General Motors says its U.S. sales rose 18 percent in August as fuel-efficient vehicles helped offset economic uncertainty and bad weather.
Other automakers may not fare as well. Analysts predict that car and truck sales slowed in last month because of fewer discounts, worries about the economy and Hurricane Irene, which closed showrooms in the huge East Coast market.
GM sold 218,479 vehicles, including nearly 22,000 Chevrolet Cruze compact cars. The Chevrolet Equinox and GMC Terrain small crossovers also were strong sellers. Sales of the Terrain jumped 88 percent while the Equinox rose 54 percent.
GM is among the first companies to report U.S. sales on Friday.
