Autos: Second-Best Year

Production of Detroit’s 1962 models came to an end last week. The total—6,685,000 cars turned out, a rise of 23.6% from last year—was the second-best in history. But memories of the record 1955 model year (7,136,000 cars) raised a troubling question: Would too big a year be followed by a weak sales year? Detroit doesn’t think so. Unlike 1955, there has been little overselling or price slashing this year, and inventories are lean.