More Americans Bought Cars in September, SUVs and Pickup Trucks Lead

U.S. auto sales were strong in September, driven by SUVs and pickup trucks. The two largest Detroit-based automakers, Chrysler and General Motors, both sold almost a fifth more cars than last year, easily beating all other automakers. For Chrysler, the winners are the Ram pickup lineup and the new Grand Cherokee. For GM, its new full-size SUVs and the Silverado pickups were clearly well-liked. Ford, however, wasn't gaining traction. Its sales were down from a year ago. The Dearborn, Michigan-based automaker said the slide is due to the pullback on sales of its F-150 pickup truck as it prepares to launch a newer version. According to J.D. Power, drivers were willing to pay top dollar. New cars were sold for more than $30,000 on average, higher than ever before.