DETROIT, Dec. 2 (UPI) — Automobile sales in the United States set a new record last month on the heels of Donald Trump‘s surprise election and a surge in consumer confidence.
Statistics according to Autodata showed Thursday that just under 1.4 new vehicles were sold in November — up almost 4 percent from 2015 and far better than the previous record, set in 2001.
Dealers had two extra days this year compared to last and were aided by big “Black Friday” sales, experts said.
Industry officials said they expect strong sales to continue.
“We’re very optimistic of what the economy is going to provide the auto industry over the next 24 or 36 months,” Bob Carter, senior vice president of operations for Toyota Motor Sales USA, said Thursday.
“After one of the most contentious elections in the U.S. … the question was what effect may that have on consumer confidence?” Carter added. “From my perspective, when you look at the strength of November … consumer confidence is just fine.”
Further, the U.S. auto industry has a chance to beat last year’s full-year sales mark of 17.47 million autos sold.
“It’s going to come down to December. If it’s flat it will be another record year,” Kelley Blue Book analyst Tim Fleming said.
November sales were on the high end of prognostications by analysts, who expected an increase of between 2.7 and 4.2 percent.
