DETROIT (AP) - Huge rebates and zero-percent loans couldn't overcome economic uncertainty as U.S. auto sales plunged 36 percent in December. That caps a dismal year that saw sales free-fall by 2.9 million vehicles from 2007. Every major manufacturer reported drops of more than 30 percent in December.
Leading the largest year-over-year drop since the Arab oil embargo days of 1973-74 was Chrysler, which sold 53 percent fewer vehicles than last December. December sales fell 31 percent at General Motors, 21 percent at Ford, 37 percent at Toyota, 35 percent at Honda and 31 percent at Nissan.
GM was the nation's top seller last year, followed by Toyota and Ford.
