General Motors, the world’s second largest car manufacturer, has announced sales increased by 4% in 2013 after selling 9.71m vehicles globally.
The company, which recently employed Mary Barra as its first female chief executive, confirmed sales in the US were up 7%, while in China and the UK saw increases of 11%.
It made the announcement at the Detroit Motor Show, and represents a boost for the US car industry, with General Motors facing stiff competition from rivals Toyota and Volkswagen.
It also confirms General Motor’s status as the largest US automotive firm, with the other Detroit companies Ford and Chrysler occupying second and third position.
“A healthy auto market in the United States and China, and very successful product launches at all of our brands worldwide drove GM’s growth in 2013 and helped us navigate difficult conditions in Europe and parts of South America and Asia,” said GM Chief Financial Officer Dan Ammann.
The latest figures come after General Motors reported a fall in car sales in December 2013, in a disappointing month for what had been a resurgent US car market.
The company, which was bailed out by the US government in its financial crisis of 2009, reported a 6.3% fall in sales compared with December 2012.
