October Auto Sales: Ford Sales Rise 3 Percent

the Associated Press

DEARBORN, Mich. (AP) — Ford Motor Co. said Tuesday its October sales rose 3 percent as the popular F-Series pickup truck helped the company boost its estimated market share to more than 15 percent.

BY THE NUMBERS: Sales of Ford, Lincoln and Mercury vehicles climbed to 132,483 vehicles sold last month. U.S. sales of vehicles produced by Swedish carmaker Volvo, which Ford owns, climbed 19.4 percent to 4,437.

Year to date, sales of Ford, Lincoln and Mercury vehicles fell 20.4 percent to 1.66 million vehicles, while Volvo sales declined 19.7 percent to 51,166 vehicles.

THE DIVISIONS: Ford vehicle sales increased 3 percent, while Lincoln models posted a volume decline of 9 percent and customers bought 1.1 percent fewer Mercury vehicles.

Overall, car sales climbed 10.7 percent and crossover utility vehicles jumped 23.1 percent. Volumes of trucks and vans decreased 10.1 percent.

TOP SELLER: The company sold 39,496 F-Series pickup trucks, about 9 percent less than in the year-earlier period.

HOT MODELS: Customers bought 6,076 units of the redesigned Taurus, a 141.4 percent increase over October 2008.