0
bemærk hyundai/kia +47% og oppe omkring nissan og chrysler niveauet i absolutte tal
All manufacturers have reported Automaker April 2011 April 2010 Pct. chng. 4 month
2011 4 month
2010 Pct. chng.
BMW Group* 25,291 21,153 20% 90,380 76,330 18%
BMW division 18,801 17,268 9% 71,417 63,591 12%
Mini 6,446 3,843 68% 18,787 12,571 49%
Rolls-Royce 44 42 5% 176 168 5%
BMW Group* 25,291 21,153 20% 90,380 76,330 18%
Chrysler Group LLC 117,225 95,703 23% 404,175 329,918 23%
Chrysler Division 20,379 22,386 -9% 63,175 69,534 -9%
Dodge 44,320 38,795 14% 146,297 121,229 21%
Dodge/Ram 63,580 53,672 19% 222,381 177,292 25%
Fiat 882 - -% 1,382 - -%
Jeep 32,384 19,645 65% 117,237 83,092 41%
Ram 19,260 14,877 30% 76,084 56,063 36%
Chrysler Group LLC 117,225 95,703 23% 404,175 329,918 23%
Daimler AG** 19,629 18,916 4% 76,906 70,900 9%
Maybach 5 5 0% 20 23 13%
Mercedes-Benz 19,157 18,231 5% 75,152 68,800 9%
Smart USA 467 680 -31% 1,734 2,077 -17%
Daimler AG** 19,629 18,916 4% 76,906 70,900 9%
Ford Motor Co.*** 189,284 167,283 13% 684,792 608,991 12%
Ford division 182,048 146,330 24% 657,301 528,198 24%
Ford/Lincoln/Mercury 189,284 162,737 16% 684,792 590,439 16%
Lincoln 7,236 7,279 -1% 27,243 29,689 -8%
Mercury - 9,128 -100% 248 32,552 -99%
Volvo - 4,546 -100% - 18,552 -100%
Ford Motor Co.*** 189,284 167,283 13% 684,792 608,991 12%
General Motors**** 232,538 183,614 27% 825,083 659,475 25%
Buick 18,413 12,181 51% 63,152 44,317 43%
Cadillac 13,127 11,317 16% 53,639 40,669 32%
Chevrolet 169,794 135,173 26% 586,299 472,958 24%
GMC 31,204 24,037 30% 121,993 92,656 32%
Hummer - 481 -100% - 1,336 -100%
Pontiac - 52 -100% - 634 -100%
Saab - - -% - 608 -100%
Saturn - 373 -100% - 6,297 -100%
General Motors**** 232,538 183,614 27% 825,083 659,475 25%
Honda (American)† 124,799 113,697 10% 432,777 370,109 17%
Acura 11,604 10,719 8% 42,972 38,512 12%
Honda Division 113,195 102,978 10% 389,805 331,597 18%
Honda (American)† 124,799 113,697 10% 432,777 370,109 17%
Hyundai Group†† 108,828 74,059 47% 356,222 262,264 36%
Hyundai division 61,754 44,023 40% 204,374 155,532 31%
Kia 47,074 30,036 57% 151,848 106,732 42%
Hyundai Group†† 108,828 74,059 47% 356,222 262,264 36%
Jaguar Land Rover 4,231 3,645 16% 14,999 12,736 18%
Jaguar 1,249 896 39% 3,750 3,271 15%
Land Rover 2,982 2,749 9% 11,249 9,465 19%
Jaguar Land Rover 4,231 3,645 16% 14,999 12,736 18%
Maserati 229 186 23% 702 580 21%
Maserati 229 186 23% 702 580 21%
Mazda 20,638 18,935 9% 85,197 74,876 14%
Mazda 20,638 18,935 9% 85,197 74,876 14%
Mitsubishi 8,081 3,932 106% 28,248 17,555 61%
Mitsubishi 8,081 3,932 106% 28,248 17,555 61%
Nissan††† 71,526 63,769 12% 356,884 291,998 22%
Infiniti 6,761 7,211 -6% 34,597 30,905 12%
Nissan Division 64,765 56,558 15% 322,287 261,093 23%
Nissan††† 71,526 63,769 12% 356,884 291,998 22%
Porsche 3,172 1,747 82% 10,179 6,969 46%
Porsche 3,172 1,747 82% 10,179 6,969 46%
Saab Cars North America‡ 696 215 224% 2,765 346 699%
Saab Cars North America‡ 696 215 224% 2,765 346 699%
Subaru 24,762 23,198 7% 92,219 80,692 14%
Subaru 24,762 23,198 7% 92,219 80,692 14%
Suzuki 2,132 1,950 9% 8,834 7,611 16%
Suzuki 2,132 1,950 9% 8,834 7,611 16%
Toyota‡‡ 159,540 157,439 1% 593,464 543,125 9%
Lexus 17,576 18,359 -4% 64,932 67,882 -4%
