Fueling the market were what Chrysler called "nuclear incentives" -- the most generous offers in history of rebates, interest-free financing and discount-lease deals.
In figures scheduled to be released on Wednesday, Edmunds estimates that car companies spent an average $2,668 on rebates, interest-free loans, lease deals and other discounts last month, up $519 or nearly 25percentt from July a year ago.
Another reason for the booming business at dealerships is that automakers are still piling on rebates, discounted interest rates and other incentives in a frantic struggle to increase or maintain market share.
The prices are relatively low, and the rebates and interest rate reductions make them bargains.
Researchers say that General Motors gave rebates and interest deals in the U.S. worth $4,300 on average in July.
And with such a favorable exchange rate, the Koreans can maintain rebates and interest rate incentives yet remain profitable.
And well they shouldn't, because car companies can lose fortunes going for market share, what with rebates, subsidized interest and lease rates, and dumping cars on rent-a-car fleets.
Net prices are the combination of sticker prices with the effects of factors like big rebates and interest-free financing.
It secured a VAT rebate, plus interest, from the revenue commissioners worth £472m over payments dating back to 1973.
Ms. Caldwell and other analysts said cash rebates, low-interest financing and subsidized lease deals were allowing G.M. to gain market share more quickly than it would otherwise.
Many analysts point to a lagging cost structure and the high cost of rebates and interest-free financing deals as chief troubles.
