Best-selling Detroit Three vehicles of April 2013

General Motors Co., Ford Motor Co. and Chrysler Group LLC each experienced double-digit sales increases last month compared to the same time last year.

DETROIT- It was clear skies for the Detroit Three in April.

General Motors Co., Ford Motor Co. and Chrysler Group LLC each experienced double-digit sales increases last month compared to the same time last year.

Pickup truck sales continued to outpace the auto industry’s overall growth, which bode well for the Detroit automakers – particularly Ford.

The Dearborn-based automaker last month experienced an 18 percent year-over-year increase, led largely by its best-selling F-Series pickups.

“When people want trucks in America, they go with F-Series,” said Ken Czubay, Ford vice president of U.S. marketing, sales and service, during a media and analyst conference call Tuesday morning.

F-Series, America’s best-selling pickup for 36 years, posts a 24 percent increase, with sales of 59,030 – best April sales results since 2006.

Officials continue to say the strength of the full-size pickup truck segment is strongly due to pent-up demand, the recovery in housing and small business owners.

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.

GM and Chrysler both experienced 11 percent sales increases in April compared to a year ago.

All of GM’s brands experienced year-over-year growths. Cadillac, which was the industry’s fastest-growing brand in the U.S. in the first quarter, led the way with a 37.1 percent sales increase last month from 2012, followed by Buick up 22.7 percent; GMC up 12.2 percent; and Chevrolet up 6.4 percent.

“General Motors is doing very well in terms of both sales and market share and we are well-positioned to compete as the economy continues to strengthen and our launch cadence accelerates,” said Kurt McNeil, vice president of U.S. sales operations during a GM media and analyst call Tuesday morning.

For Chrysler, Ram Truck brand towed the way with sales up 49 percent, followed by Dodge up 18 percent; Jeep up 2 percent; and Fiat steady, up 1 percent. The automaker's namesake brand experienced a 13 percent sales decrease last month compared to April 2012.

"As Edmunds.com predicted, April 2013 vehicle sales are coming in the best since April 2007," said Edmunds.com senior analyst Michelle Krebs in a release. "The Detroit Three had a particularly strong month -- all had double-digit sales increases that look as if they will outpace the industry's growth."

Here's a look at the best-selling vehicles and best year-over-year increases from the Detroit Three:

Top 10 Detroit Three models by units sold in April (monthly sales):

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

2. Chevrolet Silverado- 39,395 (156,044)

3. Ram pickup- 31,409 (109,003)

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

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

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

7. Chevrolet Cruze- 22,032 (77,763)

8. Chevrolet Malibu- 21,734 (70,913)

9. Chevrolet Equinox- 20,965 (79,834)

10. Jeep Grand Cherokee- 15,003 (48,136)

Top 10 Detroit Three models by year-over-year sales (excluding police vehicles) in April (units sold):

1. GMC Yukon XL- 131.6% (2,752)

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

3. Ram Cargo Van- 110% (715)

4. Dodge Durango- 65% (5,386)

5. Chevrolet Tahoe- 54.9% (9,052)

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

7. Ram pickups- 49% (31,409)

8. Cadillac Escalade EXT- 41.1% (199)

9. Silverado pickups- 28.1% (39,395)

10. Chevrolet Sonic- 27.6% (8,151)

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

Click here for the best-selling Detroit Three vehicles of March.