THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, July 7, 1994 TAG: 9407070438
SECTION: BUSINESS PAGE: D1 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY MIKE McKESSON
ASSOCIATED PRESS
DATELINE: DETROIT LENGTH: Short : 36 lines
Strong demand for vans, pickups and sport-utility vehicles helped drive June vehicle sales 7.3 percent higher, major automakers reported Wednesday.
Light truck sales were up nearly 11 percent for the month and 15 percent for the first half, compared with the same periods of 1993.
Ford truck sales rose 10 percent over last June and are up 15 percent for the year. At Chrysler, monthly truck sales were 11.3 percent higher, while year-to-date deliveries were up nearly 18 percent.
General Motors Corp. did not report final sales figures because of a companywide two-week summer shutdown, but preliminary statistics and estimates pegged GM light truck sales in June about 5 percent ahead of a year ago, and for the year to date they were up more than 12 percent.
Industrywide car sales for June were about 5 percent higher, with Japanese companies reporting strong performances. Toyota was up nearly 20 percent for the month for cars and 35.5 percent for trucks. Nissan, up 15.3 percent for June, said it had its best sales month in nearly eight years. Overall, the Japanese companies sold nearly 18 percent more vehicles in June than a year ago. For the first half of 1994, their sales were up 12.7 percent.
Big Three vehicle sales were up about 3 percent in June and are running 9.7 percent ahead of last year's first six months.
KEYWORDS: AUTOMOBILE SALES by CNB