Auto industry forecasters expect total sales for cars and trucks this year to top 14-and-a-half-million. The figure would represent the best year since 2007, when sales totaled 16-point-one-million. The automakers will report December sales figures on Thursday. In addition, most forecasts indicate the annual selling rate rose steadily throughout 2012. J.D. Power and Associates says luxury-vehicle sales are expected to account for 16-percent of all retail sales in December.
