Ford, Chrysler and General Motors (GM), the commonly known "Big Three" American automakers, all recorded strong performances in March, with their U.S. auto sales driven primarily by the growing demand and popularity of more fuel- efficient vehicles.

Ford Motor Company sold 223,418 vehicles in the United States last month, the best result for March in five years. That represented a five percent sales increase year on year or an 11 percent increase from February U.S. auto sales.

Ford also said its sales for the first quarter were also up nine percent since last year, primarily due to record-setting sales of the automaker's more fuel-efficient models.

Both Fusion and Focus, two of the Ford's cars series, as well as Ford F-Series trucks fared best in terms of sales in the past month. And 41 percent of the sold F-150 trucks possess a fuel efficiency option known as "EcoBoost" of Ford.

Chrysler also achieved a record March performance, with monthly U.S. auto sales topping 163,381 vehicles, making it the automaker' s best monthly sales showing since March 2008.

Chrysler's U.S. auto sales posed a year-on-year rise of 34 percent in March, while its month-on-month sales grew at more than 20 percent for ten consecutive months.

Out of Chrysler Group auto models in production for more than 12 months, the Fiat and Chrysler were two brands that fared the best in terms of sales growth rate, according to corporate sources.

According to the sources, Fiat brand sales increased 642 percent in March compared with the same period last year, when the Fiat 500 model was first launched in the United States. The Chrysler brand posted a significant 70 percent sales increase in comparison with that of March 2011.

The growth in Chrysler brand auto sales was said to be driven in part by the Chrysler 200 mid-size sedan, which posted a 121 percent increase in sales in March, a record high.

Sources with Chrysler said the rising demand in the wake of a recovering U.S. economy and the appeal of more fuel-efficient vehicles also contributed a boom in the company's auto sales.

"The combination of credit availability, an improving economy, pent-up demand and even high fuel prices encouraging people to acquire newer more fuel-efficient vehicles are all helping to drive industry sales," said Reid Bigland, President and CEO of Chrysler's Dodge Brand.

"Thanks to these factors we experienced sales strength across the board with our March sales up 34 percent and our first quarter sales up a whopping 39 percent," Bigland continued.

Rounding out the Big Three car manufacturers was GM, which sold 231,052 vehicles in the United States last month. It saw a 12 percent increase in the company's U.S. auto sales in March when compared with that for the same period last year, while small and compact car sales in the past month went up by a combined 62 percent when compared with that of March 2011.

GM also cited the appeal of more fuel-efficient vehicles among consumers for its sales success in March.

Best sold GM cars were the Chevrolet and GMC brands, with their sales rising 17 percent and 12 percent, respectively. March Sales of Buick and Cadillac sedans, two luxury vehicle brands also owned by GM, however, were down 16.3 percent and 13.4 percent year on year, respectively.

Given the rising gas prices, greater attention will be given to the need for more fuel-efficient vehicles across the United States, industry observers say.

They are confident that more Americans will be in the market for a new car and continue to boost the auto sector as the U.S. economy continues to improve, giving people greater freedom to spend, and new auto models keep coming out and new technology becomes available.

It is expected about 14.5 million vehicles will be sold in the United States this year.

According to Autodata Corporation, U.S. auto sales reached 13 million vehicles last year.

 VietNamNet/Xinhuanet