Scion 5,710 3,577 60% 18,469 13,150 40%
Toyota division 136,254 135,503 1% 510,063 462,093 10%
Toyota/Scion 141,964 139,080 2% 528,532 475,243 11%
Toyota‡‡ 159,540 157,439 1% 593,464 543,125 9%
Volkswagen‡‡‡ 38,679 32,581 19% 131,421 112,490 17%
Audi 10,018 9,319 8% 35,401 30,634 16%
Bentley 119 127 -6% 439 438 0%
VW division 28,542 23,135 23% 95,581 81,418 17%
Volkswagen‡‡‡ 38,679 32,581 19% 131,421 112,490 17%
Volvo Cars North America‡‡‡‡ 6,404 - -% 21,844 - -%
Volvo Cars North America‡‡‡‡ 6,404 - -% 21,844 - -%
Other (estimate) 244 241 1% 976 963 1%
TOTAL 1,157,928 982,263 18% 4,218,067 3,527,928 20%
Numbers in this table are calculated by Automotive News based on actual monthly sales reported by the manufacturers and may differ from numbers reported elsewhere.
Source: Automotive News Data Center
Note: Other includes estimates for Aston Martin, Ferrari, Lamborghini and Lotus
*Includes Mini and Rolls-Royce
**Includes Maybach, Mercedes-Benz and Smart
***Includes Volvo through July 2010
****Includes Saab through February 2010
†Includes Acura
††Includes Kia
†††Includes Infiniti
‡The sale of Saab was final on February 23, 2010
‡‡Includes Lexus and Scion
‡‡‡Includes Audi and Bentley
‡‡‡‡The sale of Volvo to Zhejiang Geely Holding Group was final on Aug. 2, 2010
SUV volumes drop as gas prices rise
APRIL U.S. AUTO SALES
U.S. light vehicle sales advance 18% on demand for fuel-efficient models
SUV volumes drop as gas prices rise
Sales of the Chevrolet Cruze compact topped 25,000 units in April, with retail volume nearly triple the car it replaced, the Cobalt, from a year earlier.
Photo credit: BLOOMBERG
David Phillips
Automotive News -- May 3, 2011 - 11:00 am ET
UPDATED: 5/3/11 4:26 p.m. ET
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U.S. auto sales -- helped by strong retail volume, new models and fuel-efficient vehicles -- rose 18 percent last month as automakers beat back the effects of rising gasoline prices and dwindling supplies of vehicles.
The seasonally adjusted annual sales rate of 13.2 million marked the third straight month above the 13 million mark. Every automaker increased sales as the industry posted its second biggest percentage gain of the year.
South Korea's Hyundai and Kia paced the gainers with a combined increase of 47 percent. Their three biggest Japanese rivals - Toyota, Honda and Nissan - all lost share as they battled product shortages following the March 11 earthquake. General Motors and Chrysler boosted share.
"There's a recovery going on in the auto industry and the economy," Ford sales analyst George Pipas said. "There are more people working today than 2 or 3 months ago, and there's more income."
U.S. auto sales are now up 20 percent for the year. Last month's SAAR of 13.2 million is still well below the industry's sales peak of more than 17 million units in 2000 and 2001 but a sign that the industry's recovery is continuing despite rising fuel prices and mixed readings on employment growth and consumer confidence.
GM's gain was spurred by a 50 percent jump in demand for cars including the new Chevrolet Cruze. But large pickups rose just 2 percent, and sales of some of the automaker's biggest SUVs slumped.
