Fundamentally, the automotive industry has enjoyed a healthy renaissance from its darkest days in 2008 and 2009. Once burdened with unsustainable levels of debt on the balance sheet, and continual market share losses to the Asian car makers, both General Motors and Ford Motor Company have reversed their fortunes in both of these key areas. GM has emerged from bankruptcy reorganization and is delivering on its commitment to repay its government bailout funds. Ford has reduced its automotive debt by more than $20 billion in the last two years, lowering its interest costs by more than $1 billion annually. Top line growth is ticking higher. Ford passed the two million unit sales mark in 2011, the first automaker to sell more than two million of its namesake brand in one year since 2007. The Ford Escape SUV hit record sales in 2011, while the Ford F-150 pickup truck was the nation's top selling new vehicle.