Best U.S. Auto Sales Streak Since ’08 Helped by Toyota

Tamara Darvish can tell the U.S. auto industry is back by looking out on the lot of one of her company’s four Toyota dealerships.

Darcars Automotive Group’s Toyota store in Frederick, Maryland, took delivery of 200 vehicles from the manufacturer this month, up from monthly allocations of as few as 80 last year, after Japan’s tsunami limited Toyota Motor Corp. and Honda Motor Co.’s production and depleted inventories. With supplies rebounding, industrywide sales accelerated in January to the best pace since the government’s “cash for clunkers” program in August 2009.