Domestic Car Sales Climb 2.3% in Early February
Sales of American-built automobiles were 2.3% better in early February than they were in the same period last year, despite bad weather conditions throughout the country, the auto makers reported Wednesday.
The six domestic producers sold 165,221 cars, or 20,652 per day, in the Feb. 1-10 period this year, compared to 181,694, or 20,188 per day, in the same period of 1984.
The percentage increase is calculated based on the daily selling rate because there were eight selling days in the early February period this year and nine in the 1984 period.
Auto Sales Percentage changes in auto sales for the first 10 days of February are based on daily rates rather than total sales volume. There were 8 selling days in 1985 period and 9 selling days in the year ago period. Total import sales are estimated based on incomplete reports.
10 Day Feb. 1-10 1985 Feb. 1-10 1984 % change GM 93,077 99,353 +5.4 Ford 40,413 51,166 -11.1 Chrysler 23,980 22,772 +18.5 AMC* 2,520 4,800 -38.4 VW U.S. 900 1,329 -24.0 Honda U.S. 4,331 2,274 +96.9 TOTAL 165,221 181,694 +2.3
*Estimate
The sales rate of 20,652 per day was the best for early February since 1979, when domestic manufacturers sold 23,341 per day.
New-car sales equaled an 8.3-million seasonally adjusted annual rate, down from an 8.5-million annual rate for January. The annual rate is a reflection of the number of cars that would be sold if the early February pace continued for 12 months.
“An annual rate of 8.3 million would be considered good anyway but, considering the weather damage, it is an excellent rate,” an auto company analyst said.
Louis E. Lataif, Ford’s vice president for sales, said the year-ago period was boosted by sales incentive programs that were absent this year, causing a “distorted year-to-year comparison.”
American Honda Motor Co.--emerging as the nation’s No. 4 car maker--sold more of its Ohio-made Accords than the combined domestic sales of American Motors Corp. and Volkswagen of America Inc.
