GM, Toyota report slowing light-truck sales

Toyota and General Motors reported mixed light-truck sales numbers for both June and the first half of 2003. However, automakers in general feel the sales picture for light trucks should improve by the end of the year. Sales for both of Toyota's pickup truck brands, the Tacoma and Tundra, were down for the month and for the first half of 2003. Toyota said it sold 12,357 Tacomas and 8,430 Tundras in June, down from 13,097 and 8,680 units in the same month for 2002. For the first six months of 2003, Toyota sold 74,373 Tacoma and 47,261 Tundra units, down from 75,699 and 50,080, respectively, in the first half of 2002. GM, on the other hand, said its light-truck sales jumped 10.1% in June, climbing to 243,810 from 239,887 in June 2002. However, for the first half of 2003, GM said light-truck sales dropped 2.3% overall, falling to 1.29 million vs. 1.33 million units sold through the first half of 2002.