The Detroit car companies all reported double-digit increases in sales for the month compared with the same period a year ago. And the big Japanese carmakers continued to rebound from supply shortages last year to post substantial year-over-year sales gains.
General Motors, the nations largest auto manufacturer, said its American sales grew 10 percent to 240,000 vehicles in August. The increase was driven by a strong performance by its Chevrolet passenger cars, particularly the new Sonic subcompact model.
G.M. also reported one of its best sales months ever for the Chevrolet Volt plug-in hybrid. The company said it sold 2,800 Volts during August, compared with 300 a year earlier.
Although trucks had a solid month, the small-car performance is whats most impressive about G.M.'s numbers today, said Jessica Caldwell, an analyst with the automotive Web site Edmunds.com.
Ford Motor Company said its August sales increased 13 percent to 197,000 vehicles. It reported its biggest gains in the Focus compact car and the new Escape, its smallest sport utility vehicle.
Focus sales were up 35 percent compared with the same period a year earlier, and Escape sales rose 36 percent.
