The Auto Channel
The Largest Independent Automotive Research Resource
The Largest Independent Automotive Research Resource
Official Website of the New Car Buyer

Chevrolet-Buick-GMC-Cadillac Post 32 Percent Sales Increase in May


PHOTO (select to view enlarged photo)

Fifth Consecutive Month of Double-Digit Combined Sales Gains for GM's Four Brands

• Calendar-Year-to-Date Sales for GM's Four Brands are up 31 Percent

• GM Crossovers Sales Are up 81 Percent Year-to-Date

DETROIT - June 2, 2010: For the fifth straight month, Chevrolet, Buick, GMC and Cadillac together posted a double digit sales gain, with combined sales increasing 32 percent over last May. Year-to-date sales for GM's four brands have risen 31 percent to 874,749 units - an increase of 206,994 units compared to last year, which is almost twice the volume lost from brands the company has discontinued.

According to Steve Carlisle, vice president, U.S. Sales Operations, GM's brands have outperformed the market this year on the strength of the company's newest products. Year-to-date, combined sales of the Chevrolet Equinox, Chevrolet Camaro, Buick LaCrosse and Regal, GMC Terrain and Cadillac SRX and CTS Wagon are up 323 percent.

"Each of our brands has new products that are being received well by customers. In fact, these new vehicles now account for about one in every four retail sales in the U.S.," said Carlisle. "With each brand launching new vehicles in the next few months, we are optimistic about the remainder of the year."

Since 2005, crossover sales as a percentage of industry sales have almost doubled. During the same time, sales of GM's crossovers as a percentage of the company's sales have more than tripled. May sales of GM's crossovers - Chevrolet Equinox, HHR and Traverse; Buick Enclave, GMC Terrain and Acadia; and Cadillac SRX - were up 83 percent compared to May 2009, and are up 81 percent year-to-date. Through May, GM leads all automakers in total crossover sales.

According to Carlisle, the company's crossover growth is an example of its ability to quickly adapt to shifts in the marketplace. "We're a much leaner and more agile company today and can take advantage of movements in consumer tastes," said Carlisle.

Chevrolet dealers reported sales of 167,235 - 31 percent higher than May, 2009. Retail sales for the brand were 19 percent higher for the month. Retail sales for Chevrolet's popular full-size pickups, Silverado and Avalanche, increased 14 percent, while retail sales for the Suburban rose 73 percent. The Chevrolet Silverado, Equinox, Traverse, Avalanche, Malibu and Camaro all posted year-over-year retail sales increases of 10 percent or more (read more).

Buick sales rose 37 percent for the month to 12,582 - the eighth consecutive month of double digit year-over-year sales increases led by the LaCrosse and Enclave. Retail sales for Buick rose 46 percent during May. Buick LaCrosse retail sales increased 191 percent for the month. Year-to-date sales of the LaCrosse have increased 162 percent (read more).

GMC sales of 30,160 were 26 percent higher than last year, while retail sales for the brand were up 37 percent. Retail sales of the GMC Terrain continued to gain momentum, with sales increasing 350 percent for the year-to-date (read more).

Cadillac sales increased 54 percent to 12,328, while retail sales improved 43 percent for the month. CTS retail sales improved 7 percent for the month, and year-to-date sales of the SRX are 439 percent higher than a year ago (read more).

Month-end dealer inventory in the U.S. stood at about 408,000 units, which is about 22,000 lower compared to April 2010, and about 267,000 lower than May 2009.

May Key Facts:
-- Eighth Consecutive Month of Combined Sales Gains for GM's Four Brands

-- Chevrolet: Total sales up 31 percent compared to a year ago; retail sales up 19 percent; Chevrolet Equinox retail sales increased 228 percent; Camaro retail sales continued to set the pace for the sport segment with 8,402 deliveries; Chevrolet Traverse retail sales were up 11 percent for the month, and are up 10 percent for the year; Silverado retail sales were up 11 percent for the month.

-- Buick: Total sales up 37 percent; retail sales up 46 percent; Buick LaCrosse retail sales rose 191 percent and are up 162 percent for the year; Buick Enclave retail sales rose 14 percent in May and are up 12 percent for the year.

-- GMC: Total sales up 26 percent; retail sales up 37 percent; GMC Terrain retail sales were up 569 percent for the month and 350 percent for the year; GMC Acadia retail sales increased 18 percent for the month and are up 24 percent year-to-date.

-- Cadillac: Total sales up 54 percent; retail sales up 43 percent; Cadillac SRX retail sales were up 605 percent for the month and 439 percent for the year; Cadillac CTS had its best month of the year, with retail sales up 7 percent.

