April 2014: General Motors Co.

[William Maley]

GM Grows Total and Retail Sales in April

• Retail Market Share up from March

DETROIT – General Motors Co. (NYSE: GM) dealers delivered 254,076 vehicles in the United States in April 2014. Total sales were up 7 percent compared with a year ago. Fleet sales were up 5 percent and retail sales – vehicles sold to individual buyers – were up 8 percent. GM expects to increase its retail market share from March.

“Retail demand was steady in April, and truck sales and transaction prices were especially strong,” said Kurt McNeil, U.S. vice president of Sales Operations. “As we expected, the economy continues to strengthen. In addition, our award-winning new products are performing well, we have more on the way and our dealers are winning accolades for outstanding service.”

GM’s newest products include the 2015 Cadillac Escalade and Escalade ESV, which began arriving in showrooms in April. Upcoming launches include the Cadillac ATS coupe, which arrives this summer; the Chevrolet Colorado and GMC Canyon mid-size pickups, which arrive in the fall; and the 2015 Chevrolet City Express LS, the brand’s first entry in the small cargo van segment. It arrives in the fourth quarter.

When it comes to dealer service satisfaction, the Chevrolet, Buick, GMC and Cadillac brands rank in the top five of all automotive brands in the United States, according to the J.D. Power 2014 U.S. Customer Service Index (CSI).

April Sales Highlights (vs. 2013 except as noted)

• At Chevrolet, sales were up 5 percent. Deliveries of the Impala were up 27 percent, Spark was up 24 percent, Volt was up 19 percent and Camaro was up 14 percent.
• Cadillac total sales were up 5 percent and retail sales were the highest April since 2007.
• Sales of the Cadillac CTS line were up 36 percent, with sales of the sedan up 68 percent on the strength of the all-new 2014 model, which is the Motor Trend Car of the Year. SRX deliveries were up 31 percent, for the vehicle’s best April ever.
• Buick sales were up 12 percent for the brand’s best April since 2006. The results were driven by a 48 percent increase in Encore deliveries, as well as a 21 percent increase in Regal sales and a 10 percent increase in LaCrosse sales.
• GMC sales were up 13 percent for the brand’s best April since 2007.
• Sales of large SUVs, which include the Chevrolet Tahoe and Suburban, and the GMC Yukon and Yukon XL, were up 22 percent.
• Chevrolet Silverado sales were up 9 percent and GMC Sierra sales were up 21 percent. Retail deliveries were up 13 percent and 22 percent, respectively.
• GM expects to gain between two and three points of retail market share in the large pickup segment compared to March 2014.
• Per plan, GM increased its share of trucks sold with average transaction prices below $40,000 compared to the first quarter of 2014, and maintained its share of more premium-contented trucks.
• GM’s incentive spending was down from March. As a percentage of average transaction price, spending was 10.2 percent, according to J.D. Power PIN estimates.
• Average transaction prices continued to improve from record levels set in the first quarter of 2014. Year to date, they are up more than $2,000 per unit versus the same period in 2013, according to J.D. Power PIN.
• Commercial fleet sales were up 11 percent for the sixth consecutive monthly increase.
• Small business deliveries, which are included in retail sales, were up 14 percent.

[Drew Dowdell]

Wow! Look at those Lambdas! 19,911 Lambda vehicles in a single month! Traverse has a base price of over $30k and goes up quickly on the other too..... that is a LOT of revenue there.

Cadillac still moving 1,000 more SRXes a month than BMW moves X3s.

241 ELRs have sold to date, SS which is half the price, twice the power, and pushes rather than pulls, only managed 283.

Avalanche and Escalade EXT inventories are obviously extinguished.

Verano, oldest vehicle in the Buick lineup, leveling off a bit.

Impala doing very well, but I'd want GM to start breaking out Impala Limited numbers from the main retail number. No fair burying that in there.

[Z-06]

Good but not amazing. My main concerns are:

1. ATS and XTS. These guys should have double the volume. ATS-V and coupe cannot come soon enough.
2. Buick needs a foot traffic car. Something along either an Alpha coupe/convertible with performance package only.
3. Mid size trucks cannot come soon enough.
4. Chevrolet cars need some life. Camry outsells Malibu and Impala combined; not a good sign.
5. Volt needs a jolt in the right direction. And no ocnblu there is no need to be snarky here.
6. Trucks need some serious impetus. Old and heavy and incentivized Ford F150 is outselling better trucks and that is disastrous.

GM is about another 25,000 to 30,000 vehicles short of where it should be.

[ocnblu]

I agree with all of your points except #5.

[smk4565]

The Malibu actually sells well for the car that it is. The Malibu is not a very good car, at least not as good a a Camry, Accord, Altima, Fusion, Sonata, Optima or Passat, and they still sold nearly 20,000 Malibus. I am surprised that it isn't more like 12-15,000 a month.

[Guest TennJoe]

The Malibu actually sells well for the car that it is. The Malibu is not a very good car, at least not as good a a Camry, Accord, Altima, Fusion, Sonata, Optima or Passat, and they still sold nearly 20,000 Malibus. I am surprised that it isn't more like 12-15,000 a month.

Malibu is better than the Camry and at least as good as half the cars on your list.

[ocnblu]

What exactly is wrong with the Malibu? Seriously? Why is everyone jumping on this bandwagon of hate toward this car? The only thing that sticks in my craw is the bulgy taillights, and that is by no means a deal breaker.

[bobo]

A family car should have reasonable room, and the back seat of the Malibu is unacceptable. Even the Corolla feels more spacious back there.

[Drew Dowdell]

The size difference between the Cruze and Malibu is minimal. A Jetta is about the same for roominess and one can buy a very nicely equipped Jetta for the same price as a base Malibu.

[Drew Dowdell]

The Sonata and Optima are pushing into EPA full-size territory. The Passat and Accord are fairly close to that also.

[ehaase]

The 2015 Sonata, at 106 cubic feet, is roomier than the Impala at 105 cubic feet. The Impala does have a larger trunk.

[A Horse With No Name]

The Impala is an amazing car. If I swung for four door family cars, I would own one in a heart beat.

[smk4565]

The Impala is a good car, looks good, has a well laid out interior and is very roomy also, and not too expensive. I haven't driven one, but from looks and interior it is better than an Avalon or Taurus. The Kia Cadenza is pretty nice in that segment too, but a bit blingy. The Malibu has probably the smallest interior in it's class, there is more room in any of its competitors, the Optima and Fusion are lookers, the Malibu looks like a rental car. The CamCord have crazy resale value, the Malibu obviously doesn't. Plus you have mid-size sedans with hybrid and diesel models pushing 45 mpg or more, the Malibu gets 36 at best, not the end of the world, but the Malibu doesn't have any wow factor to make it stand out.

[A Horse With No Name]

Fusion is really the class of the field for mid size....an accord sport with the slick 6mt and sweet handling is just 22 thou. Would buy an impala in a heart beat, but could not justify the current Malibu.

Passat TDI would also be preferable to the Malibu.