Chrysler sales plummet 30 percent; Ford up 3 percent

DETROIT -- Chrysler Group LLC says its October sales fell 30 percent below the same month last year. But they improved from September when the U.S. auto industry had a hangover from the government's summertime Cash for Clunkers program.

The maker of the Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep and Ram truck brands says it sold 65,803 vehicles last month, up 6 percent from September.

Chrysler, which is announcing a new product strategy on Wednesday, is aiming to show steady improvement from month to month as the U.S. economy starts to emerge from its yearlong slump. The automaker's sales dropped 42 percent in September following the end of hefty clunker rebates.

Ford Motor Co., meanwhile, reported a 3 percent rise in monthly sales over October of last year.

Ford said its sales rose 21 percent from September to 118,735 vehicles, when auto sales were still in a hangover after the Cash for Clunkers program boosted sales this summer. Automakers had said October would be a test of how strong the market is without any effect from clunkers. Ford's overall car sales rose 11 percent over last October, while crossovers climbed 23 percent. Truck sales fell 10 percent. New products like the Ford Taurus sedan and Lincoln MKT crossover sold well. More than 80 percent of last month's sales came from new 2010 models. Fuel-efficient models like the Ford Fusion sedan and Escape small sport utility vehicle also flew off showroom floors, with both notching sales jumps of around 25 percent.

-- The Associated Press