October Sales: GM

[ChevroletRevived]

Nice! Market share, retail sales are up. Things are looking good, espessially with the Malibu and Astra coming. GM's new products are being accepted very well. GM's stopped the losses in sales units and is starting to improve.

[windvale]

Originally Posted by 1487

Aura sales had been going up over the last few months so I dont know what happened in October. They were over 6500 units in the past few months.

The G6 is going to outsell the Aura because it has 3 engines and 3 body styles and more dealers and more name recognition. The G6 was slow for the first 6 months - 1 year and people were saying it was a flop compared to the Grand Am. The I-4 will help Aura sales in the long run as will the disappearance of the Ion.

I hope you're right about the 4 cyl. Aura's picking up the pace a bit.

But let's face it - the G6 has been nothing but a disappointment and a fleet queen from the word go. I haven't seen anything over the last couple years that makes me feel the G6 has been a *real* success.

[USA Patriot]

Aura sales are down 236 units. This is not a landslide. There is reason for modest concern not panic. When the four cyl. comes out with slightly better mpg and lower price concern will likly be replaced with smiles.

[ChevroletRevived]

Originally Posted by windvale

I hope you're right about the 4 cyl. Aura's picking up the pace a bit.

But let's face it - the G6 has been nothing but a disappointment and a fleet queen from the word go. I haven't seen anything over the last couple years that makes me feel the G6 has been a *real* success.

I think we'll see Aura start to improve once the 4-cylinder hits. Most mid-size sedan sales are 4-cylinder models, so it has a significant impact on sales by not being there. Things do take time though.

[camaro_freak]

Originally Posted by megeebee

No. Blame the Saturn Sky. It's up 46%. Better looking (IMHO) with a nicer interior.

I'll second the better interior! The SKY kicks a$$!

[windvale]

Originally Posted by ChevroletRevived

I think we'll see Aura start to improve once the 4-cylinder hits. Most mid-size sedan sales are 4-cylinder models, so it has a significant impact on sales by not being there. Things do take time though.

I agree with you 100%. But I also think it will take time for the public's perception of Saturn to change from "that sunny/friendly company that makes cute little inexpensive cars" to "the purveyor of high-performance Euro sedans that'll give VW a run for the money".

I'm hoping GM sticks with the "new" Saturn, and gives it at least a decade to establish itself in the minds of the public.

[USA Patriot]

Things are geeting much better at GM.

end of july 2007 total sales down 9.4% over 2006
end of August 2007 total sales down 7.5% over 2006
end of September 2007 total sales down 6.7% over 2006
end of October 2007 total sales down 5.9% over 2006

With the malibu and CTS my guess is that GM total sales will be down 4.75% for 2007. Many are saying that total industry auto sales will dip 3% in 2007. With severe problems in middle east, fires in the west, and $3.70 gas expected by Thanksgiving my guess is that total industry auto sales for 2007 will dip at least 4%.

[GM-Joe]

25.1% marketshare is an excellent step.

[CmicasatheGreat]

Anyone notice that the STS actually out sold the GS and M this month???

[91Saturn]

It'll be interesting to see what happens with the Malibu. GM is already hyping the "demand" for the vehicle. I don't know exactly what that means at this point. I'm sure that Chevy dealers are ordering a lot of Malibus, and, considering the marketing effort of the last couple weeks, I'm sure that there's quite a bit of customer curiosity about the car. However, unlike, say, the '08 CTS, the new Malibu isn't necessarily going to be the sort of car that will benefit from a lot of pre-orders from actual buyers. Just because folks are interested in the new Malibu doesn't necessarily mean that they're going to be lining up to buy the car.

[paul8488]

A small fall in Aura monthly sales isn't the real problem... it's the fact that it's sitting at under 5000 units per month. It is a positive if most of those are retail... but we come back to the old statistic that had the L-series (which didn't win any comparisons or awards and wasn't all that great looking) selling around 100,000 units per year. Even if the Aura is in its first year, it should really be closer to 8000 units per month than 4000. I don't see the Malibu helping this out either.

[Lichtronamo]

Originally Posted by Bggriffi

check out the Lambdas. wow.

What about them?

Approximately 108K sales YTD for three models vs. 101K YTD for the Highlander. The Acadia is doing OK (at 1/2 the volume of the Highlander) but the Enclave is doing less volume than the (very old) XC90, X5, M-Class, MKX, MDX and WAY behind the RX. The Outlook is almost non-existant in the market. Overall volume may increase with the new Chevy Traverse, but how many of those sales will be canabalized from the other three brands.

Again, GM would do well to shut Saturn altogether and focus its energies on Chevrolet. A brand lineup limited to Chevrolet, P-B-GMC and Cadillac would be ideal.

Overall, the market share growth smells like fleet sales as none of the models highlighted have 1) been strong sellers or 2) are not volume products. GM's gain could also be mostly attributed to Ford and Chrysler's losses.

[62impala]

Originally Posted by WishIhadatruck

Market share is the best indicator of how well they are doing as far as market reception and long term outlook. They can't control the overall market much but if they continue to capture a larger % of the car market then over the course of years they will be much better off. The last few months have been enouraging.

Thanks to the willingness of the UAW to accept a more competitive contract we will see fewer cars getting built in Mexico and Korea it would appear. I like to buy cars made in the US. If they continue to make competitive product and even class leading product I think the good news will continue over the next few years. Things will only get better. I like the news we heard earlier today that Chevrolet will be focusing more on fuel effient vehicles. Hopefully the Aveo, Cobalt, etc. will get more competitive. Although some people prefer the torquey Ecotec we have now in the Cobalt some of us would like the car better if it would deliver better fuel economy.

Let's just hope that GM focuses now on the new Impala -- if it's as big a change from the current model as the new Malibu is from the '07, Chevrolet is going to be selling tons... Any new hints or pics on the new Impala yet? There should be some concept photos or something coming out soon, I would think...

[minnfang]

Originally Posted by megeebee

Quite a bit? 1%?

Maybe Enterprise, Budget, and Hertz are noticing.

I was referring to October (+37.3%).

[USA Patriot]

Total sales of impala, malibu, and monte carlo in November and December of 2006 were 73,806. I have no idea how many of these were fleet sales. I hope the combined retail sales of these three cars will increase at least 15% in November and December 2007. With the rebates Impala may remain attractive (I hope).