Fuel-Efficient Vehicles Propel General Motors April U.S. Sales Increase of 27 Percent

DETROIT, May 3, 2011 /PRNewswire/ --

• Chevrolet Cruze posts best month since launch with 25,160 total sales
• GMC Terrain, Chevrolet Equinox set April sales records
• Retail sales rose 25 percent for April; up 35 percent year to date
• Incentives decline more than 10 percent while retail sales rise 4 percent from March

General Motors dealers in the United States reported 232,538 total sales in April, a 27-percent increase versus April a year ago. Solid gains by GM's lineup of fuel-efficient passenger cars and crossovers powered the gains, led by the best sales month for the Chevrolet Cruze and record sales for the Chevrolet Equinox and GMC Terrain compact crossovers.  

Retail sales, those to individual customers, rose 25 percent versus last April with cars and crossovers up 49 percent and 28 percent, respectively. Retail sales for the Cruze were 180 percent higher than the Chevrolet Cobalt it replaced. The Equinox and Terrain also posted retail sales records, up 53 and 61 percent respectively.

With gasoline averaging almost $4 per gallon, consumers are beginning to trade in larger vehicles for smaller, more fuel efficient ones.

"Recently, rising fuel prices have led many to re-think their vehicle choice," said Don Johnson, vice president, U.S. Sales Operations. "Because of the investments we've made in fuel-efficiency and global product architectures, the company is well positioned to meet these needs."

During the first quarter of 2011, the company's retail share of the small, compact and compact crossover segments improved by an estimated 3.4 full share points, compared to the first quarter of 2010. Much of this improvement is due to improved availability of the popular Equinox and Terrain and the launch of the all-new Cruze.  

Compared to March, retail sales rose 4 percent though incentive spending decreased more than 10 percent, Johnson said.

April deliveries to commercial accounts rose 21 percent – the 13th consecutive month of commercial sales gains.

GM's Newest Vehicles Retail Sales Soar 76 Percent in April

Combined retail sales for vehicles launched since June 2009 – Chevrolet Equinox, Silverado HD, Cruze, Camaro Convertible and Volt; Buick LaCrosse and Regal; GMC Sierra HD and Terrain; and Cadillac SRX, CTS Wagon and CTS Coupe – jumped 76 percent during April and are up 76 percent for the year through April.

Passenger Cars

Total sales of GM passenger cars improved 50 percent during April, led by the sale of 25,160 Cruzes and 24,701 Chevrolet Malibus. Retail sales of GM passenger cars climbed 49 percent for the month. The Cruze and Chevrolet Camaro Convertible recorded their highest retail sales since launch. For the year-to-date, retail sales of GM's passenger cars were up 49 percent, also led by the Cruze, up 195 percent for the year compared to the Chevrolet Cobalt.

Crossovers

The Chevrolet, GMC and Cadillac brands each set April total and retail sales records for crossover sales, driven by a 49-percent increase in combined retail sales by the Equinox, Terrain and SRX.  The three also set individual April records for retail sales.  For the year-to-date, retail sales of GM's industry-leading crossovers were up 29 percent.

Pickups

Total combined sales of Chevrolet Silverado and Avalanche, and GMC Sierra increased 2 percent; with retail sales down 2 percent versus a year ago. For the year-to-date, retail sales for GM's full-size pickups are up 26 percent, while total sales of 172,070 units represent a 22-percent increase.

Month-end dealer inventory in the United States stood at about 577,000 units, up about 3,000 units compared to March and about 149,000 higher than April 2010.

Brand Key Facts:

• Chevrolet: Chevrolet dealers delivered 169,794 total vehicles in April, a 25-percent increase versus last year. Retail sales for Chevrolet were up 25 percent. Cruze retail sales were 180 percent higher than the Chevrolet Cobalt. Equinox retail sales increased 53 percent (read more).
• Buick: Buick reported 18,413 total sales, a 51-percent increase compared to April 2010. This includes a 35-percent rise in year-over-year retail sales, led by demand for the all-new Regal, which is attracting large numbers of non-GM owners to the brand. April was the 19th consecutive month of year-over-year sales gains for the brand (read more).
• GMC: GMC reported total sales of 31,204, a 29-percent increase compared to the same month last year, also the 19th consecutive month of year-over-year sales increases. Retail sales were 23 percent higher than last year, driven by continued strong retail demand for the Terrain, with sales up 61 percent (read more).
• Cadillac: Cadillac reported total sales of 13,127 for April – 16 percent higher than last April, with retail sales increasing 25 percent. April was the 15th consecutive month of year-over-year total and retail sales gains. CTS retail sales continued to set the pace, rising 52 percent, driven by strong demand for the CTS Coupe (read more).
• Fleet sales for GM's four brands were 75,868 for the month, a 31-percent increase for the month, with sales to commercial customers increasing 21 percent – the 13th consecutive month of commercial fleet sales gains. Fleet accounted for 33 percent of GM total sales during the month.

About General Motors – General Motors (NYSE: GM, TSX: GMM), one of the world's largest automakers, traces its roots back to 1908. With its global headquarters in Detroit, GM employs 202,000 people in every major region of the world and does business in more than 120 countries.  GM and its strategic partners produce cars and trucks in 30 countries, and sell and service these vehicles through the following brands: Baojun, Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet, GMC, Daewoo, Holden, Isuzu, Jiefang, Opel, Vauxhall, and Wuling. GM's largest national market is China, followed by the United States, Brazil, the United Kingdom, Germany, Canada, and Italy.  GM's OnStar subsidiary is the industry leader in vehicle safety, security and information services.  More information on the new General Motors can be found at www.gm.com.

SOURCE General Motors