Despite continuing economic uncertainty, industry analysts are predicting a healthy increase for automotive sales in the United States next year.
The average prediction of 11 independent analysts was 13.6 million sales for 2012, which would represent an increase of about 6 or 7 percent from this year’s sales, which should finish at about 12.7 and 12.8 million units. Better credit availability, climbing employment, fresh products and the need to replace aging vehicles were cited as factors that would drive the upswing.
2012 will still likely provide its fair share of economic disruptions and headaches, but the prognosticators believe that many consumers are simply becoming accustomed to such calamities.
“The Dow fell 1,500 points [this year] – and car sales stayed smooth and consistent,” said Alec Gutierrez, senior market analyst for Kelley Blue Book. “The American consumer has seen so much gone wrong. If they have to buy a car, they will.”
Echoing Gutierrez’s opinion was Jesse Toprak, vice president of TrueCar.com, who stated: “Consumers are changing their attitude. Many are comfortable buying a car even though there is no clarity on the [US] economy.”
Meanwhile, uncertainty in the European economy could actually end up helping U.S. auto sales, according to Paul Taylor, chief economist for the National Automobile Dealers Association.
“German automakers will target the U.S. market to sop up excess capacity,” Taylor said. Slow sales abroad could also move Asian automakers to increase shipments to North America, a move that would likely produce higher incentives and sales.
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