GM AUGUST 2010 SALES DOWN 11%, 184,921 UNITS SOLD

[FenwickHockey65]

Chevrolet, Buick, GMC and Cadillac Sales Decline 11 Percent from 2009 Cash-for-Clunkers Level
Link to Press Release

September 1, 2010

* Combined Buick, GMC and Cadillac sales counter trend, increase 37 percent
* Calendar-year-to-date sales for GM’s four brands are up 23 percent
* Buick remains the fastest-growing major auto brand in the U.S.
* Cadillac is the fastest-growing luxury brand in the U.S.

DETROIT – August sales for Chevrolet, Buick, GMC and Cadillac decreased by a combined 11 percent to 184,921 units, compared to last August, a month in which the automotive industry experienced the highest level of sales in 2009 due to the Cash for Clunkers stimulus program. Compared to July 2010, sales for GM’s brands were down 7 percent.

Through August, Buick remained the industry’s fastest-growing brand with sales up 61 percent year to date. Cadillac leads the luxury vehicle industry in sales growth this year, with sales 50 percent higher through August.

“Last year’s Cash for Clunkers program spiked industry sales in 2009, so results this August were, not surprisingly, a bit mixed,” said Don Johnson, vice president, U.S. Sales Operations. “Importantly, three of our four divisions showed solid gains. This is further evidence that our performance is the result of balanced contributions across our brands.”

Combined sales for Buick, GMC and Cadillac were up 37 percent for the month, compared to a year ago. Buick sales increased 66 percent, propelled by retail sales that more than doubled during the month. Cadillac dealers reported sales that were 83 percent higher than last year, and the brand’s retail sales also rose 83 percent. GMC total sales were up 12 percent during the month, driven by strong retail sales. Chevrolet, which benefited the most from last year’s federal stimulus, had a total sales decline of 22 percent compared to last year, while retail sales were down 31 percent.

Total sales of GM’s full-size pickups rose 4 percent during the month, while its full-size utilities increased 7 percent on strong retail sales growth.

Johnson noted that key product launches for the remainder of this year will continue the company’s momentum.

“With the all-new Chevrolet Cruze hitting showrooms in September, the Chevrolet Volt later this year, the Buick Regal expanding Buick’s footprint in the U.S., and the Cadillac CTS Coupe generating a lot of attention, we have reason to be optimistic,” Johnson said.

Month-end dealer inventory in the U.S. stood at about 452,000 units, which is about 28,000 higher compared to July 2010, and about 73,000 higher than August 2009.

August Key Facts and Brand Results:

* Chevrolet: Chevrolet delivered 131,952 total vehicles in August, a 22 percent decline year-over-year. Year-to-date total Chevrolet sales are up 19 percent. Retail sales for Chevrolet full-size trucks (Silverado, Avalanche, Tahoe and Suburban) rose 8 percent.

* Buick: Buick reported total sales of 14,294, an increase of 66 percent in August compared to last year. Driven by continuing strong customer demand for the LaCrosse (retail sales up 263 percent) and growing demand for the all-new Regal, Buick retail sales more than doubled for the second month in a row, up 102 percent, compared to last year. August was the eleventh straight month that total and retail sales have increased. With sales up 61 percent for the year, Buick remains the fastest growing major auto brand in the U.S. .

* GMC: GMC reported total sales of 25,986, a 12 percent increase in total sales in the month of August, compared to the same month last year. This includes an 18 percent increase in retail sales, marking 11 consecutive months of year-over-year total and retail sales gains for GMC. Retail sales for GMC full-size trucks (Sierra, Yukon and Yukon XL) increased 12 percent during the month and retail sales for the Terrain rose to 3,667 units. For the year, GMC total sales are up 26 percent.

* Cadillac: Total sales of 12,689 for August were 83 percent higher than last August, with retail sales increasing 83 percent. This strong retail performance was driven by continuing strong consumer demand for the SRX and the CTS, with retail sales up 410 percent and 77 percent, respectively. August was the seventh month in a row that Cadillac total and retail sales have increased. With total sales up 50 percent for the year, the brand is the fastest growing luxury auto brand in the industry.

* Fleet sales for GM’s four brands were 51,951 for the month.

[motorhead]

Looks like chevy cars is the big drag on GM which is no surprise. I would really hate to see chevy's numbers without the camaro ,although there seems to be a lot of them sitting on lots these days. I hope the fire didn't wear off already.

[FenwickHockey65]

Originally Posted by motorhead

Looks like chevy cars is the big drag on GM which is no surprise. I would really hate to see chevy's numbers without the camaro ,although there seems to be a lot of them sitting on lots these days. I hope the fire didn't wear off already.

Cash for Clunkers had the biggest effect on the year-over-year sales figures. It artificially inflated sales.

