2008 U.S. vehicle sales likely to drop to 15.7M

2/11/2008

SAN FRANCISCO Carmakers will sell about 15.7 million vehicles in the United States this year, the fewest since 1998, an auto industry economist said.

Unemployment will peak at 5.3 percent, and the economy will pick up in the second half, Paul Taylor, chief economist for the National Automobile Dealers Association, said during the group s convention yesterday.

Americans bought 16.1 million cars and light trucks last year, the fewest since 1998.