GM MARCH 2010 SALES UP 34%, 188,546 UNITS SOLD

[FenwickHockey65]

Buick-GMC Sales Increase 54 Percent in March, Leading a 43-Percent Gain for GM Brands
April 1, 2010

Link to Press Release

• • Buick-GMC Sales Soar 54 Percent in March, Leading a 43-Percent Gain for GM Brands
  • Combined Sales for Chevrolet, Buick, GMC and Cadillac Increase 43 percent
  • Sixth Consecutive Month of Year-over-Year Sales Gains for GM’s Four Brands
  • GM Estimates the Brands Will Increase Combined Total and Retail Market Share

DETROIT – Buick and GMC dealers in the U.S. reported sales for those brands in March that were 54 percent higher than March 2009. This led to an overall gain of 43 percent for the Chevrolet, Buick, GMC and Cadillac brands in the U.S. Total combined sales for GM’s four brands were 185,406 during the month. This represents a 34-percent increase from February 2010.

These results are evidence that the company’s plan to create sustainable and profitable growth is on track, according to Susan Docherty, GM vice president of marketing. “Our March results show continued progress toward our growth plan. By investing in our brands and remaining disciplined in our approach to the U.S. market, we posted solid results,” said Docherty. “Our new vehicles, like the Chevrolet Equinox, Buick LaCrosse, GMC Terrain, and Cadillac SRX, are being well-received by customers for many good reasons, including quality, safety, excellent fuel economy, and higher resale values.”

Buick sales rose 76 percent and were led by the Buick LaCrosse, with an increase of 236 percent for the month. Year-to-date, sales of the LaCrosse have increased 197 percent (read more).

GMC sales increased by 45 percent for the month, led by sales of the GMC Terrain, which were up 331 percent for the month versus the vehicle it replaced. For the year, sales of the Terrain are up 245 percent (read more).

Chevrolet dealers reported sales of 133,165 – 41 percent higher than March 2009. The Chevrolet Equinox continued to sell at a brisk pace, with sales up 194 percent, compared to last year. Year-to-date, sales of the Equinox have more than doubled (read more).

In order to meet growing customer demand for the Chevrolet Equinox and GMC Terrain, GM announced plans to add additional production capacity last week (read more).

Cadillac March sales increased 42 percent on high demand for the Cadillac SRX. March sales of the SRX were 550 percent higher than a year ago, and are up more than 425 percent for the year (read more)

Month-end dealer inventory in the U.S. stood at about 428,000 units, which is about 8,000 higher compared to February 2010, and about 338,000 lower than March 2009.

March Key Facts:

• Chevrolet: total sales up 41 percent; retail sales up 24 percent; Chevrolet Equinox retail sales increased 225 percent; Camaro recorded its highest level of retail sales (8,267) since it was launched 12 months ago
• Buick: total sales up 76 percent; retail sales up 34 percent; Buick LaCrosse retail sales rose 144 percent
• GMC: total sales up 45 percent; retail sales up 43 percent; GMC Terrain retail sales were up 425 percent (compared to the Pontiac Torrent – the vehicle it replaced)
• Cadillac: total sales up 42 percent; retail sales up 18 percent; Cadillac SRX retail sales were up 508 percent
• Crossovers for GM’s four brands doubled sales in March compared to last year
• CYTD Sales for Chevrolet, Buick, GMC and Cadillac are up 36 percent.
• Combined Total and Retail sales for Chevrolet, Buick, GMC and Cadillac have increased year-over-year for six straight months.

[speedster]

Wow !!!

Between this data and Camaro winning the Design of the Year, GM is blowing the roof off...

[Cmicasa the Great XvX]

SRX 4090 up 525%
17,775 for Malibu up 1.5%
6,054 for LaCrosse up 223%
12,805 for Equinox up 182%
8,904 for Camaro
Enclave up 36%
Traverse up 27%
TAHOE up 14%
Escalade and ESV up 17%
Impala up 18%
Silvie 29,886 up 22%

Total 188,546 with Hummer/Saturn/Pontiac accounting for only 3041 sales. SAAB IS NO LONGER EVEN COUNTED.. with their actual number reported as 0.


Looks like GM with a new REGAL, CRUZE, VERANO, AVEO, SPARK, ATS, XTS, GRANITE, ORLANDO etc.. will be even more of a force than GM with 8 brands.

[Camaro_Corvette]

Looks like Buick is kicking some a$$!

[Hylton]

On the surface it looks good but there are still some troubling numbers when you start digging. For example, those numbers are month over month.