Ford said sales rose 13 percent last month. At the Ford division, volume jumped 24 percent on higher sales of F-Series pickups and the new Explorer crossover. Both models offer more fuel-efficient powertrains. But at Lincoln, demand eased 1 percent, reflecting a drop in crossover and large SUV sales.
Hyundai, propelled by the new Elantra small car, said sales rose 40 percent to set an April record of 61,754 units. Hyundai said it expects its U.S. retail market share to hit a record 5.7 percent for the month.
Hyundai also said its sales to fleet customers have dropped 45 percent this year, with fleet representing 13 percent of volume year-to-date and 11 percent in April.
Nissan said higher sales of fuel-efficient models such as the Altima, Sentra, Leaf and Rogue offset a drop in truck and SUV demand. Its overall sales rose 12 percent.
But Toyota Motor Co.'s sales rose just 1 percent last month, with Lexus down 4 percent and Scion surging 60 percent.
Toyota-brand car sales dropped 2 percent, while its truck and SUV volume rose 2 percent. Bob Carter, head of Toyota's American division, said the automaker was looking forward to "healthy inventory" despite the impact of parts shortages from Japan.
Shift underway
The shift to small cars from larger vehicles accelerated last month, as expected, automakers said.
Honda Motor Co. said demand for the sub-compact Fit rose 66 percent to an April record of 8,116 units and sales of the Insight hybrid jumped 35.4 percent to an April record of 2,644 units.
"Consumers are continuing to rethink their vehicle choice," said Don Johnson, head of GM's U.S. sales operations. "A lot of sales continue to go into the compact car segment as well as the compact crossover segment."
Sales of the Cruze compact topped 25,000 units in April, with retail volume nearly triple the car it replaced, the Cobalt, from a year earlier.
GM said Chevrolet, GMC and Cadillac each set April total and retail sales records for crossover sales, led by a 49-percent increase in combined retail sales of the Chevy Equinox, GMC Terrain and Cadillac SRX.
But demand for the Chevrolet Suburban SUV dropped 31 percent last month. Chevy Tahoe sales fell 16 percent.
GM said its incentives per vehicle dropped by about $400 from March to April, without providing specifics. Truecar.com, an online shopping site, estimated GM's incentives averaged $3,524 last month, up about 6.3 percent from the previous month and up 5.8 percent from a year ago.
Sales outlook
Still, rising gasoline prices and model shortages stemming from the March 11 earthquake in Japan are expected to dampen sales in coming months.
Barclays analyst Brian Johnson this week cut his 2011 sales forecast by 300,000 units to 13.2 million, still among the highest estimates among analysts.
Discounts are forecast to drop 11 percent from April 2010 to $2,386 per vehicle last month, Truecar said.
"With inventory dwindling, automakers didn't have to spend as much money to move metal," TrueCar.com analyst Kristen Andersson said. "Incentive spending was at its lowest level since January 2006."
J.D. Power and Associates said new-vehicle retail sales continued to perform well in the second half of April despite growing inventory concerns, specifically compact vehicle supplies.
"Increasing gas prices and shortages in vehicle inventory have yet to trump the overall recovery that has been progressing since the fall of 2010," said Jeff Schuster, head of global forecasting at J.D. Power.
"However, looking at the remainder of the year, growing uncertainty about gas prices and stockpiles is increasing the risk that that the industry may not reach the expected 13 million-unit level for total light-vehicle sales."
Gas prices
Average U.S. gas prices -- $3.80 a gallon -- are higher at this point in the year than they were in 2008, when a surge in fuel prices sent industry sales tumbling.
But U.S. car shoppers are responding to higher gas prices by choosing smaller vehicles and engines.
Volkswagen of America said it had its best month since November 2003 because of strong sales of the redesigned Jetta compact sedan. Reflective of a gas-conscious consumer, sales of the compact Tiguan SUV rose 48 percent to 2,791 vehicles and "high-mileage," diesel-powered vehicles represented 23 percent of all vehicles sold in April, VW said.
Ford says nearly 50 percent of the F-150 pickups it has sold in recent weeks and months have been equipped with one of two new V-6 engines now offered. In April, V-6 equipped F-150s accounted for 50 percent of all 2011 F-150 retail sales, up from 40 percent in March.