-- GM Full-Size Pickups, Full-Size Utilities and Full-Size Luxury Utilities sales rose 17 percent for the month and are up 9 percent year-to-date.

-- Fleet sales for GM's four brands were 83,305 for the month.

  GM U.S. Deliveries for May 2010 - Divisional Brand Level

                                                      (Calendar Year-to-
                                                             Date)
  *S/D Curr:                   May                        January -  May
  ----------                   ---                        --------------
    26
  --
                                           %Chg
                                  % Chg     per                       % Chg
  *S/D Prev:      2010     2009   Volume    S/D       2010     2009   Volume
  ----------      ----     ----  ------   -----       ----     ----  ------
   26
  --
  Vehicle      223,822  191,875     16.6    16.6   885,141  777,785     13.8
   Total
   Brand       222,305  168,623     31.8    31.8   874,749  667,755     31.0
    Total
   Other         1,517   23,252    -93.5   -93.5    10,392  110,030    -90.6
   -----         -----   ------    -----   -----    ------  -------    -----
    Brand
    -----
    Total
    -----

  GM Vehicle
   Deliveries
   by
   Marketing
   Division
  -----------
                                            %Chg
                                    %Chg     per                       % Chg
                  2010     2009   Volume     S/D      2010     2009   Volume
                  ----     ----  -------   -----      ----     ----   ------
  Buick
   Total        12,582    9,160     37.4    37.4    56,899   38,622     47.3
  Cadillac      12,328    8,027     53.6    53.6    52,997   40,110     32.1
   Total
  Chevrolet    167,235  127,510     31.2    31.2   641,062  490,220     30.8
   Total **
  GMC Total     30,160   23,926     26.1    26.1   123,791   98,803     25.3
   **
   Brand       222,305  168,623     31.8    31.8   874,749  667,755     31.0
    Total
  HUMMER         1,290    1,094     17.9    17.9     2,626    5,113    -48.6
   Total
  Pontiac          181   13,329    -98.6   -98.6       815   65,054    -98.7
   Total
  Saab Total         0      783    ***.*   ***.*       608    4,607    -86.8
  Saturn
   Total            46    8,046    -99.4   -99.4     6,343   35,256    -82.0
   Other         1,517   23,252    -93.5   -93.5    10,392  110,030    -90.6
    Brand
    Total
  GM Vehicle   223,822  191,875     16.6    16.6   885,141  777,785     13.8
  ----------   -------  -------     ----    ----   -------  -------     ----
   Total
   -----

  * Twenty-six selling days (S/D) for the May period this year and
  twenty-six for last year.
  **Effective August 2007, GM includes GMC & Chevrolet dealer
  deliveries of commercial vehicles distributed by American Isuzu
  Motors, Inc.

