Executive Summary

Spurred by post-Sept. 11 incentives, including zero percent loans, automakers saw sales in the 12 months from July 2001 through June 2002 exceed year-earlier levels by more than 5.5 percent.

Toyota still dominates the market, with eight models in the Top 25 selling nearly 80,000 units. Honda is second, with four models selling better than 49,000 units, followed by Ford, with five models selling 47,575 units in the period.

Among the changes on this year’s list are the disappearance of Chrysler’s perennial member Jeep and the addition of the BMW 325 series, which made the list by selling 4,979 units over 12 months.

Another change was the shift in Mercedes’ representation on the list. Last year, the Mercedes E Class, with a list price of between $47,850 and $56,050, came in at No. 25, selling 4,191 units. This year’s representative is the less expensive C Class, which lists for between $25,615 and $51,065 and debuted at No. 16.

While sedans still dominate the best sellers, sport utility vehicles, which last year had seven models on the list, added another spot this year.

Jonathan Diamond

The Pacesetter

Toyota Camry

The Camry continued its nip-and-tuck battle with the Honda Accord for the favorite car in Los Angeles County, regaining the No. 1 spot it had held for two years before being knocked off last year.

Toyota sold 22,710 Camrys in L.A. County between July 2001 and June 2002, according to R.L. Polk & Co., the automobile tracking firm. That was a 6 percent increase over the number of units sold in the year earlier. The Accord sold 20,019 units in the period, a 7.5 percent decline over the year earlier.

The success in L.A. of the Camry, which has a base list price of $19,455, reflected its broader national appeal. The automobile was the best selling passenger car in 2001, the fourth year it held that distinction. Sales in 2001 fell nationally, however, by 5.6 percent, to 422,961 units. Despite being the largest automotive market in the nation, L.A. accounted for roughly 5 percent of its nationwide sales.

The Camry, originally launched in 1983, became the first Toyota vehicle to exceed 5 million units sold in North America.

Jonathan Diamond