During the first 24 days of April, retail sales of small cars represented 23.9 percent of all light vehicle sales, up from 21 percent during the same period in 2010, Ford said.
Overall, retail sales of cars accounted for 52.9 percent of industry sales, up from 51.7 percent during the first 24 days of April 2010.
Minivans and pickups lost ground industry-wide in April, Ford said.
Decent truck demand
Still, truck demand has remained resilient despite the surge in gas prices.
Sales of the redesigned Porsche Cayenne SUV have surged 141 percent this year. Land Rover sales are up 19 percent. Chrysler reported a 29 percent jump in Ram pickup sales last month, and year-to-date sales are up 36 percent to 70,419 units.
Ford sold 45,435 F-Series pickups in April, an increase of 11 percent from a year ago, and sales are up 20 percent year-to-date. Ford Expedition SUV sales rose 8 percent last month and are up 15 percent for the year.
Analysts say wealthy consumers and small business owners are behind the rise in truck and SUV sales.
"Rising gas prices are pressuring truck sales, but the impact is more manageable this time around," Johnson said in a report Monday.
"We estimate less share loss than in 2008 for large trucks as most discretionary buyers have already moved away from the segment."
Dealers are also bracing for a shortage of models built in Japan.
Honda on Monday became the latest Japanese automaker to warn of more inventory shortages following the March earthquake in Japan. The quake, tsunami and nuclear crisis have disrupted parts production across Japan, forcing Honda, Toyota and other automakers to curtail output.
Honda said today its U.S. sales rose 10 percent last month, and are up 17 percent year-to-date.
"While our current dealer supply of vehicles remains adequate, we know that production constraints may start to affect sales into the summer months," John Mendel, executive vice president of sales for American Honda, said today. "We are working closely with our dealers, and together we are committed to continue our focus to support the needs of our customers."
The inventory shortfall is expected to become more acute with smaller models such as the Honda Fit and Toyota Prius hybrid that are only assembled in Japan.
Prius demand dropped 4.3 percent last month, reflecting tightening supplies and a reduction in incentives.
Read more: http://www.autonews.com/article/20110503/RETAIL01/110509980/1448#ixzz1LM7gXp00
All manufacturers have reported Automaker April 2011 April 2010 Pct. chng. 4 month
2011 4 month
2010 Pct. chng.
BMW Group* 25,291 21,153 20% 90,380 76,330 18%
BMW division 18,801 17,268 9% 71,417 63,591 12%
Mini 6,446 3,843 68% 18,787 12,571 49%
Rolls-Royce 44 42 5% 176 168 5%
BMW Group* 25,291 21,153 20% 90,380 76,330 18%
Chrysler Group LLC 117,225 95,703 23% 404,175 329,918 23%
Chrysler Division 20,379 22,386 -9% 63,175 69,534 -9%
Dodge 44,320 38,795 14% 146,297 121,229 21%
Dodge/Ram 63,580 53,672 19% 222,381 177,292 25%
Fiat 882 - -% 1,382 - -%
Jeep 32,384 19,645 65% 117,237 83,092 41%
Ram 19,260 14,877 30% 76,084 56,063 36%
Chrysler Group LLC 117,225 95,703 23% 404,175 329,918 23%
Daimler AG** 19,629 18,916 4% 76,906 70,900 9%
