The recovering U.S. auto industry should hit its stride this year as new vehicle offerings, pickup-truck demand and a stable economy push sales above 15 million.
New vehicle registrations—a key indicator of auto sales—are expected to climb this year to 15.3 million as consumers with more access to loans and leases continue buying, automotive forecasting firm Polk predicts. Since registrations slightly lag sales, the number of new vehicles sold could actually reach 15.4 million.
The forecast underscores the buying enthusiasm auto dealers say they saw in the closing months of 2012. Last year's new vehicle sales are on track to hit 14.4 million. The final count will be announced Thursday when auto makers release December U.S. sales data.
Source
The Wall Street Journal