There’s still time to grab a Lexus as a last-minute stocking stuffer, but December is already shaping up to be another strong month for the United States auto industry.
According to a joint report published by J.D. Power and LMC, December sales are expect to end with an annualized sales rate of 13.4 million units. That represents a significant improvement from December 2010′s sales rate of 12.5 million units.
“For the third straight time, light-vehicle sales are posting strong selling rates at the close of the year,” LMC Senior Vice President Jeff Schuster said in a statement. “Next year, the automotive industry will look to build upon the strong finish to 2011, but the real test in 2012 will be weathering a summer selling slowdown and posting a full year of a progressive recovery.”
New car sales in the U.S. have been trending upwards since June, despite an uncertain economy and decreased incentives spending by automakers. In fact, December is on pace for more than 1 million retail sales, which would be the best single month since August 2009 when the government’s “cash for clunkers†program was in full swing.
J.D. Power and LMC are calling for 12.7 million sales in 2011, with that figure increasing to 13.8 million units in 2012.
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1.’New-car sales…’ view
