US Car Sales to Reach 16 Million by 2013

It's been a long time since the US auto market, until recently the biggest in the world, hasn't seen such a big number attached to its yearly performance sheet. According to a study conducted by consulting firm A.T. Kearney, this situation will not last long, however.

Because a variety of factors will probably come together in just the right manner (the most important of which being the expected relaxation of sub-prime loans and the consumers' interest in new cars), the US auto industry will be back where it was prior to the 2009 crisis two years from now, when the sales numbers should show 16 million new cars sold. (As a side note, last year, the prediction was that the 16 million mark would be reached in 2012).

According to Kearney, the prediction is not far fetched, considering that this year the Americans' appetite for new cars will put 13.2 million new cars on the roads. Some impact from the situation in Japan, where the suppliers have been severely hit by the March 11 disaster, is however expected to be felt.

Kerney says that because of the Japanese disaster, some 328,00 potential customers, who were waiting to buy one make or another, are now up for grabs by the competition. The parts shortage led to the stop in production, and that in turn made the 328,00 customers be left without the car of their dreams.

“We already see 328,000 U.S. customers up for grabs if the necessary parts do not become available,” said Dan Cheng, leader of the consultant’s automotive practice, according to Freep.