TORRANCE, CA (AP) -- Toyota says its U.S. sales fell 37 percent last month.

But the Japanese automaker still ranks ahead of Ford as the No. 2 vehicle seller in the U.S. in 2008. General Motors remained the top U.S. seller last year.

Toyota says its December sales dropped from 224,399 vehicles to under 142,000. Volumes of the top-selling Camry fell 35 percent.

Prius hybrid sales plunged 45 percent.

Toyota says its 2008 sales fell from 2.6 million vehicles to 2.2 million.

The company has said it planned to post its first operating loss in 70 years. It also has suspended plans to start production at a factory in Mississippi.

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