Strong demand and tight inventories are leading drivers to snatch up vehicles as soon as they hit the lot. Auto makers are expected to report weak vehicle sales for the quarter as chip shortages and supply-chain issues continue to limit vehicle production. Sales of new vehicles are projected to fall 16% in the first quarter from the year-ago period and represent the second-worst quarterly total in a decade, behind the pandemic-affected second quarter of 2020, according to Cox Automotive. “Make no mistake, this market is stuck in low gear,” Cox Automotive senior economist Charlie Chesbrough said. Auto makers are dealing with supply-chain disruptions that have pinched inventories, a dynamic that could worsen with the Ukraine war and Covid-19-related shutdowns in China, analysts say. The rate of sales is expected to slow in the first quarter to 12.7 million annually, according to J.D. Power. In comparison, auto makers last year […]