SAO PAULO - Automobile output in Brazil rose sharply in October as factories ramped up production after a slump the previous month, the national automakers' association Anfavea said on Monday.

Output jumped 15.7 percent in October from September to 316,000 units and was also up 6.3 percent when compared to October 2008, Anfavea said. Production had declined 6.7 percent from September versus August.

In October, sales declined 4.6 percent from September, but surged 23.1 percent from October 2008, Anfavea said. Last week, Brazil's national auto dealers' association had reported that sales fell 5.2 percent in October.

Brazil, Latin America's largest economy, is a major market for Italy's Fiat, Germany's Volkswagen AG, U.S.-based General Motors and Ford Motor Co.

Fiat remained the market leader in October, selling 67,987 new cars and trucks, down 2.8 percent from September, while VW sales sank 9.6 percent to 59,293 units.

GM's sales tumbled 10.6 percent to 55,335 units, while Ford sold 28,041 units, 3.6 percent lower than in September. (Reporting by Alberto Alerigi Jr., Writing by Elzio Barreto, editing by W Simon._)

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