Due to both its relative size and its tendency toward large cyclical fluctuations, the automobile industry has tended to receive a great deal of attention in analyses of current economic conditions. In terms of new car sales, developments of the past three years have been particularly well publicized, popular topics of concern. In part, this has probably been a response to the impact of the oil embargo which highlighted developments in a number of industries. The purpose of this article is to provide some perspective on this recent period by comparing it with the pattern of new car sales in the previous three recession/recovery periods.