May 5, 1999
Web posted at: 8:39 PM EDT (0039 GMT)

DETROIT (CNN) -- It's official -- for the first time ever, Ford Motor Co.'s Lincoln division sold more of its luxury cars last year than General Motors' Cadillac models.

Cadillac has for years been the sales leader of high-end cars and its nameplate has become synonymous with luxury and quality.

Lincoln's sales victory was first reported late last year, but later, Cadillac claimed its sales had surged and that Cadillac had actually sold more cars than Lincoln.

But in an announcement Wednesday, Cadillac reversed itself, saying its numbers were miscalculated, and that Lincoln is indeed the sales leader for 1998.

Lincoln sold 186,191 cars, while Cadillac sold 179,009.

GM says the error was caught in an internal audit after questions were raised about the accuracy of the numbers. An improper reporting process led to the error, but did not affect financial numbers.

"We regret that the inflated delivery report caused the media, in particular, to believe that Cadillac dealers had indeed sold more vehicles in December, and thus for the entire 1998 calendar year, than Lincoln," said Roy S. Roberts, vice president and group executive of GM North American Vehicle Sales, Service and Marketing.

Lincoln spokesperson Jim Trainor credited Cadillac for correcting the mistake, and says Lincoln will continue to focus on the future.