Domestic Car Sales Rise 3.7%

Total U.S. auto sales rose 3.7% in November, led by a strong sales report from industry leader General Motors, the auto makers reported Monday.

The sales of U.S.-made autos rose 9.1% during the month, compared to November, 1987, while imported auto sales fell 6.9%.

Among Detroit’s “Big Three” auto companies, General Motors’ sales showed the biggest year-to-year gain. However, its big 14.1% increase was due in part to the comparison against dismal sales in the year-ago period. Domestic auto sales for Ford and Chrysler were about even with sales in the year-ago period, with Ford down 0.5%, and Chrysler up 1.2%.

Auto industry analysts said the imports were weak because the transplants, or foreign name-plate vehicles now built in the United States, ate into the import sales.

“Part of the slowdown in import sales is due to a continuing buildup of transplant production,” said Chris Cedergren, an automotive analyst with J. D. Power & Associates.

AUTO SALES

Percentage changes in auto sales for the month of November are based on daily rates rather than total sales volume. There were 25 selling days in the current period and 24 in the year-ago period.

% November 1988 change GM 267,666 +14.1 Ford 156,149 -0.5 Chrysler 76,608 +1.2 Honda US 33,601 +29.5 Nissan US 6,667 +30.5 Toyota US 8,797 +132.8 Mazda US 2,561 +365.6 Domestic 552,049 +9.1 Toyota Imp. 53,897 +1.0 Nissan Imp. 33,744 +3.4 Honda Imp. 30,296 -19.4 Mazda 16,123 -16.7 Subaru 11,583 -17.5 VW Imp. 7,509 -31.7 Volvo 8,109 +20.7 Hyundai 17,732 -5.8 Mitsubishi 4,492 -7.9 Others* 54,915 -4.9 Imports* 238,400 -6.9 Total US 790,449 +3.7