GM Sales up 19% in Latin America, Africa and Middle East

[tgagneguam]

GM Sales up 19% in Latin America, Africa and Middle East

GM Latin America, Africa & Middle East (LAAM) sold a record 1,235,913* million units in 2007
GM LAAM sales volume up 200,600 units, an increase of 19.4%
2007 calendar year market share improves to 17.2%
GM has been the vehicle sales leader in LAAM for 10 consecutive years

Miramar, FL - General Motors Latin America, Africa and Middle East (GM LAAM) region set an all-time CYTD record in 2007, selling 1,235,913* vehicles, up 200,600 units over 2006. GM’s volume increase of 19.4 percent for the year outpaced the industry growth rate for the region. In addition, LAAM’s annual market share increased to 17.2 percent for the year, representing its highest annual share.

GM LAAM sold an all-time quarterly record 341,000 units in the fourth quarter of 2007 to propel the growth. This constitutes an 18 percent increase year-over-year.

Maureen Kempston Darkes, GM group vice president and president of GM LAAM said, “LAAM had a solid year of growth. Strong demand for GM products, strong economies and the right product mix – lead by Chevrolet – all played a role in the growth for 2007.”

“We are effectively utilizing GM’s global product portfolio, investing in our markets, strengthening our dealer network and customer service and always evaluating new engineering and manufacturing opportunities. We are seeing significant growth in our emerging markets and, with some diligence, expect the growth to continue into 2008.”

GM LAAM’s record-breaking year was led by Brazil, which is now GM’s third largest market behind the U.S. and China. All-time records were set by GM in Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Egypt and Venezuela. Chevrolet Corsa, Aveo and Celta were the top three sellers across the region in 2007.

*All figures are preliminary.



General Motors Corp. (NYSE: GM), the world’s largest automaker, has been the annual global industry sales leader for 76 years. Founded in 1908, GM today employs about 274,000 people around the world. With global headquarters in Detroit, GM manufactures its cars and trucks in 35 countries. In 2006, nearly 9.1 million GM cars and trucks were sold globally under the following brands: Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet, GMC, GM Daewoo, Holden, HUMMER, Opel, Pontiac, Saab, Saturn, Vauxhall and Wuling. GM’s OnStar subsidiary is the industry leader in vehicle safety, security and information services. More information on GM can be found at www.gm.com.

General Motors Latin America, Africa and Middle East (GM LAAM), with headquarters in Miramar, Florida, is one of GM’s four regional business units. GM LAAM employs approximately 34,700 people in 18 countries and has manufacturing facilities in Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Egypt, Kenya, South Africa and Venezuela. GM LAAM markets vehicles under the Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet, GMC, Hummer, Isuzu, Opel, Saab and Suzuki brands.

[ZvetteGuy]

Yay... Go Gm Global!!! Hope that the increase of manufacturing will soon be spilling over to GM-NA and improve profitability, efficiency and capacity but most importantly quality-wise...

GO GO GO...

[MCGARRETT]

GM LAAM markets vehicles under the Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet, GMC, Hummer, Isuzu, Opel, Saab and Suzuki brands.

Where in Latin America or elsewhere in the world, besides China, are they pushing Buick?

[GM-Joe]

Originally Posted by tgagneguam

General Motors Corp. (NYSE: GM), the world’s largest automaker, has been the annual global industry sales leader for 76 years.

Is this a hint? I thought they were at 75 years, through December.

[andy82471]

Originally Posted by GM-Joe

Is this a hint? I thought they were at 75 years, through December.

That isn't a hint I think. Until GM releases its global sales figure they are still officially No.1. I seriously doubt GM sold more than 9.37 million vehicles. In fact, their production number is 9.28 million for 07.

[paul8488]

Originally Posted by tgagneguam

GM LAAM’s record-breaking year was led by Brazil, which is now GM’s third largest market behind the U.S. and China. All-time records were set by GM in Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Egypt and Venezuela. Chevrolet Corsa, Aveo and Celta were the top three sellers across the region in 2007.

This is amazing! I had no idea that Brazil was the third largest market for GM. Very interesting. It's also amazing that GM had the top three models in this region for 2007. Talk about a monopoly!

[tgagneguam]

Originally Posted by GM-Joe

Is this a hint? I thought they were at 75 years, through December.

Originally Posted by andy82471

That isn't a hint I think. Until GM releases its global sales figure they are still officially No.1. I seriously doubt GM sold more than 9.37 million vehicles. In fact, their production number is 9.28 million for 07.

Interesting, though I didn't read it this way. I believe the title applies to 1931sales when GM took the title away from FoMoCo in the US and the world(?) permanently; in 1929, GM outsold Ford, at least in the US, though Ford took the title back in 1930, only to lose it permanently in 1931 to GM. If you count from 1931 (inclusive) through 2006, that's 76 years. 2007 makes for the 77th year, though according to reports today, the race is a virtual dead heat between Toyota and GM. We're talking just 100's of vehicle's worth of difference, it would seem.

GM said it sold 9,369,524 vehicles worldwide last year, up 3 percent from 2006.

I'm having a hard time finding the precise number for Toyota. 9.37 million is just a rounded figure (obviously).

Clearly, if it's this close, I'd still like to see GM take the title.

Check it out. Someone may want to post the link as a separate thread, I suppose.

From similar articles posted today about the subject:

GM Chairman and Chief Executive Rick Wagoner has pledged to defend his company's title, but said it would not abandon its U.S. strategy of reducing incentives and low-profit sales to rental car companies in order to win.

Bingo, Rick! GM shouldn't defend the title at all costs; buying sales is a fool's plan. But that certainly doesn't mean that you have to believe the simps who propose GM has to lose the title to succeed or that is a per se superior strategy. I think even shareholders would agree with a slightly different strategy: pro-profit, pro-growth. Thank god someone with some sense (and influence) takes a more balanced perspective!

[FenixII]

It´s so nice to see my country in that list. In fact, Chevrolet is the most respected brand in Colombia. Fortunately Toyota is very ,very far in sales.