US auto sales sizzle in July, helped by discounts

DETROIT (AP) — Big discounts are putting some sizzle in summer auto sales.

General Motors, Ford, Nissan and Chrysler all reported big gains as the major automakers reported July sales Friday.

Industry sales were expected to rise 5 percent to 1.4 million, according to J.D. Power and Associates. That would make it the best July for the industry since 2006.

Jesse Toprak, the chief analyst at the car shopping site Cars.com, said incentives averaged $2,774 per vehicle last month, their highest level since August 2010.

Automakers typically use summer discounts to clear out their lots before vehicles from the new model year start arriving in the fall.