The post-Sept. 11 incentive war started by the "Keeping America Rolling" zero percent interest finance program from General Motors Corp. ended up pulling forward about a half million industrywide sales from 2002, but the year should still be strong, GM's president and chief executive said Jan. 14.

Speaking at the Automotive News World Congress, Rick Wagoner said the incentives, which provided enough fourth quarter impetus to make 2001 the second best sales year in history with 17.1 million vehicles sold, also had the effect of clearing dealers' lots of last year's models.

"Rather than selling '01 models that have been sitting in dealer stock for six months, we sold them while they were sitting in dealers' lots for two months," Wagoner said at the conference. "We're probably in a better position than a lot of people thought."

Wagoner said he expects a better industry showing for 2002 than the previously forecast 15 million-15.5 million units.