GM, Ford sales continue to tumble

General Motors’ November U.S. sales plunged 41 percent, while Ford’s dropped 31 percent, crushing hopes that the industrywide drop in vehicle demand might be easing as Detroit’s automakers prepare to state their second case for a federal bailout.

Their overseas rivals posted abysmal results Tuesday as well. Toyota’s November U.S. sales tumbled 34 percent, and Honda’s fell 32 percent.

A dreary economy, weak consumer confidence and tight credit markets have combined to keep consumers out of vehicle showrooms this year. On Monday, the National Bureau of Economic Research said the U.S. entered a recession in December 2007, much earlier than most predictions.

GM saw Chevrolet Cobalt sales slump 54 percent last month. It sold 6,312 Cobalts in the U.S. last month, compared with 13,629 in November 2007. Last month’s total was 166 cars below the number sold in October.

For the year, Cobalt sales are down 4 percent at 175,259.

For more information, see Wednesday’s Vindicator or www.vindy.com.