oem channelAuto sales in August 2014 came in at 1, 581,341 units, which is the highest sales level we have seen this year.  The SAAR for August was a very impressive 17.5 million, again, the highest level we have seen in many years.  August 2014 sales were 5.5% better than the same month a year ago.

It is anticipated that analysts may increase their overall outlook for 2014 to be toward 16.5 million.  That being said, car sales in August represent the likely peak for the year.  Analysts note that the strong sales month was driven by incentives.

For SiriusXM, car sales by any means represent the biggest pool for growth.  The satellite radio provider was likely in a celebratory mood when the August results were released.  The numbers may even be impressive enough to see a few modest adjustments in subscriber guidance when the company reports Q3 earnings.

The mix of sales, tracked on a chart for SiriusBuzz Premium members still favors the trailing category.  This category is the one where the trial subscription is not counted in the overall subscriber number. Nearly half of the cars sold in August were from this category.

In looking ahead, analysts are projecting that September may be weaker than was thought a few months ago.  One potential boost to September would be the Labor Day holiday, which fell on September 1st.