Best Auto Sales

To automen enjoying their first spring buying surge in four years, the new sales figures last week were eye openers. During May, dealers sold 529,800 U.S.-built cars, 34% more than a year earlier and the highest total for any month in two years.

After lagging behind Ford in April, Chevrolet moved up to first place in May, with sales estimated at 153,000 against 135,300 for Ford. Plymouth moved up to third place (42,500 cars), ahead of Pontiac (35,300), which still kept a commanding lead over the middle-price field. In the luxury field, Cadillac reported a five-month total of 65,413--the best January-May in the company's 57-year history. American Motors expected to turn out its 300,000th Rambler one day this week, far in excess of its total production in any previous model year.

Chrysler Corp. reported total May sales of 70,814, up 19% over last year. To add more zip to sales, Chrysler's President Lester Lum Colbert made some drastic dealer shifts--and readied a new car. The company has known for some time that its dual system of De Soto-Plymouth and Dodge-Plymouth dealerships, has seriously hurt Plymouth sales, since the dealers were inclined to push the higher-priced cars on which they made more money. To correct this, the De Soto and Plymouth divisions were merged, with Plymouth to be top dog. Chrysler last week asked the Dodge-Plymouth dealers to give up their Plymouth franchises, concentrate on selling Dodges, Simcas, and the new car, the Dart. Chrysler will introduce the Dart this fall, with the same chassis and engine as the Plymouth but with a different exterior. It will be priced to compete with Plymouth, Ford and Chevy.

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