GM Beats Estimates as Auto Sales Rise to 13.2 Million Pace

General Motors Co.’s U.S. deliveries rose more than analysts’ estimated as increasing demand for fuel-efficient models pushed the industry’s annual sales rate above 13 million for the third straight month.

GM’s U.S. sales climbed 26 percent to 232,538 vehicles from 183,997 a year earlier, the Detroit-based automaker said today in a statement. The gain topped the 14 percent increase estimated on average by seven analysts surveyed by Bloomberg. Ford Motor Co. said its sales rose 13 percent to 189,778, and Toyota Motor Corp. deliveries increased 1.3 percent to 159,540.