GM sees US auto sales growing by 2 mn in '10

MICHIGAN: An executive with General Motors says the company sees U.S. auto sales growing by 2 mn next year.

General Motors Co. Vice President Brent Dewar says GM is projecting the U.S. Market will end 2009 at 10.5 mn vehicles sold and grow to 12.5 million next year as consumer confidence improves.

He says August sales for the Chevrolet brand were strong but there will be a payback in September. The government's Cash for Clunkers program definitely pulled sales forward from later in the year.

He says the program boosted sales for smaller cars. But he says new product sales such as the Chevrolet Camaro muscle car and Equinox crossover vehicle are continuing to be strong even after the program ended.