Sales of new autos are forecast to rise this year after a dismal 2009, according to a report from the Newport Beach-based Orange County Auto Dealers Association.
The county’s new auto registrations, a barometer of sales, are forecast to rise 13% to 109,000 vehicles this year.
In 2009, sales fell 26% to 96,289 vehicles, making last year the worst in recent memory.
The report cites pent up demand and an economy that’s expected to improve in the second half of this year for higher 2010 sales.
“With 2009 representing a truly challenging year in the automotive industry, we are very pleased to see the beginning of turnaround in both national and local retail auto sales,” said John Sackrison, executive director for the auto association.
Even with a forecast rebound this year, sales still could be well off what they were in 2005, when local dealers sold 194,498 autos.
The county’s dealers saw sales begin to rise in November and December. November sales were up 8.3% from a year earlier. December sales were up 10.5%.
