GM, Ford, Nissan top estimates

General Motors led the six top-selling automakers by U.S. sales in beating analysts' projections for deliveries in December. That likely solidifies an unprecedented seventh-straight year of sales growth for the industry.

GM, the largest U.S. automaker, said deliveries rose 10 percent, beating analysts' estimates for an increase of about 4.4 percent.

Ford, Fiat Chrysler Automobiles and Japan's three largest carmakers all posted surprise gains.

Coming into Wednesday's reports, analysts had predicted that GM would stand alone among the six biggest sellers in the nation with higher deliveries for December, which had one less selling day than in the year-earlier month. With industrywide deliveries gaining for the month, the full-year total will top the 2015 record of 17.5 million.

'Key economic indicators, especially consumer confidence, continue to reflect optimism about the U.S. economy and strong customer demand continues to drive a very healthy U.S. auto industry,” said Mustafa Mohatarem, GM's chief economist. 'We believe the U.S. auto industry remains well-positioned for sales to continue at or near record levels in 2017.”

Analysts on average had projected December sales will come in at a seasonally adjusted annualized rate of 17.6 million cars and light trucks, up from last December's 17.5 million rate. On Wednesday, GM predicted that when today's reports are complete, the industry selling rate will hit 18.2 million for December and 17.5 million or the full year.

Fiat Chrysler was the lone major automaker to report a sales decline for the month, with deliveries falling 10 percent - still better than a projected decline of 14 percent. Toyota Motor, Nissan and Honda each posted surprise gains.

Researcher Autodata Corp. will report the industry sales rate and deliveries total for last month and 2016 later Wednesday.

The industry is entering 2017 with analysts projecting the first significant decline in eight years - a drop of 200,000 vehicles, about the equivalent of one factory's production - to 17.3 million cars and light trucks.