US car sales strengthen as recovery picks up speed
US automakers General Motors, Ford and Chrysler yesterday reported strong increases in US sales in October as the industry rebounds from a deep slump.
GM, the nation’s largest automaker, said it sold 183,759 vehicles in the United States in October, up 3.5 per cent from a year ago.
Ford, the second-biggest automaker and the only one that did not take government aid during the 2008-2009 financial crisis, reported October sales were up 19 per cent to a total of 157,935 vehicles.
Chrysler, which was also saved from ruin by a government bailout, said its car sales rose a strong 37 per cent in October compared with a year earlier, marking the seventh consecutive month of increases. Total US car sales for all Chrysler brands reached 90,137 in October, more than a year after it emerged from a government-backed restructuring under bankruptcy protection.