In newly reported sales figures, Toyota Motor Sales U.S.A., moving 61,962 more cars and light trucks than Ford, bumped the Detroit giant into third place in U.S. sales for 2007.

General Motors held on to its first place overall position racking up 2.82 billion sales for a market share of 23.7 percent.

Taken as a whole, 16.5 million light vehicles were sold by the U.S, auto industry in 2007, a decline of 2.5 percent from the 2006 figure of 15.56 million.

Ford managed to retain a market share of 16.4 percent against 16.8 percent, a slim margin that company insiders say makes no different as Ford stays on track with its planned restructuring.

Even good news for Ford, however, seems tinged by declining numbers. While the F-150 series remains the best-selling truck in America for the 31st year, sales were still down 13.2 percent for 2007.

Lincoln picked up a 9 percent sales improvement, but was still down 21.4 percent for December.

Internal projections of sales for Ford crossovers vehicles were 30 percent under the actual sales, a definite plus, but difficult to weigh against an 18 percent decline in sales for the once popular Ford Explorer.

When all figures were combined, Ford moved a total of 2.55 million units during the year, a drop of 11.8 percent from the 2006 figure of 2.9 million.