Edmunds forecasts March sales jump 12.4 million, Toyota up 80%

The Seasonally Adjusted Annual Rate of Vehicle sales is expected to jump to 12.4 million for March; that represents a 2.1 million unit jump over February. Incentives are abound in dealer showrooms, and that is one factor being attributed to the jump.

Toyota is expected to see an increase of 80% from February, and Ford is once again expected to outpace GM. Experts warn however, to not take this as sign of a turning economy, as the sales have been spurred by defensive moves, and most likely will not last. Toyota launched a host of incentives in March, including 0% financing for 72 months.

New vehicle sales, including fleets, are expected to be in the neighborhood of 1,119,700 units; 30.9 percent higher than March of 2009, and a 43.9 percent jump over February 2010.

Edmunds expects all manufacturers except Chrysler to show improvements in the American market this month, with Chrysler, Ford, and GM taking 44% in March 2010. That is down from 45.1% in March of ’09, and down 47.1% from February 2010.

– By: Stephen Calogera

Source: AutoObserver