Ford, GM report sales jump on pre-tariff consumer surge

DETROIT

Detroit auto giants General Motors and Ford reported increased U.S. car sales in the second quarter as consumers fast-forwarded purchases ahead of U.S. tariffs.

GM notched a 7.3 percent rise in vehicle deliveries to 746,588 behind a continued solid performance in pickup trucks and SUVs, as well as good sales of models geared towards customers seeking affordable vehicles.

Ford, meanwhile, scored a 14.2 percent jump in sales to 612,095, reflecting the boon from a popular program that offered customers employee pricing on many models.

While the auto industry has been near the center of President Donald Trump's efforts to reset global trade, consumers have yet to see significant price increases due to tariffs.

Companies have relied on existing inventories and have so far refrained from significant price hikes.

Higher sales had been expected for both companies, but the increases were slightly more than projected by analysts at Edmunds.com.

U.S. dealers saw a big uptick in visits from consumers in March and April anxious to get ahead of Trump's tariffs on autos, but those trends ebbed in May, auto analysts said.

The U.S. imposed 25 percent tariffs on imported finished cars in early April.

The Trump administration also enacted a 25 percent tariff on imported auto parts in early May, although White House officials allowed a two-year grace period and stipulated that automakers would not face duplicative tariffs due to a 25 percent levy on imported steel and aluminum.