The Detroit Free Press reports that car sales for the month of March are continuing the momentum they showed in February -- and then some. So far, car sales this month are running at an annual rate of between 12.1 million (J.D. Powers) and 13.2 million (Edmunds) units. The last time sales were this high was last August during the government’s “Cash for Clunkers” program.

Generous incentives from nearly every car maker are driving the increase to some extent but pent-up demand no doubt accounts for much of it, too. As strong as sales were in February, they would have been even higher were it not for uncommonly miserable weather that shut down the east coast several times.

Once again, the big winner appears to be Ford which posted a breath taking 43% increase in February. TrueCar estimates that Ford will make substantial gains in market share in March, much of it at the expense of GM, Chrysler and Toyota.

Can it last? Some suggest that once the incentives expire, sales will fall back to the miasmic levels of last year. That line of thought ignores the pent-up-demand factor that is also driving sales right now. Also, a number of manufacturers are pumping up the excitement with fresh and interesting new products which could keep buyers coming.

Besides, car makers have the option of keeping incentives in place and riding the wave into summer when sales are traditionally stronger. I’m betting that they are prepared to do so.

--M.D.