TORONTO - Ford Canada says its sales improved by 24 per cent in September compared to a year earlier, marking the company's fourth consecutive monthly increase.

The automaker says September also marked its 11th consecutive month of market-share growth.

The Ford Taurus showed the biggest improvement, with sales increasing 201 per cent.

For the three months ended Sept. 30, the company said its sales grew 26 per cent -- Ford Canada's highest quarterly sales increase in six years.

Ford was the only one of the Detroit Three automakers to survive the economic downturn without a government bailout, and its sales have reflected this.

Other automakers are expected to release their September sales results later Thursday.