US carmakers feeling optimistic after industry's rebound in 2014

Washington

WAVE goodbye to a banner year for the US motor vehicle industry. Six years after the federal bailout saved it from driving off a cliff, the United States' car-and-truck economy has rebounded with supercharged sales, innovative upgrades - and even rosier forecasts for the year ahead.

New vehicle sales rose 6 per cent this year, and US carmakers are set to sell more than 16 million vehicles, the most since 2006. The economy is improving, more people have jobs and hopeful drivers are finding easier access to low-interest loans.