Automakers to release Dec sales numbers

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) - Automakers are expected to release sales numbers for December.

Analysts expect last month to be a bright spot to end a bad year.

The December numbers are expected to jump when compared to 2008, even during a historically sluggish sales month.

Ford and Asian automakers are expected to see the biggest jumps.

Before the recent recession hit, Detroit automakers alone were selling an average of about 1.3 million vehicles a month. By February of last year, they were only selling about 700,000. For December, it is expected that number climbed back up to around 920,000.

The best sales of 2009 happened in August and September, thanks to the government's "Cash for Clunkers" program.

Watch the video above as 24 Hour News 8's Emily Linnert talks with auto analyst Erich Merkle about the expected December numbers.