DETROIT, Mich. – Chrysler says its U.S. sales rose nearly 12 per cent last month – its best September in five years.

The company says the increase was due to new models, low interest rates and a stable U.S. economy.

The results mean that Americans kept buying new cars and trucks at a strong pace last month. Chrysler predicts an annual sales rate of 14.9 million for the U.S. industry in September, which would make it the best month of the year.

Chrysler was the first automaker to report sales on Tuesday. Chrysler said it sold 142,000 vehicles.

Industry analysts predict U.S. sales of more than 1.1 million vehicles for September, an increase of 11 per cent from a year earlier.