DOMESTIC AUTOMAKERS sold 7.9 million cars in 1984, up 17 percent from the 6.79 million cars sold in calendar 1983. The total was the highest since 1979, when the industry sold 8.2 million cars.
Meanwhile, Chrysler Corp. announced it will raise prices on its midsize and full-size 1985 model cars, vans and pickup trucks effective with shipments Jan. 9. Small-car prices were unchanged. The increases average 0.9 percent, or $106, on cars; 1 percent, or $234, on trucks; and 1 percent, or $130, on its mini-vans. Earlier this week GM raised `85 car prices 2.3 percent, or $296, while Ford passed on cars but increased truck prices 1 percent, or $119.
Sales of imports rose to an estimated 2.4 million units for the year, topping the previous record of 2.36 million sold in 1983. Yet, due to the increase in domestic sales, the import share of the market slipped to 23 percent in 1984 from 25 percent in 1983. Combined domestic and import sales reached 10.3 million units, up from 9.15 million in 1983 and the highest combined total since 10.5 million vehicles were sold in 1979.
GM sold 4.5 million cars in 1984, up from 4 million in 1983; Ford Motor Co. sold 1.9 million cars, a 26 percent gain from the 1.5 million sold in `83; Chrysler sold 986,998 cars, up 17 percent from 841,622.
AMERICAN MOTORS Corp. and Volkswagen, small-car specialists in a big-car market, suffered sales declines. AMC sales slipped 1.7 percent, to 190,255 units, while VW sales fell 13.1 percent, to 73,838 units. Honda sold 133,601 U.S.-made Accords, up from 50,402 sold during its start-up phase last year.
Among the major Japanese automakers, Toyota was the top seller with sales of 510,914 units, 8 percent below the record 555,766 sold in 1983. Nissan, in second place, had sales of 485,298 units, a 7 percent decline from the record 521,902 sold last year.
