GM Vehicle Inventory Figures: The Good (CTS), The Bad (SUVs), The Ugly (Astra)

[Perian]

Source: Automotive News Data Center

Figures are as of April 1, 2008

Notable Days Supply Figures*:

Buick Enclave: 40
Cadillac CTS: 24
Chevrolet Impala: 21**
Chevrolet Malibu: 37
Chevrolet Avalance: 136
Chevrolet Silverado: 118
Chevrolet Uplander: 11**
GMC Canyon: 148
GMC Yukon: 146
Pontiac G8: XX (2,700 units in stock)
Pontiac Solstice: 167
Pontiac Torrent: 135
Saturn Aura: 60
Saturn Outlook: 101
Saturn Astra: 326




*Days Supply: Number of days needed to sell all vehicles in inventory based on the previous month's daily selling rate. The industry considers a figure of "60" to be normal.

**Major fleet vehicle.

[Perian]

GM - Don't let the Astra fail!

Astra wish list for MY09:
Clean up the interior, add XM and change the gearing to lower highway RPMs and improve MPG.

[hotrod1949]

Originally Posted by Perian

GM - Don't let the Astra fail!

Except for some local newspaper ads, I have seen absolutely zero advertising support for Astra, and when you mention the car to a "non car person" they look at you like you are from Mars. This car should be showing up everywhere, print& electronic media, as well as in the tin at events.

[bhoppes]

I am not too sure what the difference the Astra is compared to the 2 door Cobalt. I was looking at some at a dealership this last weekend, and the Cobalt get better fuel mileage. The difference might be better styling for the Astra, but I personally like the Cobaly and G5 styling better and they both get better gas mileage.

[dindak]

I have seen a couple of Astras on the road. I don't think it's selling as well as the ION surprisingly enough. I still think the bland dash and lack of much advertising is hurting its sales.

The most common Saturn I see is the Outlook, lots of those around the city.

[parakleets]

It would be nice if GM had a marketing campaign for all of it's new models. The Malibu, G8, and CTS are getting plenty of exposure on national TV, but the Astra is only (briefly) featured in Saturn full-line commercials. I'm certain that the Astra would sell, if people knew that it existed! If GM can't support all of it's new (and excellent) models, maybe they really would be better off with less brands. I have never been in favor of GM killing brands, but their inability to spread the advertising budget around is essentially killing model lines and brands, in the marketplace.

[CobaltSScrazy]

if they put 3,000$ in incentives on an Astra (any version) maybe I could convince the 'rents to purchase one, mom drives the bu, I drive astra for 8 months then bro/sis get the bu/astra and mom gets new car and I get turbo cobalt

on a serious note, why is it selling THAT bad?!?!??? Maybe its an allocation thing? I know at the Southfield Saturn dealership they have a vic. red and silver 3 doors prominently on display out front on telegraph road. (in MI)

CobaltSS

[Koasterking]

Yeah, where are the incentives? I was actually so close to buying an Astra a few months ago, but now have desided to keep my car and pay it off come a few months from now. But because there was no incentives on the car, oh well.

They should've had some $2k-3k off when if first arrived to help kick start it selling. Since there was/is none, look what happened.

[Ming]

My sister was in the market for an Astra (well, she had never heard of it until I told her about it, but she liked what she saw), and ended up buying an Aura 4-cyl. because the car, after all incentives available to her, was pretty much the same price for a more substantial vehicle. That and the Astra had no Aux-In, and she has a year's subscription to Sirius and a portable unit + antenna. She's very happy with her Aura purchase, but I'm a little sad that the pricing on the Astra did it in.

When I wrote, long ago, "bring it over, even if it is a tad expensive", I hadn't considered that it would be compared against the base Aura w/4-banger. Perhaps it makes sense that there was no Astra sedan on the lot, after all.

On the other hand, I know a guy at work who bought a low end Impala LT when he was thinking of getting a trimmed out Cobalt LS, so I guess it isn't a rare thing to have happen.

My sister was actually cross shopping the Honda Fit and a Scion, and was ready to sign for the Astra - a win for Saturn at that point, so it's not such a bad thing, but she couldn't say 'no' to the value-packed Aura sitting next to it on the showroom floor once she complained about no Aux-In port, and the salesman said "how about this one then?".

She thinks her new Aura looks and feels like a Bimmer (German Car) and babies it big time -- so mission accomplished for Saturn, at least on the "looks/feels like an Opel" front.

[WishIhadatruck]

As well as the Ion sold I'm surprised the Astra isn't doing better. It certainly is a better car. However most people seem to like sedans which is not available. The other possibility is if many people are like me, I had my fingers crossed for class leading fuel economy due to it being a smaller engine and coming from Europe where cars are known for fuel efficiency. The reality is it is average at best for its class which can't be helping with gas prices. Lots of people shopping for small cars are probably paying close attention to the numbers on the window sticker.

[Tethys]

The Astra is the "car no one knows about" for reasons already listed, poor advertising (print ads alone stopped cutting it in the late 80s IMO, if not before) and Saturn's small retailer body.

Hopefully, the new Saturn ad campaign that debuts later this month, (TV, not sure about the 'net, billboards, ATM ad spaces, etc.) will give the marque a boost, although when I last read about it on SaturnFans.com, the Sky and the Astra weren't a part of the campaign.

Even though this generation Astra won't sell in the quantities my car did, from the casual observer standpoint, it already appears GM designed this car to fail in the US market by not advertising its presence here ad nauseam, like it did for the Malibu.

As for the list in Perian's OP, I'm glad to see the Aura at least has returned to a "normal" inventory status.

[prototype66]

Those are based on previous month sales and it was just recently released. If the actually advertise it and pop in a newly designed NA stack those sales numbers will most likely go up. Better MPG wouldn't hurt either. I would love to get ahold of a 3 door to tryout, I think they look sweet.

[paul8488]

The Aura sells in small numbers, the Outlook sells in small numbers... and we're surprised that the Astra sells in small numbers? The Vue is the only carry-over name, and it's the best-selling Saturn vehicle.

Small dealership network + relatively unknown brand + new model names + more expensive replacements for old vehicles = mediocre sales. Not all that hard to understand in the end!

The Aura should be the Malibu (and new Malibu development money could have gone into a revised G6), the Vue should be the Equinox, the Outlook should be the Traverse (with Traverse money going to, say, an updated Colorado design), and the Astra should be a G5 (it's too expensive to be a Cobalt).

It's funny that when Saturn was created other GM divisions cried that it was starving them of vehicles... and it's still true today. If Saturn was canned Chevy and Pontiac would have had new product much sooner... which is amplified in importance by the fact that they're both much more popular and well-known brands. With the right engine (the 2.0L turbo as optional even) the Astra would make a fine small Pontiac, alongside the Vibe. It would have needed a new nose, but it would have had so much more impact than the Astra ever will at Saturn.

[prowlerjc]

Put 3K incentives on the hood and I'll look. Right now, I think it is overpriced for what yu get, and I'm one of the few people in the US who LIKES small hatches.

[prototype66]

I wonder if the 2.4 with the 6sp auto would fit in the Astra?
And if it did would the extra weight kill the (possible) improved MPG?
It would have to still weigh less than the Aura and Bu right? Does anyone have the info on the powertrain"s weight vs the 2.4/6sp?