The major U.S. automakers reported double-digit sales growth for November, lifting the prospects for a strong finish to the year as the holiday sales season approaches.

United States car manufacturers posted significant sales increases in November, with the major firms reporting double-digit gains in individual and fleet sales in the lead-up to the typically robust holiday sales season. November’s gains were the latest in a year of steadily climbing demand, indicating that the U.S. auto market is firmly in recovery.

The largest gains last month were by Ford Motor Co., which last week reported a November sales total of 147,338 units, a 24 percent increase over the same month in 2009. Car sales rose 24.7 percent over the prior year, utility vehicle sales increased 13.1 percent and truck sales climbed 34 percent.

“With our strongest-ever line of products, we’re pleased to see more signs the economy is growing and the demand for new vehicles is increasing,” Ken Czubay, Ford’s VP of U.S. marketing, sales and service, said in an announcement of the results. “Ford’s broad range of high-quality, fuel-efficient vehicles is driving one of our best years ever and positioning Ford to deliver improved results in the future.”

According to automotive industry-tracking firm Autodata, Ford has sold 1.74 million vehicles so far this year, 21.1 percent more than the company sold in the first 11 months of 2009. Ford stated that this puts the company on track to gain market share for the second year in a row, the first time the automaker has done so since 1993.

Meanwhile, General Motors Co., which recently issued a landmark IPO, sold 168,704 units in November, a 21 percent increase over the same month last year. Year-to-date, GM has sold 1.99 million vehicles, 7 percent more than in same period in 2009.

“Each brand came to the party in November,” Don Johnson, GM’s VP of U.S. sales operations, said in a statement. “November sales results are consistent with our expectations and show that the plan we laid out earlier this year to steadily grow in the U.S. market is working.”

Chrysler Group LLC last week reported November sales totaling 74,152 units, 17 percent more than in November 2009 and the eighth consecutive month of year-over-year sales increases. So far this year, Chrysler has sold 984,509 vehicles, up 16.5 percent over the first 11 months of 2009.

“We are pleased with the sales momentum that has been building this year, and elated now that we are showing off the vehicles that we’ve been talking about,” Fred Diaz, the president and CEO for Ram Truck Brand and lead executive for Chrysler’s U.S. Sales, said in an announcement of the results.

The automotive industry’s recovery is generating broader economic benefits and may help alleviate lingering unemployment problems. In November, Chrysler announced that it plans to hire 1,000 engineers and high-tech workers over the next four months as it expands its small- and mid-sized car development, while GM also plans to create 1,000 engineering and research jobs in Michigan over the next two years to help with electric vehicle and hybrid projects.

“With the 1,000 engineering hires, Chrysler will have added or announced the addition of 6,000 jobs since its exit from bankruptcy,” the Wall Street Journal reports. “Its overall total North America employment was 51,663 as of June compared with 47,788 at the end of June 2009,” although that remains “far below the 82,284 Chrysler employed at the end of 2006.”

Toyota Motor Co., the world’s largest car company, was one of the few major automakers to experience a decline last month, its sales falling to 129,317 units, down 7.3 percent from November 2009. Year-to-date, Toyota has sold 1.59 million vehicles, just 0.2 percent more than the total for the same period last year.

Despite the modest decrease for Toyota, car companies on the whole performed well last month, continuing to reverse losses incurred during the economic downturn.

“After a year of watching auto sales slowly increase month by month, industry executives are finally willing to firmly declare that the U.S. market is in recovery,” the Associated Press explains. “People who had been too afraid to make a big car purchase are finally coming back to dealerships, a little more confident that they won’t lose their jobs. And that’s reflected in November’s auto sales figures: Industry sales were up 16.9 percent for the month compared with a year ago.”

Earlier: GM Launches Landmark IPO

Resources

Ford November Sales up 24 Percent…
Ford Motor Co., Dec. 1, 2010

U.S. Light Vehicle Retail Sales — November 2010 (Final Results)
Autodata.com, Dec. 1, 2010 (revised)

General Motors Sales Increase 21 Percent in November
General Motors Co., Dec. 1, 2010

…November 2010 U.S. Sales Increased 17 Percent
Chrysler Group LLC, Dec. 1, 2010

Chrysler to Hire 1,000 Engineers, Others
by Jeff Bennett
The Wall Street Journal, Nov. 30, 2010

Toyota Reports November Sales
Toyota Motor Co., Dec. 1, 2010

November Auto Sales Show Industry in Recovery
by Tom Krisher and Dee-Ann Durbin
The Associated Press, Dec. 2, 2010