Forecasters Raise Car Sales Estimates for U.S.

Market forecasting firms predict America's full-year demand for cars and light trucks will reach between 16.4 million and 16.5 million units compared with 15.6 million in 2013.

Kelley Blue Book has upped its forecast for the year to 16.4 million from 16.3 million, citing an "extraordinarily strong" August and the prospect of healthy year-over-year gains through December. The firm predicts September sales will climb 9% to 1.24 million units.

J.D. Power and LMC Automotive expect September sales will total 1.25 million vehicles. Their jointly developed forecast now anticipates full-year volume of 16.4 million units, up 100,000 from its previous outlook. The firms say sales in 2015 should reach 16.7 million or more.

Power/LMC anticipates that retail sales, which they regard as the most accurate measure of underlying consumer demand, will total 1.0 million in September and 13.6 million for the year. LMC adds that production in North America should expand 4% to 16.8 million units in 2014 and 17.1 million in 2015. The region's output last reached 17 million units in 2000.

Edmunds.com estimates this month's sales will total 1.26 million, which would be down 20% from last month but up 11% from September 2013. The online car-buying service says about 16% of September sales are to fleets. The company doesn't offer a full-year forecast. But it anticipates continued strong sales driven by low-interest loans and attractive lease offers.

Rival online service Cars.com expects September sales to total 1.25 million units. It predicts fourth-quarter sales will set an average annualize pace of at least 16.5 million vehicles.