FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. -

Even against a CARS comparable, AutoNation’s third-quarter retail new-vehicle sales showed a 3-percent year-over-year hike, the company said Monday.

Not only that, but the company also revealed that September’s retail new-vehicle sales climbed 35 percent from the year-ago period.

Specifically, AutoNation moved 56,340 new retail units during the quarter.

For September, it sold 18,040 new retail vehicles.

Breaking September’s results down by operating segments, AutoNation sold 5,353 retail new vehicles in its domestic segment. This was a year-over-year improvement of 54 percent.

Meanwhile, it sold 9,558 new retail units on the import side for a 34-percent gain. And its premium luxury segment saw new unit sales of 3,129 vehicles. This was 14-percent stronger than the year-ago period.