September 2016: General Motors Co.

[William Maley]

GM U.S. Retail Sales Outperform the Industry on Strong Chevrolet, Buick and Cadillac Retail Gains

• GM retail share up 0.3 percentage points and up 15 of past 18 months
• Chevrolet sales up 1 percent; remains the fastest growing full-line brand
• Buick and Cadillac sales up 7 percent and 5 percent, respectively
• GMC posted second highest monthly ATPs in brand’s history

DETROIT – General Motors (NYSE: GM) sold 204,449 vehicles to individual or “retail” customers in the U.S. in September.  Chevrolet’s retail sales in September grew 1 percent, while Buick and Cadillac retail sales also rose 7 percent and 5 percent, respectively. 

Based on initial estimates, GM’s retail market share rose 0.3 percentage points in September to 16.6 percent, the largest retail share gain of any full-line manufacturer.  GM has gained retail market share in 15 of the past 18 months, dating to April 2015.

Chevrolet gained 0.3 percentage points of retail share in September to 11 percent.  Chevrolet has gained retail market share in 8 out of 9 months this year, and remains the industry’s fastest-growing full-line brand.  Buick gained 0.1 percentage points of retail share.  In addition, Cadillac grew retail share by 0.1 percentage points, driven largely by the success of the all-new XT5.  GMC sales gained momentum through the month and the brand posted its second highest monthly average transaction price or ATP in the brand’s history at $44,144.  

GM’s total sales in September were down slightly year over year at 249,795 vehicles.     

Through the first nine months of the year, GM retail sales are up nearly 1 percent, compared to last year.  GM has gained 0.5 percentage points of retail share during that timeframe, which is the largest retail share gain of any full-line automaker.  Year to date, Chevrolet retail sales are up 2 percent and the brand’s retail share has grown 0.4 percentage points to 11.1 percent. Year to date, Buick retail deliveries have grown more than 3 percent and Buick has gained 0.1 percentage points of retail share. 

“GM again outperformed the retail industry and gained profitable market share. We continue to lead the retail truck industry and gained share in the two largest car segments,” said Kurt McNeil, GM’s vice president of U.S. sales operations.  “We are achieving these results while maintaining disciplined incentive spending and commanding the industry’s best average transaction prices for any full-line manufacturer.”   

GM’s ATPs, which reflect retail transaction prices after sales incentives, were $35,804 in September, nearly $5,000 above the industry average and approximately $1,000 above last September’s performance. 

GM continues to benefit from a strong U.S. economy.

“Key economic fundamentals like a strong jobs market, rising personal incomes, low fuel prices and low interest rates continue to point toward strong industry performance,” said Mustafa Mohatarem, GM’s chief economist. “We think the industry is well positioned for a continued high level of customer demand into the foreseeable future.”

September Retail Sales and Business Highlights vs. 2015 (except as noted)

Chevrolet

• Chevrolet had its best September and year to date since 2007
• Malibu, Cruze, Corvette, Camaro and Volt were up 50 percent, 6 percent, 16 percent, 10 percent and 117 percent, respectively
• Colorado, Suburban, Tahoe and Trax were up 54 percent, 37 percent, 44 percent and 31 percent, respectively
• Malibu had its best September since 1980 and year to date since 1981
• Corvette had its best September since 2006
• Tahoe and Suburban had their best September since 2007
• Colorado had its best September since 2004

GMC

• Canyon, Yukon and Yukon XL were up 25 percent, 24 percent and 9 percent, respectively
• More than 28 percent Denali penetration in September
• ATPs are 45 percent higher than industry average
• Sierra had its best year to date sales since 2006
• Canyon had its best September ever and year to date ever
• Yukon and Yukon XL had their best September and year to date performances since 2007

Buick

• The brand had its best year to date since 2005
• Encore was up 28 percent and had its best September and year to date ever

Cadillac

• Escalade was up 17 percent
• XT5 continues to gain momentum in the marketplace
• CT6 had its best retail month since launch

