Cadillac has achieved its highest rate of growth since 1976. The American luxury icon’s year-to-date sales at the end of May for the U.S. market were 69,750 units, an increase of 38 percent compared with the same period a year ago.

This represents the brand’s highest year-to-date sales growth since 1976, when sales grew 45 percent over the previous year to end at 135,258 units.

Importantly, the latest results also mean that Cadillac is the fastest growing major automotive brand in in the country.

The month of May also represented Cadillac’s 12th straight month of sales growth, with U.S. buyers snapping up 13,808 of its cars.

Strong sellers were the ATS and XTS sedans, but the Escalade, which will be renewed next year, managed to experience its best May sales since 2008.

And in more good news for Cadillac, around 70 percent of ATS buyers were new to the brand, and we suspect many more conquests will be earned once the stunning new 2014 CTS goes on sale.

Overall, May was a good month for General Motors Company [NYSE:GM]. The automaker sold 252,894 across the U.S., a gain of 3 percent on the same period a year ago.

_______________________________________

Follow Motor Authority on Facebook, Twitter, and Google+.