Take the AutoFinanceNews.net Car-Sales Crystal Ball Challenge

2009 is finally behind us. The bad news is that the numbers are in, and 2009 was officially the worst car-sales year since 1982. The good news: It can only get better.

In all, 10.4 million new cars were sold last year, down 21% from 2008 and down 35% from 2007. All manufacturers but Hyundai posted year-over-year sales volume declines.

So where does that leave us for 2010? GM expects industry sales in the 11-million-to-12-million range, while Ford forecasts sales of 11.5 million to 12.5 million vehicles. Barclays Capital Research predicts U.S. light vehicle sales increasing to hit 11.7 million units this year.

Care to venture a guess? Be as specific as you’d like, and we will crown an AutoFinanceNews.net winner come January 2011.

My prediction: 11,613,770.

Tags: saar, sales

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Comment by Trish Harrision on January 6, 2010 at 3:05pm: My prediction is 10,6 million

Comment by Valerie Torphy on January 6, 2010 at 3:10pm: I'll say 11,290,000

Comment by Ricky Beggs on January 6, 2010 at 3:14pm: I prefer to report the market as it happens. I will go with 11,498,654. Consumer confidence needs a real boost for the total sales to go any higher and unemployment has to go down, soon. The used market should continue to be very good with prices stable to strong but we won't have the year over year increases that 2009 had over 2008. Have a great year and I hope we are both very low come January 2011!
> Ricky Beggs

Comment by Bruce Callen on January 6, 2010 at 3:20pm: I like Ford's optimism I will say 12,020,578

Comment by Anthony West on January 6, 2010 at 7:02pm: Subaru had an incredible sales campaign in 2009. Their year to year sales numbers were the best in their history with a 15% increase for U.S. in 2009.

Comment by Chad Brown on January 6, 2010 at 7:15pm: I agree subaru has been pushing sales!!!. My prediction: 11,500,000

Comment by Marcie Belles on January 6, 2010 at 8:43pm: Thanks for the predictions, everyone. Keep 'em coming...

Comment by Edward Valentin on January 7, 2010 at 9:48am: I believe that this year we are going to see more lenders come back to the fold giving the market more confidence and being from the optimist club I can see 11,950,000. People are going to need cars and loans based on what has been going on for the last couple of years. This year could be the beginning of the breakthrough.

Comment by Alan Gurewich on January 21, 2010 at 9:45am: 10.7 million. Sales will take awhile before they improve as the consumers are not yet over their economic shock.

Comment by Barb Trawick on February 2, 2010 at 2:42pm: I say some of these folks are being very optimistic! I would say we will be lucky to hit 11MM

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