The combined sales number for mini, small and compact cars sold by General Motors was up a total of 97 percent last month compared to September 2011.

This number means GM sold 210,245 vehicles in September, which is up 1.5 percent compared with a year ago. The company announced the good news in a press statement on their company site Tuesday morning.  

The total number of cars sold for those categories are the highest for the company since 2008, and were boosted most likely due to a strong showing among retail customers. This number does not include government or rental car customers.

"Passenger cars have been the launch point for a broad and deep GM product offensive," said Kurt McNeil, vice president of U.S. sales operations for GM in a press statement. "Auto sales will continue to be a bright spot for the U.S. economy, which is particularly good news for GM as we walk into an even stronger cadence of new products in 2013 and 2014."

GM is determined to replace existing vehicles with newer designs in the U.S. The company has stressed they want their cars to be equipped with more technology and improved fuel economy compared to cars from the past few years.

Approximately 70 percent of GM cars will be redesigned or will be released for the first time in 2012 through 2013.

Surprisingly, truck sales were down 20 percent in September, a concerning number for GM considering their line of trucks usually post sold solid numbers on average month to month. The company said that the decrease could have some something to do with the 46 percent year-over-year reduction in fleet sales due to the timing of customer deliveries.   

Large pickup truck sales were down 12 percent and fleet sales were down 56 percent compared to September of last year as well.

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