Average Transaction Prices (ATP)/Incentives

• GM’s ATPs, which reflect retail transaction prices after sales incentives, were $35,804, nearly $5,000 above the industry average and approximately $1,000 above last September
• GM’s incentive spending as a percentage of ATP was 13.1 percent, above the industry average of 12.6 percent, but well below other domestic and select Asian competitors, who are spending near or above 15 percent of ATPs

Fleet and Commercial

• GM’s total fleet sales were down 4 percent in September
• GM’s fleet mix in August was about 18 percent of total sales, below the company’s full-year guidance of 20 percent and more than 19 percent year to date
• According to plan, daily rental sales were about 12 percent of GM’s total sales in September and are less than 10 percent year to date
• Malibu commercial sales were up 136 percent versus last September and up 9 percent year to date

Industry Sales

• GM estimates that the seasonally adjusted annual selling rate (SAAR) for light vehicles in September was approximately 17.8 million units. On a calendar year-to-date basis, GM estimates the light-vehicle SAAR was 17.4 million units

[surreal1272]

Only by a little more than 100 cars, but it looks like the Camaro outsold the Mustang for the month. Don't know why the Stang had such a huge drop off though. Weird.

[Cmicasa the Great]

To Surreal.. probably an adjustment to Fleet sales. At one time minimum 35% of Mustang sales were Fleet...  Ford's fleet dropped 21% overall last month

 

To GM.. great job in retail uptick.. and GMC having almost 30% being sold as Denali is phenom.  Cadillac is up too.. 5000 SRX/XT5s moved, and the CT6 is at 1343, with both the CTS and XTS up solid. Awesome job at Buick, but the Enclave and LaX replacements need to start showing up

[surreal1272]

2 hours ago, Cmicasa the Great said:

To Surreal.. probably an adjustment to Fleet sales. At one time minimum 35% of Mustang sales were Fleet...  Ford's fleet dropped 21% overall last month

 

To GM.. great job in retail uptick.. and GMC having almost 30% being sold as Denali is phenom.  Cadillac is up too.. 5000 SRX/XT5s moved, and the CT6 is at 1343, with both the CTS and XTS up solid. Awesome job at Buick, but the Enclave and LaX replacements need to start showing up

Yeah. Just saw the Ford report on their numbers and the fleet decline explains it completely. It also confirms what a lot of people were saying about the Mustangs fleet heavy numbers. 

[smk4565]

It shows how dated the Lambdas and Equinox are.  People are going crossover crazy and those are all taking a beating.  They need updated and more crossovers in a hurry.

[surreal1272]

1 hour ago, smk4565 said:

It shows how dated the Lambdas and Equinox are.  People are going crossover crazy and those are all taking a beating.  They need updated and more crossovers in a hurry.

They are doing okay and new models are already being introduced. 

Edited October 4, 2016 by surreal1272

[smk4565]

Enclave down 16%, Traverse down 10%, Equinox down 29, Terrain down 48%.  Those aren't doing okay, they were left on market too long.  Yes there is a new Equinox coming next year, but they could have used one like last year.

 

I think Chevy for sure needs a crossover in between Equinox and Traverse.  They need more than 3 crossovers.

[surreal1272]

Happens to all cars even Mercedes. 

 

GLA-down 6% for the year and is much newer than the Lamdas

GLE-down 19.9% for September 2016 versus Sept 2015

 

Its a good thing the other CUVs did okay for them since ALL sedans of theirs are down outside of the E Class (which gets the benefit of combining with CLS sales). 

48 minutes ago, smk4565 said:

Enclave down 16%, Traverse down 10%, Equinox down 29, Terrain down 48%.  Those aren't doing okay, they were left on market too long.  Yes there is a new Equinox coming next year, but they could have used one like last year.

 

I think Chevy for sure needs a crossover in between Equinox and Traverse.  They need more than 3 crossovers.

And no they do not need more than three of they so please. When you have sisters companies under the GM umbrella covering the rest, the need for more is just overstated. They may end up with a fourth but they really are not in dire straights with this, as you are implying. 

