Prompted by the lure of rebates on 1989 models and the realization that prices were going up on the soon-to-appear 1990 offerings, consumers went on a spree, swelling Chicago area domestic new-car sales by 10.3 percent in August. Dealers sold 41,910 new cars, up from 37,970 a year earlier ago.
”Incentives brought people out, no doubt,” said Jerry Cizek, executive vice president of the Chicago Automobile Trade Association, which represents more than 700 new-car dealers.
”Near the end of the month, the factories increased the incentives,” he added.
”But another reason for the sharp sales increase is that consumers heard and read about the price increases coming on the 1990 models and realized that between the rebate on the `89 and the price increase on the 1990, there was a heck of a spread,” he said.
”I just hope that we didn`t steal too many sales from September,” he said.
In August Chrysler dealers enjoyed a 70.9 percent increase in sales, to 5,784 units from 3,384 a year earlier.
Chrysler officials credited a doubled rebate on the subcompact Dodge Shadow and Plymouth Sundance and the resulting 147 percent increase in sales for much of the rise in volume. Bigger Eagle car rebates increased sales in that line 40 percent.
Ford sales rose 16.8 percent, to 16,662 units from 14,264 a year earlier.
Lincoln-Mercury sales rose 50 percent, led by an 88 percent increase in sales of the full-size Grand Marquis, a 44 percent gain in Lincoln Town Car and 43 percent gains for Sable and Cougar.
Ford division gains were paced by Taurus, the No. 2 selling car nationwide (behind the Chevrolet Beretta/Corsica) but No. 1 in the Chicago area. Taurus sales were up 11 percent.
General Motors Corp. sales were off 4 percent, to 19,464 from 20,322. GM`s Chevy Lumina sedan, introduced late this summer, was supposed to halt the sales gain by the Taurus sedan, but initial supplies have been limited, curbing its impact. GM`s other Taurus rivals, the Olds Cutlass Supreme and Pontiac Grand Prix sedans are just arriving at dealers, and the Buick Regal sedan won`t appear until March.
For the calendar year, GM dealers have sold 153,819 new cars, down 8.4 percent from 167,962 a year earlier. Ford sales are off 2.1 percent, to 121,267 from 123,952. Chrysler is the only gainer, with sales up 1.8 percent, to 32,380 from 31,797.
