USA March 2014: Ram Pick-up up to 2nd place for first time

Ram 1500

* NOW UPDATED with the Top 260 best-selling models and Top 40 brands! *

Car makers worldwide can exhale a sigh of relief: after a very slow start of 2014 (-1% in both January and February), US sales are back to a more dynamic 6% year-on-year increase in March at 1.54 million units, potentially due to the more clement weather in the 2nd half of the month. This single-mindedly brings the 1st Quarter total back into positive at 3.74 million units, up 1.4% on 2013. Moreover, the seasonally adjusted sales rate (SAAR) is back up to 16.4 million units, up from 15.3 million a year ago, same as November 2013 (also 16.4 million) and the best score in over 7 years, since February 2007 exactly.

Lincoln MKZ. Lincoln sales are up 31% year-on-year in March.

Brand-wise, Ford, Toyota and Chevrolet lead the way and all improve by 3% on March 2013, in the case of Toyota the first year-on-year increase so far in 2014. The Nissan group at 149,136 sales (+8%) and Jeep brand at 57,983 units (+47%) both deliver their best-ever month in the US. Audi lodges its best-ever March US sales at 12,246 vehicles, its 39th consecutive month of record monthly sales, while Subaru is up 21% to 44,479 units, the brand’s 28th consecutive month of year-on-year gain and 15th straight double-digit gain! Ram is up 29%, BMW up 19%, Mercedes up 12%, Lexus up 23%, Mitsubishi up 70%, Lincoln up 31% and Maserati up a staggering 342% thanks, once again, to the Ghibli.

The analysis continues below with models.

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One year ago: USA March 2013: Nissan Altima finds its groove

Full March 2014 Analysis, Top 260 models,Top 40 brands &Top 15 groups Ranking Tables below.