The Auto Blog .ru

The December sales numbers are in, most of them anyway, and what we’re seeing is an end to the year that largely mirrors the months that came before.

Our usual players are at the top of the list in green, including Chrysler, which lead all brands last month with an 82.56-percent increase in monthly sales to end the year. Credit goes to the redesigned 200 sedan, which sold over 760% more units in December than the Sebring did the year before, and the redesigned 300, which itself enjoyed a 242% increase in sales.

Not far behind are other brands that have been performing well all year long, like Kia with a 42.52-percent gain in sales (the Soul eclipsed the 100,000 annual sales mark in December by selling 9,624 units), and Volkswagen with a 36.18-percent jump.

Last month we also witnessed the last few gasps of breath for Saab, which packed it in by selling just 270 units in December. Other brands that have been operating in the red band of our spectrum all year long finished much the same way. Toyota barely eeked out more sales than the year before with a slight 1.9-percent gain, while its luxury division Lexus, as well as Honda and Acura, were all behind their 2010 numbers.

NYR = Not Yet Reported

*Brands and companies are displayed in descending order according to their percentage change in volume sales. There were 27 selling days in December 2011 and 27 selling days in December 2010, so the change in monthly sales volume will be the same as the change in average daily sales rate (DSR) for each brand/company.

December 2011: Same As It Ever Was Edition