Japanese boost share as July sales rise 4.6%. (light vehicles)

Import sales rose sharply in July, and Japanese brands gained more market share in cars and light trucks.

Light-vehicle sales overall gained 4.6 percent for the month, to 1.35 million units. Although sales this year have fallen below the year-ago month for four out of seven months, the year-to-date total of about 9 million is only 1.1 percent behind the same period last year.

Among the Big 3 highlights:

* Ford Motor Co. set a July sales record, beating a mark set in 1978. Even though Ford Motor car sales were down 5.4 percent, unit sales are picking up, said Robert Rewey, group vice president of marketing, sales and service. Ford said it will increase its third-quarter production by 30,000 units, half cars and half light trucks. Light-truck sales rose for the …