"U.S. auto sales plunged 36 percent in December, dragging the industry’s annual volume to a 16-year low as the recession ravaged demand. General Motors Corp. sold the fewest vehicles in its home market since 1959. Toyota Motor Corp. and Honda Motor Co. posted their first drop in full-year U.S. sales since the mid-1990s after December declines of at least 35 percent. Chrysler LLC’s 53 percent dive last month paced major automakers, while Ford Motor Co. slumped 32 percent and GM and Nissan Motor Co. fell 31 percent. The federal rescue of GM and Chrysler on Dec. 19 couldn’t overcome buyer pessimism and tight credit in the world’s biggest auto market. GM’s 2008 U.S. total of 2.95 million light vehicles was its smallest in 49 years, and Ford’s tally sagged to a 47- year low, according to trade publication Automotive News." - Steven Perez from Bookmarklet