Maybach 5 5 0% 20 23 13%
Mercedes-Benz 19,157 18,231 5% 75,152 68,800 9%
Smart USA 467 680 -31% 1,734 2,077 -17%
Daimler AG** 19,629 18,916 4% 76,906 70,900 9%
Ford Motor Co.*** 189,284 167,283 13% 684,792 608,991 12%
Ford division 182,048 146,330 24% 657,301 528,198 24%
Ford/Lincoln/Mercury 189,284 162,737 16% 684,792 590,439 16%
Lincoln 7,236 7,279 -1% 27,243 29,689 -8%
Mercury - 9,128 -100% 248 32,552 -99%
Volvo - 4,546 -100% - 18,552 -100%
Ford Motor Co.*** 189,284 167,283 13% 684,792 608,991 12%
General Motors**** 232,538 183,614 27% 825,083 659,475 25%
Buick 18,413 12,181 51% 63,152 44,317 43%
Cadillac 13,127 11,317 16% 53,639 40,669 32%
Chevrolet 169,794 135,173 26% 586,299 472,958 24%
GMC 31,204 24,037 30% 121,993 92,656 32%
Hummer - 481 -100% - 1,336 -100%
Pontiac - 52 -100% - 634 -100%
Saab - - -% - 608 -100%
Saturn - 373 -100% - 6,297 -100%
General Motors**** 232,538 183,614 27% 825,083 659,475 25%
Honda (American)† 124,799 113,697 10% 432,777 370,109 17%
Acura 11,604 10,719 8% 42,972 38,512 12%
Honda Division 113,195 102,978 10% 389,805 331,597 18%
Honda (American)† 124,799 113,697 10% 432,777 370,109 17%
Hyundai Group†† 108,828 74,059 47% 356,222 262,264 36%
Hyundai division 61,754 44,023 40% 204,374 155,532 31%
Kia 47,074 30,036 57% 151,848 106,732 42%
Hyundai Group†† 108,828 74,059 47% 356,222 262,264 36%
Jaguar Land Rover 4,231 3,645 16% 14,999 12,736 18%
Jaguar 1,249 896 39% 3,750 3,271 15%
Land Rover 2,982 2,749 9% 11,249 9,465 19%
Jaguar Land Rover 4,231 3,645 16% 14,999 12,736 18%
Maserati 229 186 23% 702 580 21%
Maserati 229 186 23% 702 580 21%
Mazda 20,638 18,935 9% 85,197 74,876 14%
Mazda 20,638 18,935 9% 85,197 74,876 14%
Mitsubishi 8,081 3,932 106% 28,248 17,555 61%
Mitsubishi 8,081 3,932 106% 28,248 17,555 61%
Nissan††† 71,526 63,769 12% 356,884 291,998 22%
Infiniti 6,761 7,211 -6% 34,597 30,905 12%
Nissan Division 64,765 56,558 15% 322,287 261,093 23%
Nissan††† 71,526 63,769 12% 356,884 291,998 22%
Porsche 3,172 1,747 82% 10,179 6,969 46%
Porsche 3,172 1,747 82% 10,179 6,969 46%
Saab Cars North America‡ 696 215 224% 2,765 346 699%
Saab Cars North America‡ 696 215 224% 2,765 346 699%
Subaru 24,762 23,198 7% 92,219 80,692 14%
Subaru 24,762 23,198 7% 92,219 80,692 14%
Suzuki 2,132 1,950 9% 8,834 7,611 16%
Suzuki 2,132 1,950 9% 8,834 7,611 16%
Toyota‡‡ 159,540 157,439 1% 593,464 543,125 9%
Lexus 17,576 18,359 -4% 64,932 67,882 -4%
Scion 5,710 3,577 60% 18,469 13,150 40%
Toyota division 136,254 135,503 1% 510,063 462,093 10%
Toyota/Scion 141,964 139,080 2% 528,532 475,243 11%
Toyota‡‡ 159,540 157,439 1% 593,464 543,125 9%
Volkswagen‡‡‡ 38,679 32,581 19% 131,421 112,490 17%
Audi 10,018 9,319 8% 35,401 30,634 16%
Bentley 119 127 -6% 439 438 0%
VW division 28,542 23,135 23% 95,581 81,418 17%
Volkswagen‡‡‡ 38,679 32,581 19% 131,421 112,490 17%
Volvo Cars North America‡‡‡‡ 6,404 - -% 21,844 - -%
Volvo Cars North America‡‡‡‡ 6,404 - -% 21,844 - -%
Other (estimate) 244 241 1% 976 963 1%
TOTAL 1,157,928 982,263 18% 4,218,067 3,527,928 20%
Numbers in this table are calculated by Automotive News based on actual monthly sales reported by the manufacturers and may differ from numbers reported elsewhere.