[FenwickHockey65]

The competition...

Ford Motor Company: Down 11%, 157,503 units sold
Toyota: Down 34%, 148,388 units sold
Honda: Down 32.7%, 108,729 units sold
Chrysler: Up 7%, 99,611 units sold
Nissan: Down 27%, 76,827 units sold
Hyundai: Down 11%, 53,603 units sold
Kia: Down 19.2%, 32,465 units sold
BMW: Down 1.6%, 23,965 units sold
Volkswagen: Down 7.9%, 22,855 units sold
Subaru: Down 22%, 22,239 units sold
Mazda: Down 25.6%, 19,736 units sold
Mercedes Benz: Up 15%, 19,674 units sold
Audi: Up 14%, 9,182 units sold
Suzuki: Down 68%, 1,830 units sold

[Sax1031]

The economy is sputtering. Seems like it might be slipping a little. Confidence is going down again.

[motorhead]

Originally Posted by FenwickHockey65

Cash for Clunkers had the biggest effect on the year-over-year sales figures. It artificially inflated sales.

I understand that ,but they still are way down from what the rest of GM is doing currently. I hope some of the new cars coming out in the chevy line up help to get the numbers up to par with the other brands. I don't know where the camaro's numbers are ,but it seems to be slowing down in my area. There are a lot of them sitting on lots where I'm from.

[bigearl]

Well Buick has a good new product with some good press and some stronger than normal advertising. GMC is all trucks and trucks are going up defying all predictions of 2008 (remember those? I thought trucks were dead....). And Cadillac like Buick has some strong newer products and a lot of advertising with some good press.

Chevy has some newer products but the press hasn't been kind lately and almost no advertising except for the little girl who gets to sit in the middle row seating.

[LOWDOWN]

It's "interesting" that Buick's sales, this August, are 48% of what Pontiac was, last August...

[DGthe3]

Originally Posted by LOWDOWN

It's "interesting" that Buick's sales, this August, are 48% of what Pontiac was, last August...

Did you somehow think that every Pontiac buyer would inexplicably jump to Buicks? The two brands have nearly nothing in common. Pontiac buyers would most likely get split between Chevy and Cadillac. Saturn buyers are much more likely to gravitate towards Buick.

And last August, Pontiac got a huge bump. Up 23% while GM as a whole was down 20% vs Aug '08. G5's were probably pretty popular with the cash for clunkers program.

[Crowley]

Originally Posted by DGthe3

Did you somehow think that every Pontiac buyer would inexplicably jump to Buicks? The two brands have nearly nothing in common. Pontiac buyers would most likely get split between Chevy and Cadillac. Saturn buyers are much more likely to gravitate towards Buick.

And last August, Pontiac got a huge bump. G5's were probably pretty popular with the cash for clunkers program.

I think he just means they should have kept Pontiac around and maybe given the axe to Buick ..... I would have been game for that .. always loved Pontiac ..

Crowley

[Muscle Master]

Originally Posted by FenwickHockey65

The competition...

Ford Motor Company: Down 11%, 157,503 units sold
Toyota: Down 34%, 148,388 units sold
Chrysler: Up 7%, 99,611 units sold

Go Chrysler!!!

I'm more concerned with the sales from the big three in total compared to the imports

[MEDISIN]

Chevrolet needs a solid full size sedan offering. The G8 reincarnated! The current Impalla is pathetically outdated compared to the competition.

[Stew]

Originally Posted by LOWDOWN

It's "interesting" that Buick's sales, this August, are 48% of what Pontiac was, last August...

Keep in mind these factors/

1. cash for clunkers.
2. Pontiac had at least 2 models, G3 and G5 that probably did well duting that sell and possibly he matrix too.
3. Number of models, Buick has (4 with the Regal, but is it even on sale yet?), while pontiac had no less than 7

Also the reason the kept Buick instead of Pontiac was China where buick is the highest selling luxury brand and sells in higher volumes than it does here.

[DGthe3]

Originally Posted by Crowley

I think he just means they should have kept Pontiac around and maybe given the axe to Buick ..... I would have been game for that .. always loved Pontiac ..

Crowley

GM was still selling more Buicks than Pontiacs though. For every Buick sold in the US, there were 2 sold in China. No Pontiacs were sold overseas. Plus, they made more money on each Buick sold and they had some great cars that were either supposed to be new Buicks (LaCrosse) or could easily be turned into one (Regal).

As great as the G8 was, they sold far more G5's and G6's. Their newest car was the G3, nothing more than a rebadged Aveo. There isn't enough of a market anymore for real Pontiacs anymore, and the environment is only getting worse as CAFE gets stricter. If the future of Pontiac lay in the G3, the brand is better off dead.