Scorching May Auto Sales Beat Expectations

International Nameplate Dealers Announce Monthly Sales

Alexandria, VA -- June 3, 2015: The American International Automobile Dealers Association (AIADA) today released May 2015 sales figures for the international nameplate automobile industry. AIADA represents America’s approximately 10,000 international nameplate franchises whose brands accounted for 54.6 percent of all vehicles sold in the United States last month.

AutoData Corp. reports that the seasonally adjusted annual rate (SAAR) was 17.79 million units, beating analysts’ expectation of 17.3 million units. This is the highest recorded SAAR since the 20.65 million units reported in July 2005. Industrywide, 1,635,090 light vehicles were sold last month, compared to 1,454,951 in April and 1,608,693 a year ago. So far this year sales for all brands, unadjusted for business days, are up 4.5 percent from 2014.

May’s sales winners included BMW, up 4.7 percent; Subaru, up 12.2 percent; and Volkswagen, up 8.1 percent. Audi, up 11 percent, saw sales rise for an industry-leading 67th month in a row. Pick-ups, up 7.3 percent as a segment, and crossovers, up 10.4 percent, drove sales in May, while sales of small cars were down 3.5 percent. Honda’s sales were flat, falling 0.3 percent, and Toyota saw sales slip 1.6 percent.

“Memorial day weekend sales and summer-like weather had consumers feeling confident in May,” said AIADA President Cody Lusk. “Interest rates are low and Americans are finding the vehicles and deals they’re looking for at their local international nameplate dealership.”

International brands sold 891,687 units in May, up from 777,510 vehicles in April and 867,097 in March. Asian nameplates occupied 45.7 percent of the U.S. market, up from 44.3 percent in April. European nameplates fell from 9.2 percent in April to 8.9 percent in May. Domestic brands fell from 46.6 percent in April to 45.5 percent in May.