Compare the year over year numbers for Cadillac (which are much more important when managing a business since buying patterns are cyclical in nature) and aside from the SRX and Escalade, everything is in the red, including CTS.

Whats worse for Cadillac is that it will barely break 120,000 units TOTAL this year. The camaro alone may outsell the entire brand! BMW and Lexus both sell over 200,000 units a year in North America alone. Lots of work yet to get sales up there.....

[CamaroScotty]

It was a BUSY month. Now....if we can get more new cars on the lot to replace all those that sold!

[HeatherR]

Hylton's right...A lot of work needs to be done.

And Scotty they're working max overtime down here for ya!

[Camaro_Corvette]

Originally Posted by Hylton

On the surface it looks good but there are still some troubling numbers when you start digging. For example, those numbers are month over month.

Compare the year over year numbers for Cadillac (which are much more important when managing a business since buying patterns are cyclical in nature) and aside from the SRX and Escalade, everything is in the red, including CTS.

Whats worse for Cadillac is that it will barely break 120,000 units TOTAL this year. The camaro alone may outsell the entire brand! BMW and Lexus both sell over 200,000 units a year in North America alone. Lots of work yet to get sales up there.....

Maybe a bunch of the caddy market went over to Buick.

[HeatherR]

Originally Posted by Camaro_Corvette

Maybe a bunch of the caddy market went over to Buick.

Possible...And to me looks like it will continue to happen.

The SRX is a hit, but I can't figure out why the CTS is not doing better

Reasons for STS and DTS sales are obvious...

We have an Escalade now and although I don't like to drive that large of a vehicle, it is a nice, comforable ride...

They need a good replacement for the STS/DTS and one smaller than the CTS, IMO.

[CamaroScotty]

We could always re-open Janesville

[Hylton]

Originally Posted by Camaro_Corvette

Maybe a bunch of the caddy market went over to Buick.

To some degree. Buicks line-up (including what's coming) is all bang on - homerun stuff. They now have the challenge of moving up market while at the same time, trying to attract a younger, more educated car buyer. I have full confidence that they will succeed and gain market share. Once the Regal is here, I think anyone shopping for a Lexus, should consider Buick.

Cadillac though seems to be moving toward luxury-performance (think BMW). If this is so, then the ATS must be a killer product, ATS and XTS must also have "V" cars and design and fit and finish at Cadillac must be the envy of the world. The Caddy designers have come up with some incredible stuff but unfortunately, someone up the ladder has been putting the kibosh on all of it.

If GM wants to be number one, their top dog must be number one.

[Mr. Wyndham]

Originally Posted by Hylton

ATS and XTS must also have "V" cars and design and fit and finish at Cadillac must be the envy of the world.

I certainly think they're heading in that direction. I mean...look at where Caddy came from over the past decade...*shudders*...give it time, I personally think the XTS and ATS are going to knock the socks off of people...and then the next gen CTS shortly after.

Oh -- and as for 'V' variants...didn't they say a few months ago that ALL Cadillacs would have either a 'V' or "Platinum" variant, but none will have both? And the XTS, being the monster-big of a car that it is...would be more suited to a Platinum model, I think.

EDIT: That said...I really don't care about sales numbers year over year. Last summer marked a rebirth for the company -- much like the legend of the Phoenix, GM must start out smaller than they were. And in that mind-set, so long as they continue to grow going forward, build excellent vehicles, and bring in a profit so they can reinvest....I'm perfectly happy.

[FenwickHockey65]

ATS will be an amazing product I'm sure. I've heard that it's referred to as "The BMW Killer" within GM.

[2000v6]

Originally Posted by Dragoneye

I certainly think they're heading in that direction. I mean...look at where Caddy came from over the past decade...*shudders*...give it time, I personally think the XTS and ATS are going to knock the socks off of people...and then the next gen CTS shortly after.

Oh -- and as for 'V' variants...didn't they say a few months ago that ALL Cadillacs would have either a 'V' or "Platinum" variant, but none will have both? And the XTS, being the monster-big of a car that it is...would be more suited to a Platinum model, I think.

EDIT: That said...I really don't care about sales numbers year over year. Last summer marked a rebirth for the company -- much like the legend of the Phoenix, GM must start out smaller than they were. And in that mind-set, so long as they continue to grow going forward, build excellent vehicles, and bring in a profit so they can reinvest....I'm perfectly happy.

The V series will be the rival series to amg, m and rs series.

The platinum series will basically be the more upscale class.

So it really doesn't make sense for a particular model to get both. I mean, the cts-v sure, but the xts, converj, escalade will all probably get platinum variants