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AUTOS: U.S. Sales End 2012 On High Note
December results show an overall monthly increase of 9 percent with a rise of 13 percent for the year. VW, BMW, Honda and Chrysler are winners.
Volkswagen’s sales increase was led by the newly revamped Passat sedan. (Photo: Volkswagen)
U.S. light-vehicle sales – led by Volkswagen, BMW and Honda – jumped 9 percent in December, pushing the seasonally adjusted sales rate above 15.3 million for the second consecutive month and helping the industry finish 2012 on a high note.
Automakers sold 14.49 million light vehicles in the U.S. market last year, up 13 percent from 2011, for the highest mark since 2007. It was the third-straight annual gain of at least 10 percent, the first such industry streak since 1973.
Automakers and analysts expect U.S. sales to continue rebounding in 2013, although at a slower pace, with some forecasts as high as 15.6 million light vehicles.
"If you want to hang your hat on something that's really improved in our industry, it's the North American auto business," said George Magliano, senior principal economist for IHS Automotive in New York. "It's a shining piece of U.S. manufacturing."
Chrysler, which analysts had predicted would lose market share in 2012, increased annual sales more than any major automaker other than Toyota and Honda, automakers that rebounded sharply from the 2011 earthquake and tsunami in Japan.
Volkswagen brand and Honda Motor Co. led all automakers last month, outpacing the Detroit 3, Toyota Motor Corp., the Hyundai-Kia Group and Nissan Motor Co.
Helped by newer models such as the mid-sized Passat and compact Jetta, VW posted a December U.S. sales gain of 35 percent. VW sales for the year rose 35 percent to more than 438,000 units.
December marked the 16th straight month VW's U.S. sales have climbed 22 percent or more.
Jonathan Browning, CEO of Volkswagen Group of America, said the company's sales growth would taper off in 2013.
"The Passat and Beetle have been in the market for over a year, so we won't get the same step-up as last year," Browning said Thursday. "We do expect to grow faster than the industry in total."
American Honda said sales rose 26 percent to 132,774 units last month, driven by demand for the new Accord, Civic and CR-V.
BMW brand reported a 39.4 percent boost in sales compared with December 2011, and an annual sales increase of 13.5 for its best year’s results since 2007. Mini sales gained 15 percent for the year.
Healthy retail demand, year-end discounts and a surge in car deliveries helped Chrysler Group report a 10 percent gain in December.
Toyota Motor Sales reported a 9 percent December sales increase and said 2012 deliveries rose 27 percent to 2.08 million.
General Motors' sales rose 5 percent last month and 4 percent for all of 2012. Buick and Cadillac led the December gains, with advances of 5 percent and 12 percent, respectively. Chevrolet deliveries were up 4 percent.
GM cited strong retail demand and higher deliveries of cars, crossovers and pickup trucks for the company's December results.
Ford Motor Co. said December sales rose 2 percent, as the Ford Division advanced 2 percent and Lincoln fell 12 percent. Ford's sales for the year rose 5 percent.
GM, Ford, Hyundai-Kia and Nissan lost U.S. market share in 2012, while Toyota, Chrysler, Honda and the Volkswagen Group gained share.
Automakers sold 14.49 million light vehicles in the U.S. market last year, up 13 percent from 2011, for the highest mark since 2007. It was the third-straight annual gain of at least 10 percent, the first such industry streak since 1973.
Automakers and analysts expect U.S. sales to continue rebounding in 2013, although at a slower pace, with some forecasts as high as 15.6 million light vehicles.
"If you want to hang your hat on something that's really improved in our industry, it's the North American auto business," said George Magliano, senior principal economist for IHS Automotive in New York. "It's a shining piece of U.S. manufacturing."
Chrysler, which analysts had predicted would lose market share in 2012, increased annual sales more than any major automaker other than Toyota and Honda, automakers that rebounded sharply from the 2011 earthquake and tsunami in Japan.
Volkswagen brand and Honda Motor Co. led all automakers last month, outpacing the Detroit 3, Toyota Motor Corp., the Hyundai-Kia Group and Nissan Motor Co.
Helped by newer models such as the mid-sized Passat and compact Jetta, VW posted a December U.S. sales gain of 35 percent. VW sales for the year rose 35 percent to more than 438,000 units.
December marked the 16th straight month VW's U.S. sales have climbed 22 percent or more.
Jonathan Browning, CEO of Volkswagen Group of America, said the company's sales growth would taper off in 2013.
"The Passat and Beetle have been in the market for over a year, so we won't get the same step-up as last year," Browning said Thursday. "We do expect to grow faster than the industry in total."
American Honda said sales rose 26 percent to 132,774 units last month, driven by demand for the new Accord, Civic and CR-V.
BMW brand reported a 39.4 percent boost in sales compared with December 2011, and an annual sales increase of 13.5 for its best year’s results since 2007. Mini sales gained 15 percent for the year.
Healthy retail demand, year-end discounts and a surge in car deliveries helped Chrysler Group report a 10 percent gain in December.
Toyota Motor Sales reported a 9 percent December sales increase and said 2012 deliveries rose 27 percent to 2.08 million.
General Motors' sales rose 5 percent last month and 4 percent for all of 2012. Buick and Cadillac led the December gains, with advances of 5 percent and 12 percent, respectively. Chevrolet deliveries were up 4 percent.
GM cited strong retail demand and higher deliveries of cars, crossovers and pickup trucks for the company's December results.
Ford Motor Co. said December sales rose 2 percent, as the Ford Division advanced 2 percent and Lincoln fell 12 percent. Ford's sales for the year rose 5 percent.
GM, Ford, Hyundai-Kia and Nissan lost U.S. market share in 2012, while Toyota, Chrysler, Honda and the Volkswagen Group gained share.
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