Monthly new vehicle share for cars and trucks. Average monthly price of gasoline (all grades) is in green. Click to enlarge.

The passenger car share of new vehicle sales in March 2009 rose to 51.9%, the highest monthly total since July 2008. During December 2008, which marked the nadir of the current price swing in gasoline with an average $1.687 per gallon (all grades), the new vehicle passenger car share had dropped to 47.3%. The average price of gasoline in the US (all grades) in March 2009 was $2.011, according to the US Energy Information Administration.

The market is starting to show small signs of life which need to be nourished like seedlings.

—Jim Press, Vice Chairman and President, Chrysler LLC

GM. GM dealers in the United States delivered 155,334 light-duty vehicles in March, down 44.7% by volume year-on-year. Car sales were down 41.3% to 66,877 units; light truck sales were down 47.1% to 86,457 units.

GM’s top-selling car was the Malibu, sales of which were down only 2.1% to 14,772, with retail sales of the Malibu up 7%. Sales of the Pontiac G8 were up 278.2% to 2,939 units. The top-selling Silverado pickup posted 23,508 units, a decrease of 44.8%.

GM delivered a total of 1,612 hybrid vehicles in the month; for the first quarter, GM has delivered 3,622 hybrid vehicles.

Toyota. Toyota Motor Sales (TMS), USA reported month-end sales of 132,802 vehicles, a decrease of 39% by volume from last March, on a daily selling rate basis. Car sales were down 37.9% to 80,597 units; truck sales were down 40.6% to 52,205 units.

Camry and Camry Hybrid remained Toyota’s volume leader in March, posting combined monthly sales of 25,783 units, down 36.3% year-on-year. Sales of the Camry hybrid were down 63.1% to 2,554 units. Corolla, second in volume, saw its sales drop the least: 22,257 units in March 2009, down 11.4%.

Toyota’s total hybrid sales dropped 56.4% year-on-year to 13,747 units in March 2009, with sales of the Prius down 56.8% to 8,924 units.

Ford. Ford, Lincoln and Mercury March 2009 sales totaled 125,107, down 41% by volume year-on-year. Retail sales were down 36% compared with a year ago and fleet sales were down 50%.

Sales of cars were down 36.6% to 46,467 units; sales of crossovers dropped 35.9% to 27,195; sales of SUVs plunged 73.2% to 5,632; and sales of trucks and vans dropped 40% to 45,813.

Ford’s top-selling F-Series saw a 39.9% drop in sales to 32,728 units. Ford’s top-selling car was the Fusion, which saw a 19.9% drop in sales to 12,723 units; the Focus was a close second with 12,383 units reflecting, however, a 41.5% drop.

Honda. American Honda Motor Co., Inc., posted March 2009 vehicle sales of 88,379, a decline of 36.3% by volume compared to March 2008. Car sales were down 33.6% to 52,294 units; truck sales were down 40.4% to 33,085 units.

The 2010 Insight hybrid made its US debut in limited quantities on 24 March and achieved sales of 569 in its first partial month of sales.

Honda Motor Co. said it will cut North American production further, reduce the pay of its salaried employees in North America, and for the first time, force its hourly workers to take unpaid leave, as vehicle sales continue to plunge.

Chrysler. Chrysler LLC reported March US total sales of 101,001 units—the first time since Sept. 2008 that the Company has surpassed 100,000 units—representing a 39% decrease year-on-year. Chrysler retail market share increased to an estimated 10.0 percent versus 9.9 percent in March 2008.

Sales of cars were down 51% to 23,668 units; sales of trucks were down 34% to 77,333 units.

Chrysler’s top-seller, the Ram pickup, posted 19,328 units, down 27% year-on-year. The Caravan posted sales of 11,358, down 19%. Sales of the Jeep Wrangler climbed 16% to 10,000 units, while sales of the Dodge Journey increased 127% to 5,987 units.

Nissan. Nissan North America, Inc. (NNA) reported sales for March of 66,634 units versus 106,921 units a year ago, a decrease of 37.7%. Passenger car sales were down 35% to 43,187 units; truck sales were down 42% to 23,447 units.

Nissan’s top-selling Altima saw its volume drop 37.8% to 19,521 units. Sales of the Versa dropped 17.8% to 6,733 units. Sales of the Rogue crossover increased 1.6% to 6,982 units.