployment issue, unfortunately, has hit the service industry hard—younger people," he told Automotive News. "The fact that pickups are needed for work and vehicles like Expedition and Explorer are doing better doesn't surprise us."

    Michael Martinez and Nick Bunkley contributed to this report.

    Letter
    to the
    Editor

    Rubber & Plastics News wants to hear from its readers. If you want to express your opinion on a story or issue, email your letter to Editor Bruce Meyer at [email protected].

    SIGN UP FOR NEWSLETTERS
    EMAIL ADDRESS

    Please enter a valid email address.

    Please enter your email address.

    Please verify captcha.

    Please select at least one newsletter to subscribe.

    Get our newsletters

    Staying current is easy with Rubber & Plastics News delivered straight to your inbox, free of charge.

    Subscribe Today

    Subscribe to Rubber & Plastics News to get the best coverage and leading insights in the industry.

    SUBSCRIBE
    Connect with Us
    • LinkedIn
    • Facebook
    • Twitter

    MISSION

    To serve companies in the global rubber product industry by delivering news, industry insights, opinions and technical information.

    web
    Contact Us

    2291 Riverfront Pkwy, Suite 1000
    Cuyahoga Falls,
    OH 44221

    Customer Service:
    877-320-1726

    Resources
    • About Us
    • Digital Edition
    • Contact the Staff
    • Advertise
    • Order Reprints
    • Privacy Policy
    • Privacy Request
    • Terms of Service
    • Careers
    • Ad Choices Ad Choices
    • Sitemap
    Partner Sites
    • Tire Business
    • European Rubber Journal
    • Plastics News
    • Plastics News China
    • Urethanes Technology
    • Automotive News
    • Crain Brands
    Copyright © 1996-2021. Crain Communications, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
    • News
      • Automotive
      • Tire
      • Non-Tire
      • Suppliers
      • Silicone
      • Latex
      • Coronavirus
      • Executive Action
      • Government/Legal
      • Opinion
      • Technical Notebooks
      • Women in Tire & Rubber
      • ITEC
      • International Elastomer Show
      • HEXPOL Sponsored Content
    • Blogs
      • Products
      • Wacky World of Rubber
    • Newsletters
      • Rubber in Automotive
      • Silicone News
      • Latex News
      • Sign Up for Newsletters
    • Multimedia
      • Videos
      • Photo Galleries
    • Directory
    • Resources
      • Classifieds & Mold Mart
      • Sponsored Content
      • White Papers
    • Data
    • Events
      • RPN Events
      • RPN Livestreams/Webinars
      • Industry Events
      • Past Events
      • ITEC Library
      • International Silicone Conference Library
    • Advertise
    • DIGITAL EDITION