Amidst growing signs that the U.S. economy is clearly on the mend, industry leaders are increasingly confident the auto industry is heading in fast-forward towards some extremely good – though probably not record – years. With extremely strong numbers on the way for October, Toyota’s top American executive, Jim Lentz, said he expects to see 2012 end with sales of 14.3 million – about 1 million more than a year before and a roughly 40% increase from the depths of the recession.