Akhir 27, 1432 H/April 1, 2011, SPA -- US carmakers on Friday reported strong sales gains in the United States for the month of March, overcoming rising petrol prices as the industry continues to pick itself up out of a deep downturn in the past few years, according to dpa. Ford was the biggest winner last month, reporting a 19.2-per-cent increase over March 2010 to 212,777 vehicles. That put it on track to become the largest US car manufacturer. Ford's main rival, General Motors, currently the largest US carmaker, reported a 9.6-per-cent increase in vehicle sales to 206,621. The gains for both carmakers come as rising oil prices globally have driven up the cost of petrol in recent months. Both companies have said they are better prepared than in the past for a price spike after refocusing their production on smaller and fuel-efficient cars in the last few years. With gasoline prices eclipsing 3.50 dollars a gallon (0.65 euros per litre), consumers are placing a high priority on fuel efficiency in every size and kind of vehicle," Ken Czubay, Ford's vice president of sales, said in a statement. "Customers are rewarding Ford for our investment in new products as well as more efficient engines and transmissions." Ford trumpeted sales of its compact Fusion and Fiesta, launched in the United States last year, while GM said sales were fuelled by demand for its new Chevy Cruze compact car. Other carmakers were due to release US car sales later Friday.