Source: Automotive News Data Center
Note: Other includes estimates for Aston Martin, Ferrari, Lamborghini and Lotus
*Includes Mini and Rolls-Royce
**Includes Maybach, Mercedes-Benz and Smart
***Includes Volvo through July 2010
****Includes Saab through February 2010
†Includes Acura
††Includes Kia
†††Includes Infiniti
‡The sale of Saab was final on February 23, 2010
‡‡Includes Lexus and Scion
‡‡‡Includes Audi and Bentley
‡‡‡‡The sale of Volvo to Zhejiang Geely Holding Group was final on Aug. 2, 2010
SUV volumes drop as gas prices rise
APRIL U.S. AUTO SALES
U.S. light vehicle sales advance 18% on demand for fuel-efficient models
SUV volumes drop as gas prices rise
Sales of the Chevrolet Cruze compact topped 25,000 units in April, with retail volume nearly triple the car it replaced, the Cobalt, from a year earlier.
Photo credit: BLOOMBERG
David Phillips
Automotive News -- May 3, 2011 - 11:00 am ET
UPDATED: 5/3/11 4:26 p.m. ET
Print Reprints 14 commentsRecommend (2) >> Send us a Letter to the Editor
Follow Automotive News
•
•
•
•
•
•
U.S. auto sales -- helped by strong retail volume, new models and fuel-efficient vehicles -- rose 18 percent last month as automakers beat back the effects of rising gasoline prices and dwindling supplies of vehicles.
The seasonally adjusted annual sales rate of 13.2 million marked the third straight month above the 13 million mark. Every automaker increased sales as the industry posted its second biggest percentage gain of the year.
South Korea's Hyundai and Kia paced the gainers with a combined increase of 47 percent. Their three biggest Japanese rivals - Toyota, Honda and Nissan - all lost share as they battled product shortages following the March 11 earthquake. General Motors and Chrysler boosted share.
"There's a recovery going on in the auto industry and the economy," Ford sales analyst George Pipas said. "There are more people working today than 2 or 3 months ago, and there's more income."
U.S. auto sales are now up 20 percent for the year. Last month's SAAR of 13.2 million is still well below the industry's sales peak of more than 17 million units in 2000 and 2001 but a sign that the industry's recovery is continuing despite rising fuel prices and mixed readings on employment growth and consumer confidence.
GM's gain was spurred by a 50 percent jump in demand for cars including the new Chevrolet Cruze. But large pickups rose just 2 percent, and sales of some of the automaker's biggest SUVs slumped.
Ford said sales rose 13 percent last month. At the Ford division, volume jumped 24 percent on higher sales of F-Series pickups and the new Explorer crossover. Both models offer more fuel-efficient powertrains. But at Lincoln, demand eased 1 percent, reflecting a drop in crossover and large SUV sales.
Hyundai, propelled by the new Elantra small car, said sales rose 40 percent to set an April record of 61,754 units. Hyundai said it expects its U.S. retail market share to hit a record 5.7 percent for the month.
Hyundai also said its sales to fleet customers have dropped 45 percent this year, with fleet representing 13 percent of volume year-to-date and 11 percent in April.
Nissan said higher sales of fuel-efficient models such as the Altima, Sentra, Leaf and Rogue offset a drop in truck and SUV demand. Its overall sales rose 12 percent.
But Toyota Motor Co.'s sales rose just 1 percent last month, with Lexus down 4 percent and Scion surging 60 percent.
Toyota-brand car sales dropped 2 percent, while its truck and SUV volume rose 2 percent. Bob Carter, head of Toyota's American division, said the automaker was looking forward to "healthy inventory" despite the impact of parts shortages from Japan.
Shift underway
The shift to small cars from larger vehicles accelerated last month, as expected, automakers said.
Honda Motor Co. said demand for the sub-compact Fit rose 66 percent to an April record of 8,116 units and sales of the Insight hybrid jumped 35.4 percent to an April record of 2,644 units.
"Consumers are continuing to rethink their vehicle choice," said Don Johnson, head of GM's U.S. sales operations. "A lot of sales continue to go into the compact car segment as well as the compact crossover segment."
Sales of the Cruze compact topped 25,000 units in April, with retail volume nearly triple the car it replaced, the Cobalt, from a year earlier.
GM said Chevrolet, GMC and Cadillac each set April total and retail sales records for crossover sales, led by a 49-percent increase in combined retail sales of the Chevy Equinox, GMC Terrain and Cadillac SRX.
But demand for the Chevrolet Suburban SUV dropped 31 percent last month. Chevy Tahoe sales fell 16 percent.
