Ford sales rise 19.2% in October

Ford said today that its October sales in the U.S. increased 19.2% compared with the same month last year, putting the company on track to increase its market share for the second year in a row.

The increase for the month was led by the company’s mainstream Ford brand while sales for Mercury, which is being discontinued this year, also increased.

Sales of the company’s Ford brand rose 20.6%, Lincoln increased 1.5% and Mercury increased 12% as the company worked to clear out remaining inventory for the brand.

Ford said it is gaining market share in the small car segment because of the Ford Fiesta compact car, which went on sale in June but got off to a slow start because of shipment delays caused by hurricanes in Mexico.

In October, Ford sold 3,846 Fiestas, the most for any month so far in the United States.

“Fiesta is our strongest proof point yet that our global growth strategy is working," Ken Czubay, Ford’s vice president of marketing, sales and service for the United States, said in a statement. “Now, we’re preparing to launch the Focus — the next all-new product from Ford’s global product development system."