GM 2007 sales off 6%
GM delivered 3.87 million vehicles in 2007, down 6 percent compared with 2006. GM's retail market share is anticipated to be flat for the year, with daily rental share down significantly, as planned.
"We've executed our Go-to-Market strategy throughout the year, and the results show stabilized retail share and net price, reduced daily rentals, improved residual values, smaller inventories and outstanding launch vehicle performance," said Mark LaNeve, GM North America vice president, Vehicle Sales, Service and Marketing. "Growing our share in key car segments is integral to our strategy. The retail performance of the new Chevrolet Malibu and Cadillac CTS, Saturn AURA, Pontiac G6 and the fuel-efficient Chevrolet Aveo, Cobalt and Pontiac G5, demonstrates the enthusiasm customers have for these outstanding vehicles."
December Performance Highlights:
Chevrolet, Pontiac, Buick, GMC and Saturn divisions saw retail increases year-over-year
GM's retail car deliveries increased 15 percent based on the strength of the all-new Chevrolet Malibu, 2008 Cadillac CTS and fuel-efficient Chevrolet Aveo, Cobalt, Pontiac G5 and G6. Aveo sales were up 82 percent
Chevrolet Impala and Malibu combined were 24,000 retail sales, the best Chevrolet mid-car month since July 2006
Enclave, OUTLOOK and Acadia crossovers exceeded 14,000 retail sales; GM's mid-utility crossover segment was up 275 percent. Enclave had a record month.
Chevrolet Silverado, Avalanche and GMC Sierra full-size pickups built retail market share with more than 69,000 vehicles sold
Retail vehicles, as a percent of total deliveries, increased more than 5 percentage points to 80 percent
Dealer inventories were down 147,000 vehicles year-over-year
"The Malibu, CTS and Enclave have some of the fastest turn rates in the industry and we've seen Malibu retail sales increase nearly 100 percent compared with a year ago," LaNeve added. "I was particularly encouraged to see that even though we doubled Malibu sales and basically sold them as soon as they hit dealer lots, the Impala also had a terrific month. More and more customers are realizing that the best mid-car values are no longer at an import dealership."
2007 Performance Highlights:
Dealer inventories were at their lowest level going into January in 13 years
GMC and Saturn divisions had total and retail increases for the year
Enclave, OUTLOOK and Acadia crossovers exceeded 122,000 retail sales; GM's mid-utility crossover segment was up 333 percent retail
Daily rental sales were reduced 108,000 vehicles; GM was at its lowest level of daily rental sales in 9 years (about 596,000 vehicles), while significantly boosting content and resale value. Commercial/government fleet sales were up about 5,000 vehicles
Anticipated retail share stabilized at about 21 percent
Retail vehicles, as a percentage of total deliveries, increased 1 percentage point to 74 percent
"The Chevrolet Tahoe Hybrid and Malibu, Buick Enclave and Cadillac CTS have been named finalists in the North America Car and Truck of the Year Awards, so our vehicles are being recognized as world-class," LaNeve said. "While we've seen a challenging market in 2007, we are offering shoppers the best products and value available. A shining example is Saturn's roughly 12-percent retail increase in 2007, being driven by the AURA, SKY, VUE and OUTLOOK. We believe the industry will be much more resilient than many forecasts and look forward to 2008."
Quality, reliability and durability (QRD) remain key factors for customers when purchasing a new vehicle. GM's 5 Year/100,000 Mile Powertrain Limited Warranty continues to make GM a better choice for customers. GM's coverage focuses on the complete ownership experience and includes other provisions that competitors do not offer, including transferability to the next owner, more complete coverage of parts, and coverage for new and certified used vehicles. In addition, GM offers superior complementary programs, such as courtesy transportation and roadside assistance.