AutoNation announces 6% spike in vehicle sales

AutoNation said its new vehicle sales rose 6 percent in April from a year earlier, spurred by a jump in purchases of luxury vehicles.

Gains by the country’s largest dealership group outpaced the 4 percent growth in retail sales of new-vehicles nationwide, as estimated by researcher AutoData.

The Fort Lauderdale company said it sold 27,155 new vehicles during April.

Sales climbed fastest in its premium luxury seg- ment, up 19 percent to 5,878 new vehicles, followed by its domestic division: up 10 percent to 8,666, compared with a year earlier.

April sales fell 2 percent in its import division to 12,611, AutoNation said in a news release Monday.

By state, California led gains for the group, up 11 percent from a year earlier. By vehicle brand, Mercedes and Chrysler were hot, both up 28 percent from April last year, according to Chief Executive Mike Jackson.

AutoNation has consistently outpaced growth in its industry based on its in- vestments in technology and analytics, savvy management and sheer size, analysts say. Sales have been rising for six years from the depths of the recession.

In May, AutoNation will kick off a promotion to celebrate its upcoming milestone of selling 10 million new and used vehicles this spring, a feat no auto dealership group has yet achieved. The campaign will include auto giveaways and a sweepstakes for a chance to win $10 million.