According to monthly sales data released for February 2010, Ford overtook General Motors as the US best-selling auto major for the first time since 1998.

Ford Motor Co sold 142,006 cars and light trucks during the last month, up 43.4% as compared to the same month of 2009.

General Motors Corp witnessed only a 12% growth in US sales to 141,535.

Japanese giant Toyota Motor Corp's sales dropped 9% to just above 100,000 as the world's biggest car manufacturer has struggled to pick up its status after a series of security recalls during the last few months.

The unexpected reversal between Ford and GM highlights the different directions the two Detroit car giants have travelled in the past few years.

GM went through economic failure in 2009, forcing the maker to discard loss-making products and drastically slash production.

Already in the year 2008, GM lost its title of world's biggest car manufacturer to Toyota.

Ford, on the contrary, managed to shun insolvency in 2009 in spite of the big fall in car sales brought on by a deep US slump.

Ford is credited with embarking on a forceful restructuring effort earlier than its US competitors. (With Input from Agencies)