Pepsico

U.S. car sales rallied slightly in late July to give automakers a modest 2.4 percent increase for the month over last year, while imports increased their share of the market with a 13.1 percent increase in sales. During the July 21-31 period, U.S. sales were 281,567, a 4.4 percent increase from the 242,781 in the same period last year. For the month, importers sold 299,842 for July, a 13.1 percent increase from the 265,055 sold in July 1985. Imports took 31.6 percent of the market in July, including 23.1 percent for the Japanese, 6.4 percent for the Europeans and 2 percent for Hyundai Motor Co. of South Korea.

Taco Bell, the nation's leading Mexican fast-food chain with sales of $1 billion last year, yesterday launched a five-year, $500 million restaurant expansion and a new South Jersey center for management trainees. The company plans 50 more Taco Bell restaurants in the Philadelphia area. Most will be owned and operated by Taco Bell, a subsidiary of Pepsico. They will open as soon as the company finds sites, said Ray Cabana, Taco Bell regional vice president. The $300,000 teaching center in Evesham Township will be the management training facility for about 1,000 Taco Bell recruits each year, company officials said.

Pizza Hut of America Inc. is seeking special permission from the Haverford Township Zoning Hearing Board to build a restaurant on Township Line Road south of Darby Road. The board focused its attention on traffic that would be generated onto Township Line Road, already a heavily traveled four-lane roadway, when it heard Pizza Hut's application Thursday night. The board noted that the state Department of Transportation (PennDOT) must approve changes affecting Township Line Road, which is a state highway.