Car sales booming in Baghdad
The Hyundai dealership in Baghdad is one of only two authorized dealerships in the city. While American car sales have fallen sharply, pent-up demand for new cars in Iraq is fueling a car-buying boom. Sales at the Hyundai dealership have gone from almost none in 2006 and 2007 to about 150 vehicles a month. (Saad Khalaf / Los Angeles Times)
Iraqis prefer white cars because they keep drivers cooler. Also, Iraqis tend to choose Japanese cars because they believe the air conditioning in them is more reliable than in American cars. (Saad Khalaf / Los Angeles Times)
Prospective buyers check out new cars in a neighborhood lot in Baghdad. Most merchants will accept payment only in cash, in full. (Saad Khalaf / Los Angeles Times)
Car seekers check out the vehicles at a neighborhood lot in Baghdad. Away from the authorized dealerships, new car prices are inflated to meet demand. One merchant displayed a fully loaded 2009 Ford Flex, which he planned to sell for $60,000, almost double what it would cost in the States. These lot owners buy from dealers in Kuwait and Jordan, then ship the cars into Iraq. (Saad Khalaf / Los Angeles Times)
A dog naps under one of the cars for sale at a neighborhood lot in Baghdad. At the authorized Hyundai dealership, one buyer was hopeful about driving conditions in the capital. Security is a lot better, he said. Theres no more danger in driving a new car on the streets of Baghdad.” (Saad Khalaf / Los Angeles Times)
