Santa Monica, Calif. — Edmunds.com forecasts that 1,476,535 new cars and trucks will be sold in the United States in March once the numbers are finalized, for an estimated Seasonally Adjusted Annual Rate (SAAR) of 15.8 million. The projected sales will be a 24.0 percent increase from February 2014, and a 1.7 percent increase from March 2013.

"Car buyers who chose not to brave the cold weather in February found plenty of opportunity in March," said Edmunds.com Senior Analyst Jessica Caldwell. "Now that spring has arrived, weather conditions shouldn't have the impact on car shoppers it had at the beginning of 2014, and we'll be able to get a better sense of the true strength of the marketplace in coming months."

Edmunds.com estimates that retail SAAR will come in at 12.6 million vehicles in March, with fleet transactions accounting for 20.0 percent of total sales. An estimated 3.33 million used cars will be sold in March, for a SAAR of 33.9 million (compared to 3.06 million — or a SAAR of 33.8 million — used car sales in February).