GM said its incentives per vehicle dropped by about $400 from March to April, without providing specifics. Truecar.com, an online shopping site, estimated GM's incentives averaged $3,524 last month, up about 6.3 percent from the previous month and up 5.8 percent from a year ago.
Sales outlook
Still, rising gasoline prices and model shortages stemming from the March 11 earthquake in Japan are expected to dampen sales in coming months.
Barclays analyst Brian Johnson this week cut his 2011 sales forecast by 300,000 units to 13.2 million, still among the highest estimates among analysts.
Discounts are forecast to drop 11 percent from April 2010 to $2,386 per vehicle last month, Truecar said.
"With inventory dwindling, automakers didn't have to spend as much money to move metal," TrueCar.com analyst Kristen Andersson said. "Incentive spending was at its lowest level since January 2006."
J.D. Power and Associates said new-vehicle retail sales continued to perform well in the second half of April despite growing inventory concerns, specifically compact vehicle supplies.
"Increasing gas prices and shortages in vehicle inventory have yet to trump the overall recovery that has been progressing since the fall of 2010," said Jeff Schuster, head of global forecasting at J.D. Power.
"However, looking at the remainder of the year, growing uncertainty about gas prices and stockpiles is increasing the risk that that the industry may not reach the expected 13 million-unit level for total light-vehicle sales."
Gas prices
Average U.S. gas prices -- $3.80 a gallon -- are higher at this point in the year than they were in 2008, when a surge in fuel prices sent industry sales tumbling.
But U.S. car shoppers are responding to higher gas prices by choosing smaller vehicles and engines.
Volkswagen of America said it had its best month since November 2003 because of strong sales of the redesigned Jetta compact sedan. Reflective of a gas-conscious consumer, sales of the compact Tiguan SUV rose 48 percent to 2,791 vehicles and "high-mileage," diesel-powered vehicles represented 23 percent of all vehicles sold in April, VW said.
Ford says nearly 50 percent of the F-150 pickups it has sold in recent weeks and months have been equipped with one of two new V-6 engines now offered. In April, V-6 equipped F-150s accounted for 50 percent of all 2011 F-150 retail sales, up from 40 percent in March.
During the first 24 days of April, retail sales of small cars represented 23.9 percent of all light vehicle sales, up from 21 percent during the same period in 2010, Ford said.
Overall, retail sales of cars accounted for 52.9 percent of industry sales, up from 51.7 percent during the first 24 days of April 2010.
Minivans and pickups lost ground industry-wide in April, Ford said.
Decent truck demand
Still, truck demand has remained resilient despite the surge in gas prices.
Sales of the redesigned Porsche Cayenne SUV have surged 141 percent this year. Land Rover sales are up 19 percent. Chrysler reported a 29 percent jump in Ram pickup sales last month, and year-to-date sales are up 36 percent to 70,419 units.
Ford sold 45,435 F-Series pickups in April, an increase of 11 percent from a year ago, and sales are up 20 percent year-to-date. Ford Expedition SUV sales rose 8 percent last month and are up 15 percent for the year.
Analysts say wealthy consumers and small business owners are behind the rise in truck and SUV sales.
"Rising gas prices are pressuring truck sales, but the impact is more manageable this time around," Johnson said in a report Monday.
"We estimate less share loss than in 2008 for large trucks as most discretionary buyers have already moved away from the segment."
Dealers are also bracing for a shortage of models built in Japan.
Honda on Monday became the latest Japanese automaker to warn of more inventory shortages following the March earthquake in Japan. The quake, tsunami and nuclear crisis have disrupted parts production across Japan, forcing Honda, Toyota and other automakers to curtail output.
Honda said today its U.S. sales rose 10 percent last month, and are up 17 percent year-to-date.
"While our current dealer supply of vehicles remains adequate, we know that production constraints may start to affect sales into the summer months," John Mendel, executive vice president of sales for American Honda, said today. "We are working closely with our dealers, and together we are committed to continue our focus to support the needs of our customers."
The inventory shortfall is expected to become more acute with smaller models such as the Honda Fit and Toyota Prius hybrid that are only assembled in Japan.
Prius demand dropped 4.3 percent last month, reflecting tightening supplies and a reduction in incentives.
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