• by Karl Greenberg , June 30, 2008

Edmunds.com, online auto shopping and research site and market prognosticator, sees June as a 1.2 million month for auto sales--a 16.7% decrease from June 2007 and a 13.3% decrease from May this year. 

The firm sees Chrysler, Ford, and GM sales down 22.6%, 15.4% and 15.9%, respectively, adjusted for fewer selling days. Edmunds predicts that Honda, Nissan and Toyota sales will be up 17%, 4.1% and down less than a percent, respectively. General Motors, in an effort to battle back, this week launched a 0% financing incentive push.

Because of market jitters and high-flying gas prices, the firm is lowering its 2008 full-year sales prediction of 15.5 million units to 14.9 million units--a number that hasn't been seen in years.

The firm estimates monthly U.S. market share for Chrysler, Ford and General Motors (GM) domestic nameplates to be 45.4% this month, down from 51.4% in the month last year, but up a touch from last month.

If Edmunds' numbers are right, Chrysler's market share will slip to 10.4% by month's end from 12.6% in June last year. Ford's share, if Edmund's predictions come true, will be 15% of new car sales--down from 16.6% last June, and down slightly from 15.3% in May 2008.

Edmunds.com predicts that GM will sell 240,000 units in June 2008, down 25.2% compared to June 2007 and down 10.8% from May 2008. GM's market share is expected to be 19.9% of new vehicle sales in June 2008, down from 22.2% in June 2007 but up from 19.4% in May 2008.

Edmunds.com predicts Honda will sell 147,000 units in June 2008--up 4.0% from June 2007, but down 12.8% from May 2008. Honda's market share is expected to be 12.1% in June 2008, up from 9.7% in June 2007 and even at 12.1% in May 2008.

Nissan's market share is expected to be 7.1%, up from 6.4% in June 2007. Edmunds sees Toyota's share at 18%, up from 17%% versus last year but down from 18.5% last month.