Down 9% overall, but great year for Cadillac and GM maintains strong market share position...
GM Reports December Sales of 447,900, Down 9 Percent From Record Year-Ago Levels
General Motors dealers sold 447,900 new cars and trucks in December, down 9 percent compared to record sales levels in December 2002. GM's overall truck sales (278,406) were down 11 percent. Car sales (169,494) were down 5 percent. In December 2002, GM had exceptional sales results (473,663) and more than a 32-percent market share.
GM calendar-year sales were down a modest 2 percent in 2003. For the third consecutive year, GM set an industry sales record for trucks. It also established a new industry benchmark for sales of sport utility vehicles. Five of GM's 9 brands had sales gains for the calendar year, led by an 8 percent sales increase at Cadillac, which had its best sales year since 1990, and GMC's tenth calendar-year sales record in 11 years.
"Both GM and the industry continue to show significant sales momentum as we head into the new year," said John Smith, group vice president of GM North America Vehicle Sales, Service and Marketing. "During the second half of 2003, the industry selling rate was approximately 17.5 million units, and GM's market share was above 28.5 percent. Given this momentum and the rapidly improving U.S. economy, we are optimistic about the outlook for 2004. Supporting our growth will be the launch of another 13 all-new models this year, including the Cadillac STS, Chevrolet Equinox and Cobalt, Saab 9-2X, Pontiac G6 and HUMMER H2 SUT."
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GM Reports December Sales of 447,900, Down 9 Percent From Record Year-Ago Levels
General Motors dealers sold 447,900 new cars and trucks in December, down 9 percent compared to record sales levels in December 2002. GM's overall truck sales (278,406) were down 11 percent. Car sales (169,494) were down 5 percent. In December 2002, GM had exceptional sales results (473,663) and more than a 32-percent market share.
GM calendar-year sales were down a modest 2 percent in 2003. For the third consecutive year, GM set an industry sales record for trucks. It also established a new industry benchmark for sales of sport utility vehicles. Five of GM's 9 brands had sales gains for the calendar year, led by an 8 percent sales increase at Cadillac, which had its best sales year since 1990, and GMC's tenth calendar-year sales record in 11 years.
"Both GM and the industry continue to show significant sales momentum as we head into the new year," said John Smith, group vice president of GM North America Vehicle Sales, Service and Marketing. "During the second half of 2003, the industry selling rate was approximately 17.5 million units, and GM's market share was above 28.5 percent. Given this momentum and the rapidly improving U.S. economy, we are optimistic about the outlook for 2004. Supporting our growth will be the launch of another 13 all-new models this year, including the Cadillac STS, Chevrolet Equinox and Cobalt, Saab 9-2X, Pontiac G6 and HUMMER H2 SUT."
more...
