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1999 U.S. Auto Sales Set New Record; Up 8.75%, Reports Morgan & Company, Inc.

7 January 2000

1999 U.S. Auto Sales Set New Record; Up 8.75%, Reports Morgan & Company, Inc.

    WEST OLIVE, Mich., Jan. 6 -- Morgan & Company, Inc. reports
that U.S. auto sales totaled 16.95 million for 1999, an increase of 8.75% over
1998, and up 5.77% from the previous record set back in 1986 when just over
16 million vehicles were sold.
    Car sales totaled 8.70 million, up 6.83% from year-ago sales of 8.14
million.  Light truck sales reached 8.25 million, up 10.85% from year-earlier
sales of 7.44 million.  Light truck market share hit 48.69%; up from 47.76% in
1998 and 28.81% in 1986.

    WHICH BRANDS KEPT PACE IN TERMS OF 1999 GROWTH:

    BRAND NAME    % GROWTH    OBSERVATIONS
    Daewoo         1166.95%   First full year of sales, firmly established
    Hyundai          81.99%   Making inroads, Sonata & Elantra up over 100%
    Kia              62.37%   Sportage up 83%, Sephia up 51%
    Jaguar           55.71%   S-Type sales of 15,541
    Volkswagen       43.65%   Strong gains for New Beetle, Jetta, Passat
    Audi             38.81%   A6 up 45%, TT Coupe introduction
    Mitsubishi       37.13%   On strength of Galant and Montero Sport
    Land Rover       37.12%   Defender gone, Discovery up 54%
    Suzuki           32.31%   Vitara/Grand Vitara sales up 480%
    Saab             28.56%   9-3 up 75%, 9-5 up 112%
    Porsche          21.10%   Boxster up 31%, 911 up 8%
    Jeep             20.72%   Grand Cherokee up 31%, Cherokee up 13%
    Lexus            18.96%   Cars down 6%, SUVs up 68%; #2 luxury brand
    BMW              17.80%   Import cars up 20%, domestic cars down 3%
    GMC              15.63%   Sierra up 30%, Suburban/Yukon XL up 10%
    Volvo            15.34%   S80 up 456%, S40/V40 introduction
    Pontiac          14.90%   Grand Am up 30%, Grand Prix up 21%
    Infiniti         14.12%   G20/I30 up, Q45/QX4 down
    Buick            11.92%   Century up 24%, Regal up 12%, LeSabre up 9%
    Mercedes-Benz    11.27%   S-Class up 91%, CLK up 44%; #1 luxury brand

    U.S. MARKET       8.75%   Keeping your 'slice of the pie'

    Nissan            8.37%   Trucks up 34% but cars down 5%
    Chevrolet         7.53%   Cars up 1%, trucks up 11%
    Toyota            7.04%   Cars up 4%, trucks up 13%, add Tundra/Sienna
    Acura             6.90%   TL up 238%, all others were down
    Oldsmobile        6.81%   Cars all down except Alero, up 323%
    Mercury           6.78%   Cougar up 60%, Tracer going away
    Honda             6.64%   Civic down 5%, CRV up 20%, add Odyssey
    Subaru            6.07%   Legacy down 2%, Forester up 25%
    Chrysler          4.36%   Weaker sales of Cirrus, Concorde, Sebring
    Dodge             3.83%   Cars up less than 3%, trucks up just 4%
    Ford              3.82%   Slipping, still #1 brand with #1 F-Series
    Isuzu             2.07%   Hombre down 48%, Trooper up 14%
    Mazda             1.32%   MPV up 29%, Millenia up 15%, 626 down 5%
    Saturn            0.34%   LS/LW sales of 24,456, S sales down 23,672
    Cadillac         -2.23%   Everything's down except Escalade
    Lincoln          -5.68%   LS good, others down
    Plymouth        -10.75%   Going ... going ... almost gone

    Visit our Website or contact us for further information including complete
sales analysis for the month of December, and CY 1999, with nameplate
specifics, manufacturer totals and segment trends.
    Morgan & Company, Inc. provides comprehensive statistics, accurate
forecasts, actionable research, and recommendations that improve the strategic
position of automotive suppliers and vehicle manufacturers.