Ford: New vehicles, F-Series drive April sales up 18%

The Dearborn-based automaker Tuesday reported it sold 212,584 vehicles last month, led by its new vehicle offerings and best-selling F-Series pickup trucks.

DEARBORN- Ford Motor Co. experienced a strong 18 percent sales increase last month compared to April 2012.

Led by some of its new vehicle offerings and best-selling F-Series pickup trucks, the Dearborn-based automaker Tuesday reported it sold 212,584 vehicles last month.

“We are working harder than ever to keep pace with record demand for our all-new, fuel-efficient Fusion and Escape – with sales growth particularly strong on the coasts,” said Ken Czubay, Ford vice president of U.S. marketing, sales and service, in a statement. “F-Series pickups also continue to build on their momentum as the housing and construction industries rebound.”

Ford's struggling Lincoln luxury brand also contributed to the automaker's sales success with sales up 21 percent, as the new Lincoln MKZ established an all-time monthly sales record of 4,012 vehicles sold for the month.

In April, Ford's best-selling vehicles remained unchanged for a fourth-straight month.

Top five Ford models by units sold in April (2013 sales):

1. Ford F-Series- 59,030 (227,873)

2. Ford Fusion- 26,722 (107,280)

3. Ford Escape- 25,826 (98,809)

4. Ford Focus- 22,557 (84,455)

5. Ford Explorer- 14,204 (62,853)

Top five Ford models (excluding police units) by year-over-year sales in April (units sold):

1. Lincoln MKZ- 115.4% (4,012)

2. Ford Escape- 52% (25,826)

3. Lincoln Navigator- 26.6% (680)

4. Ford F-Series- 24.4% (59,030)

5. Ford Fusion- 23.7% (26,722)

Automotive analysts predicted industry sales to total about 1.3 million cars and trucks sold, marking the best April sales month since 2007.

Edmunds.com estimated sales to total 1.3 million vehicles; Kelley Blue Book expected sales to come in at about 1.32 million cars and trucks sold; and TrueCar.com predicted sale of nearly 1.31 million.

Ford is the second of the Detroit automakers to release its April sales. Earlier this morning, Chrysler Group LLC reported U.S. sales of 156,698 vehicles last month, an 11 percent increase from the same time a year ago and Chrysler’s 37th-consecutive month of year-over-year sales gains. General Motors Co. and non-domestic automakers are also expected to release April sales results today.

Check back to MLive.com/auto later today for more information of April sales.