Sept. 4, 2014—With Fiat-Chrysler leading the way with massive gains, the U.S. auto industry surged ahead in August, selling nearly 1.6 million vehicles—the best August total in 11 years.
Total sales for 2014 are expected to exceed 16 million with some projections as high as 17.5 million, a range that was common from 1999 to 2007 (when the U.S. exceed 16 million each year) before the recession took a drastic toll on sales.
Fiat-Chrysler reported a 20 percent increase in August sales over the same period last month, according to the Wall Street Journal. Ford Motor Co.’s sales were flat, and General Motors Co. reported a slight decline.
Other brands to see gains over year-earlier sales were Toyota, Hyundai, Nissan, BMW and Mercedes-Benz.