DETOIT, Reuter: Fuelled by marketing incentives and the growing popularity of trucks and foreign cars, US. Sales of 1986 model vehicles hit an estimated 16.5 million units, the best performance in history, the major carmakers reported,
‘They also reported their strongest September sales ever, which were sparked by Detroit’s wide ranging campaign offering buyers low interest loans or cash rebates.
For the 1986 model year, ending in July, car sales totalled 11,195,028 for a 1.2 per cent increase from last year’s 11,059,279.
Sales of trucks, including minivans, were estimated at a record 4,85 million ~ a 5.6 per cent gain over the 4,591,578 last year.
However, of the big three Detroit manufacturers, only Chrysler recorded a car sales gain over the 1985 model year. Sales of domestic built cars actively fell3.9 per cent from last year to 8,05 million from nearly 8.4 million a year ago.
‘And imported cars, mostly from Japan and Europe, took 28 per cent of the market, with sales of 3, 13 million, representing a 17 per cent jump from a year ago, when the imports share was 24.2 per cent.
Article extracted from this publication >> October 17, 1986