           GM U.S. Deliveries for May 2010 - Divisional Brand Level
                                                       (Calendar Year-to-
                                                             Date)
                               May                        January -  May
                               ---                        --------------
                                            %Chg
                                   % Chg     per                        %Chg
                  2010     2009   Volume     S/D      2010     2009   Volume
                  ----     ----   ------   -----      ----     ----  -------
  Selling
   Days (S/
   D)               26       26
  ---------        ---      ---
  Enclave        4,715    4,103     14.9    14.9    21,686   17,105     26.8
  LaCrosse       5,452    1,748    211.9   211.9    25,033    7,978    213.8
  Lucerne        2,265    3,307    -31.5   -31.5    10,030   13,516    -25.8
  Rainier            0        0    ***.*   ***.*         0        3    ***.*
  Regal            150        0    ***.*   ***.*       150        0    ***.*
  Rendezvous         0        0    ***.*   ***.*         0        1    ***.*
  Terraza            0        2    ***.*   ***.*         0       19    ***.*
   Buick
    Total       12,582    9,160     37.4    37.4    56,899   38,622     47.3
   ------       ------    -----     ----    ----    ------   ------     ----
  CTS            3,489    2,914     19.7    19.7    14,892   17,366    -14.2
  DTS            2,263    1,520     48.9    48.9     7,423    6,483     14.5
  Escalade       1,332    1,831    -27.3   -27.3     6,506    6,506      0.0
  Escalade         565      372     51.9    51.9     2,781    2,449     13.6
   ESV
  Escalade         136      143     -4.9    -4.9       666    1,072    -37.9
   EXT
  SRX            4,081      541    654.3   654.3    18,851    3,178    493.2
  STS              441      637    -30.8   -30.8     1,736    2,694    -35.6
  XLR               21       69    -69.6   -69.6       142      362    -60.8
   Cadillac     12,328    8,027     53.6    53.6    52,997   40,110     32.1
   --------     ------    -----     ----    ----    ------   ------     ----
    Total
    -----
  Avalanche      1,909    1,021     87.0    87.0     7,459    5,801     28.6
  Aveo           3,888    2,067     88.1    88.1    14,749    9,669     52.5
  Camaro         8,931    5,463     63.5    63.5    38,838    6,077    539.1
  Chevy C/T          3        1    200.0   200.0         7       13    -46.2
   Series
  Chevy W           21       45    -53.3   -53.3       164      325    -49.5
   Series
  Cobalt        16,173   12,764     26.7    26.7    67,253   44,829     50.0
  Colorado       2,535    3,610    -29.8   -29.8     9,776   13,999    -30.2
  Corvette       1,428    1,643    -13.1   -13.1     4,950    6,102    -18.9
  Equinox       13,134    3,689    256.0   256.0    55,500   21,043    163.7
  Express        6,247    5,988      4.3     4.3    21,724   20,846      4.2
  HHR           10,412    9,671      7.7     7.7    32,072   24,531     30.7
  Impala        20,623   18,709     10.2    10.2    75,040   63,756     17.7
  Kodiak 4/5       149      321    -53.6   -53.6       791    1,623    -51.3
   Series
  Kodiak
   6/7/8            39       73    -46.6   -46.6       119      452    -73.7
   Series
  Malibu        21,722   14,098     54.1    54.1    87,597   64,363     36.1
  Monte
   Carlo             0        0    ***.*   ***.*         0        3    ***.*
  Silverado-
   C/K          33,690   31,463      7.1     7.1   135,788  125,183      8.5
   Pickup
  Suburban       5,279    2,631    100.6   100.6    18,246   12,763     43.0
   (Chevy)
  Tahoe          9,397    6,306     49.0    49.0    29,881   28,101      6.3
  TrailBlazer       10      739    -98.6   -98.6       154    6,138    -97.5
  Traverse      11,641    7,045     65.2    65.2    40,900   33,390     22.5
  Uplander           4      163    -97.5   -97.5        54    1,213    -95.5
   Chevrolet   167,235  127,510     31.2    31.2   641,062  490,220     30.8
   ---------   -------  -------     ----    ----   -------  -------     ----
    Total
    -----
  Acadia         5,823    4,974     17.1    17.1    29,462   22,726     29.6
  Canyon           639    1,140    -43.9   -43.9     2,991    4,429    -32.5
  Envoy              6      465    -98.7   -98.7        57    2,931    -98.1
  GMC C/T            4       16    -75.0   -75.0        49      170    -71.2
   Series
  GMC W             39      150    -74.0   -74.0       245      663    -63.0
   Series
  Savana         1,494    1,619     -7.7    -7.7     5,390    6,793    -20.7
  Sierra        11,305   10,272     10.1    10.1    44,167   41,053      7.6
  Terrain        5,132        0    ***.*   ***.*    22,512        2    ***.*
  Topkick
   4/5              86      234    -63.2   -63.2       663    1,014    -34.6
   Series
  Topkick
   6/7/8            71      154    -53.9   -53.9       218      792    -72.5
   Series
  Yukon          2,782    3,979    -30.1   -30.1     9,551   12,521    -23.7
  Yukon XL       2,779      923    201.1   201.1     8,486    5,709     48.6
   GMC Total    30,160   23,926     26.1    26.1   123,791   98,803     25.3
   ---------    ------   ------     ----    ----   -------   ------     ----
   Brand
    Total      222,305  168,623     31.8    31.8   874,749  667,755     31.0
   ------      -------  -------     ----    ----   -------  -------     ----
   HUMMER        1,290    1,094     17.9    17.9     2,626    5,113    -48.6
   ------        -----    -----     ----    ----     -----    -----    -----
    Total
    -----
   Pontiac         181   13,329    -98.6   -98.6       815   65,054    -98.7
   -------         ---   ------    -----   -----       ---   ------    -----
    Total
    -----
   Saab Total        0      783    ***.*   ***.*       608    4,607    -86.8
   ----------      ---      ---    -----   -----       ---    -----    -----
   Saturn
    Total           46    8,046    -99.4   -99.4     6,343   35,256    -82.0
   ------          ---    -----    -----   -----     -----   ------    -----
   Other         1,517   23,252    -93.5   -93.5    10,392  110,030    -90.6
   -----         -----   ------    -----   -----    ------  -------    -----
    Brand
    -----
    Total
    -----
   GM Total    223,822  191,875     16.6    16.6   885,141  777,785     13.8
   --------    -------  -------     ----    ----   -------  -------     ----