DETROIT -- For the first time since 1995, Nissan Motor Co. topped General Motors Co. in sales in Mexico last year.

Nissan's light-vehicle sales fell 26 percent in 2009 to 156,186. But GM's tumbled 35 percent to 138,482.  Mexico's total sales of new light-vehicles fell 26 percent to 754,930 in 2009.

Nissan had been a perennial No. 2 to GM since 1995. GM's lead narrowed to just 356 vehicles in 2008, but it still clung to the lead until last year.

Other top automakers' Mexican-sales rankings remained unchanged for 2009 from 2008. Volkswagen AG was No. 3; its sales slipped14 percent to 117,969.

Ford Motor Co. was No. 4. Ford's sales fell 30 percent to 92,003. No. 5 Chrysler's sales dropped 29 percent to 82,337.

In December, Mexico's sales slid 9 percent to 91,962. It was the first single-digit decline since a 5 percent drop in December 2008. Mexico's sales tumbled from 20 percent to 38 percent each month from January through October last year, then declined 17 percent in November.

Nissan led GM in December, too. Nissan's sales rose 3 percent to 20,689, while GM's slipped 9 percent to 18,509.

You can reach James B. Treece at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

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