DETROIT (Reuters) - Ford Motor Co shares hit a six-year high for the second straight session yesterday, the day after the automaker reported sales that outperformed the US auto industry.

The stock rose as much as 4.3 percent to $15.83, its highest level since June 2004. The company's US auto sales are up 21 percent so far this year, compared with a rise of nearly 11 percent for US auto sales, according to Autodata.

By mid-morning, the shares had fallen back to $15.55, up 2.4 percent.

Other automakers were also showing gains yesterday, including Toyota Motor Corp, and Nissan Motor Co , which had closed in Tokyo trading.

Toyota shares gained 2.3 percent in trading in Tokyo. Nissan closed up 3.9 percent after it indicated it would overtake Honda Motor Co as the second-biggest automaker in Japan behind Toyota.

Ford shares are up more than 50 percent so far this year, while the S&P 500 is up about seven percent.