Big 3 sales slump predicted

U.S. automakers are expected to register a dramatic decline in July vehicle sales from a year ago, when heavy discounts stoked near-record sales. At the same time, high gas prices continue to push many buyers toward more fuel-efficient models, an area where Asian manufacturers still dominate.

New vehicle sales are expected to come in at about 1.54 million units, a 15 percent decrease from July 2005, according to estimates by the vehicle research site Edmunds.com.

Automakers release their July sales results Tuesday.

Michael Maroone, president and chief operating officer of AutoNation Inc., the nation's largest auto retailer, said July should be stronger than June, when 1.5 million vehicles were sold in the United States.

"I think in June there was a number of customers waiting for the next incentive program," he told the Associated Press this week. More at Detroit News