DETROIT – Automakers ended 2012 with modest sales results in the United States, capping a strong year and promising more growth in 2013.
Based on early reports Thursday, analysts predicted a 10 percent increase overall for the industry for December, a gain that would put the year’s sales at about 14.5 million – the best performance since 2007.
The three Detroit car companies all posted sales gains in December, solidifying improvements made throughout year because of consumers replacing their aging cars and trucks.
General Motors, the largest American automaker, said its December sales increased 4.9 percent, primarily because of new products such as the Cadillac ATS sedan and higher incentives on its Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra pickups.
The company had been losing ground in the high-profit pickup truck segment until it added discounts to the Silverado, which posted a 6.1 percent sales increase in December, and the Sierra, which was up 13.4 percent.
For the year, G.M. sold 2.59 million vehicles, an increase of 3.7 percent from 2011. That lagged the overall gains in the market, which were about 14 percent industrywide for the year.
G.M.'s head of United States sales, Kurt McNeil, said the company expects significant growth in 2013, with industry sales as high as 15.5 million. He noted that the resolution of fiscal negotiations in Washington removed some potential concerns for consumers shopping for new vehicles.
“We are especially pleased that the politicians on both sides of the aisle in Washington were able to compromise,” Mr. McNeil said in a conference call with analysts and media Thursday. “The short-term crisis has passed.”
Ford Motor Company reported a slight sales increase of 1.9 percent in December as safety recalls for its new Escape SUV and Fusion sedan depressed results.
Ford said that sales of the Fusion dropped 10.8 percent during the month and Escape sales slid 21.3 percent. The company has been plagued with multiple recalls on engines and other parts on the vehicles, which are usually among its strongest sellers.
The drop was mitigated by strong results for Ford’s two smallest cars, the Focus, which increased in sales by 58.3 percent, and the Fiesta, which was up by 52.8 percent.
For all of 2012, Ford’s United States sales increased 4.7 percent to 2.25 million vehicles. Ken Czubay, head of Ford’s domestic sales and marketing, said the company’s small-car sales were its best in more than a decade.
Ford predicted that industry sales in 2013 could reach 16 million vehicles, as more Americans replace older models with new, more fuel-efficient ones.
Chrysler, the smallest of the Detroit companies, was again the star performer in December, with a 10 percent increase.
The company’s new compact car, the Dodge Dart, showed improvement with a 36 percent gain from the prior month. In fact, much of Chrysler’s lineup – ranging from Jeep SUVs to the tiny Fiat 500 micro-car – posted sales records for the month of December.
For the year, Chrysler sold 1.65 million vehicles, a 21 percent increase from 2011.
The major foreign automakers were expected to report results later in day. In a partial report, Toyota, the biggest of the Japanese manufacturers, said that it sold 2 million vehicles in the United States during 2012, a 26.6 percent increase from the year before.
Car Sales End Strong Year on Modest Note
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Car Sales End Strong Year on Modest Note
