Auto Sales Reach Four-Year High
Automakers sold cars and light trucks at the highest pace in more than four years in September, Bloomberg reported.
Industrywide light-vehicle deliveries climbed 13% to 1.19 million in September, according to Autodata Corp.
The annualized rate of 14.94 million — the best since March 2008 — topped the median 14.5 million pace projected by economists surveyed by Bloomberg News.
Toyota Motor Corp.’s sales surged 42% in September. Honda Motor Co.’s sales jumped 31% and Nissan Motor Co.’s dipped 1.1%.
Chrysler Group LLC’s sales rose 12% to 142,041 vehicles. General Motors Co.’s deliveries rose 1.5%, while Ford Motor Co.’s slipped 0.2%.
Volkswagen AG, which is targeting more than 500,000 U.S. vehicle sales this year, saw its Volkswagen and Audi brand sales surge 34% to 36,339 vehicles.
Sales for the year through August were up 15% to 9.71 million, according to Autodata, and the industry is on pace to exceed 14 million sales this year, the highest total since 2007.