US auto sales plunged nearly 27 percent in September to less than 1 million vehicles as the credit crisis kept many would-be buyers from getting loans and the Wall Street meltdown further undermined consumer confidence.
The sales slump adds to the pressure on the nation's struggling automakers, which have been battered by high gas prices and the implosion of the housing market.
The dramatic drop in vehicle demand also has forced some big dealers to close their doors, while tight credit markets are hampering automakers' efforts to help dealers consolidate.