Dec. auto sales fall more than 30 percent for GM, Ford,

U.S. auto sales plummeted last month.
   
GM, Ford, Toyota and Honda are all reporting declines of more than 30 percent, with the two Japanese carmakers faring worse than their U.S. competitors.
   
Ford’s U.S. sales fell 32 percent in December, while GM’s were down 31. Toyota had the steepest decline at 37 percent. Honda’s sales were off 35 percent.
   
For the year, Ford’s sales fell 21 percent, compared with 2007. That leaves it in third place in the U.S. auto sales race for the second straight year. GM led the pack, but its total of just under 3 million vehicles sold in the U.S. was a drop of 23 percent from 2007. Toyota again came in second, with it 2008 sales dropping off 16 percent.
   
Subaru says its U.S. sales actually edged higher for the year, which could make it the only major automaker with an increase in 2008.
   
Chrysler’s report is expected later today.