GM Reports September Sales of 458,799, Up 20%

[Buick61]

FOR RELEASE: 2004-10-01

GM Reports September Sales of 458,799, Up 20 Percent

GM Sets All-Time Industry Sales Records for Trucks, SUVs and Full-Size Pickups
Chevrolet Posts Best Sales Since October 2001; GMC Since December 2002

DETROIT - General Motors dealers sold 458,799 new cars and trucks in September, up 20 percent compared to year-ago levels. GM's truck sales (287,129) were up 32.5 percent, and car sales (171,670) were up 3 percent. Third-quarter sales (1,324,685) were up 2 percent.

"GM's September results included all-time industry record sales of trucks, SUVs and full-size pickups," said John Smith, group vice president, GM North America Vehicle Sales, Service and Marketing. "Chevrolet enjoyed its best month since October 2001, with strong sales of Aveo, Malibu, Equinox and Colorado. Other launch products - Cadillac SRX, GMC Canyon and Pontiac GTO - also had strong sales. New vehicles such as Chevrolet Cobalt, Pontiac G6 and Buick LaCrosse should add to the sales excitement."

GM Truck Sales

GM's truck lineup posted industry-record September sales. Full-size pickups and sport utility vehicles both set industry sales records. Full-size pickup deliveries (108,742) posted a 42 percent gain, led by record Chevrolet full-size pickup sales, up 41 percent, and record GMC Sierra sales, up 47 percent. This is the eighth consecutive month that GM full-size pickups led the industry. Deliveries of medium pickups were up 33 percent (16,022), as Chevrolet Colorado and GMC Canyon continued to build sales strength.

GM again set a new industry benchmark for utility vehicle sales. SUV sales (134,819) improved 35 percent compared to year-ago levels, surpassing the 100,000-unit sales mark for the sixth month this year. Third-quarter utility sales gained 12 percent (382,076), also setting another record.

September deliveries of medium utilities (54,212) improved 41 percent, led by record Chevrolet TrailBlazer sales, up 57 percent (28,175) and record GMC Envoy sales, up 62 percent (14,792). Medium utility sales increased 12 percent in the third quarter (160,954), setting an industry record.

Small utilities continued to gain sales strength in September, with 19,456 deliveries, a 109 percent increase compared to last year. Chevrolet Equinox had its best sales month since launch with 12,126 deliveries, a 41 percent improvement over August. Small utility sales were up 66 percent in the third quarter (52,542).

GM Car Sales

GM car sales rose 3 percent compared to last September. There were several pockets of strength. Cadillac CTS continued its record sales momentum with a 28 percent increase in September (4,202) and a 21 percent sales improvement in the third quarter (13,831). Malibu sales were up 144 percent in September (18,469) and 123 percent in the third quarter (61,183)

Divisional Highlights

Chevrolet - Chevrolet sales in September were up 36 percent (283,264), led by very strong truck sales (193,476), which improved 37 percent. In addition to Equinox and TrailBlazer, Silverado sales were up 46 percent (77,007), a new September record. Colorado posted its best sales since its introduction (12,493). Chevrolet car sales were solid in September with 89,788 deliveries, a 35 percent improvement over last year. In addition to strong Malibu sales, Aveo posted 6,195 deliveries and Corvette set a new monthly sales record (3,705).

Chevrolet's third-quarter sales were up 8 percent compared to year-ago levels (795,918). Car sales increased 20 percent (264,648) in the third quarter.

Cadillac - Cadillac sales in September were up 2 percent. Its record-setting truck sales pace continued in September with 7,863 deliveries, a 28 percent improvement. Escalade ESV sales (1,521) were up 23 percent, a new monthly record, and SRX deliveries were 2,439. Cadillac's third-quarter performance was strong, as evidenced by a total sales improvement of 9 percent (63,453) and a 51 percent increase in truck sales (24,318).

GMC - GMC continued its exceptional sales pace with record sales (62,754), up 32 percent compared to last September. It remains on track to exceed 600,000 sales for the first time in its history. Envoy established a new monthly sales record (14,792), up 62 percent and Canyon had 2,999 deliveries. GMC's third-quarter sales improved 7 percent compared to year-ago levels (174,604) and set a new third quarter record.

Pontiac - Bonneville sales (2,884), buoyed by GXP deliveries, jumped 137 percent in September. GTO had its best sales since launch with 2,678 deliveries, up 177 percent compared to August and its best monthly sales since launch. Vibe had record September sales, up 61 percent (5,227). Third-quarter Bonneville sales were up 84 percent (9,733), and Vibe deliveries improved 32 percent (16,040), a monthly record. The all-new G6s are arriving in dealers' showrooms.

Saturn - Saturn Ion sales increased 29.5 percent compared to last September (9,816).

Buick - Buick truck sales were up 45 percent in September (7,888), with Rainier posting its best sales since launch with 3,338 deliveries. Third-quarter truck sales rose 30 percent (22,395).


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[marinerbc]

It will be interesting to see Ford and Toyota's numbers, just for comparison's sake.

I don't want to say anything else, for fear of jinxing this trend. Absolutely great news.

[paul8488]

Is the new Vette out yet? If yes, that's great news. If not, that's AMAZING news (for the C5)! Pretty impressive either way. Maybe people wanna snap up the last few ones for sentimental reasons.

Some of this is really amazing stuff. Sure, it's just one month, but midsize SUV sales up a record 41%?!? On the back of aging designs? Of course incentives are huge, but at least they're still moving product. Glad to see the Bonneville moving along too. Come on Pontiac... GXP everything for us! Even the poor little Ion is up. And the Malibu is up where it belongs now.

LOL@Buick61... 77,007 is an INSANE number of trucks! That's over 900,000 a year, assuming each month was so successful for the truck. WHich we can't assume. But it's still amazing!