 

And again, all of those you mentioned have replacements in year or less. Good grief. 

Edited October 4, 2016 by surreal1272

[A Horse With No Name]

10 hours ago, surreal1272 said:

Happens to all cars even Mercedes. 

 

GLA-down 6% for the year and is much newer than the Lamdas

GLE-down 19.9% for September 2016 versus Sept 2015

 

Its a good thing the other CUVs did okay for them since ALL sedans of theirs are down outside of the E Class (which gets the benefit of combining with CLS sales). 

And no they do not need more than three of they so please. When you have sisters companies under the GM umbrella covering the rest, the need for more is just overstated. They may end up with a fourth but they really are not in dire straights with this, as you are implying. 

 

And again, all of those you mentioned have replacements in year or less. Good grief. 

Import them from Germany and charge thirty grand more, he might be impressed.

...and even holding steady when a lot of other people are down is an achievement in itself.

[smk4565]

3 Crossovers isn't enough  when crossovers sell more than sedans.  Toyota is bringing a smaller than Rav4 crossover, Lexus is getting one below the NX.  BMW is going to have 7 crossovers on sale by 2018.  Look at Jeep sales with industry worst reliability for years and their sales keep going up and up because people want that crossover/SUV.  By 2025 crossovers could be 50% market share, sedans like 20%, coupes 2%, why does Chevy have Spark, Sonic, Cruze, Malibu, Impala, Volt, Camaro, Corvette.  8 cars and 3 crossovers is a recipe for disaster with where the car market is going.

 

I love cars, I'll never buy a crossover, but the market has spoken.

Edited October 4, 2016 by smk4565

[A Horse With No Name]

17 minutes ago, smk4565 said:

3 Crossovers isn't enough  when crossovers sell more than sedans.  Toyota is bringing a smaller than Rav4 crossover, Lexus is getting one below the NX.  BMW is going to have 7 crossovers on sale by 2018.  Look at Jeep sales with industry worst reliability for years and their sales keep going up and up because people want that crossover/SUV.  By 2025 crossovers could be 50% market share, sedans like 20%, coupes 2%, why does Chevy have Spark, Sonic, Cruze, Malibu, Impala, Volt, Camaro, Corvette.  8 cars and 3 crossovers is a recipe for disaster with where the car market is going.

 

I love cars, I'll never buy a crossover, but the market has spoken.

GM is holding quite steady and has been in business steadily building cars for a century or so.  Do you not think they understand the market?  Also, see the BMW sales for the month, they have lost their mojo. 

GM is not Jeep.  One could just as easily criticize Porsche for not having 7 SUV's....different strokes for different folks.

19 minutes ago, smk4565 said:

I love cars, I'll never buy a crossover, but the market has spoken.

I used to think that, but a small SUV might be kind of cool.  i really liked the Bronco in the other thread, and if Chryco ever got it together on the Renegade I would be in their showroom ready to sign....

[cp-the-nerd]

What the hell happened to the Chevy SS? How did it plummet to just 5 sales when last I read, there was going to be a 2017 model with a few new alternate colors?

[FAPTurbo]

24 minutes ago, cp-the-nerd said:

What the hell happened to the Chevy SS? How did it plummet to just 5 sales when last I read, there was going to be a 2017 model with a few new alternate colors?

because, like the G8 GT/GXP, the SS' biggest cheerleaders can't afford the car when new...

i guess the market for large, nondescript sedans from pedestrian brands isn't too big either. 

[cp-the-nerd]

6 minutes ago, bigpoolog said:

because, like the G8 GT/GXP, the SS' biggest cheerleaders can't afford the car when new...

i guess the market for large, nondescript sedans from pedestrian brands isn't too big either. 

That didn't actually answer my question. GM sold over 200 units in June and over 500 in july, averaging several hundred per month this year, then suddenly dropping to 14 in august and 5 this month. Demand doesn't suddenly plummet like that, it indicates a supply issue.

[ccap41]

7 minutes ago, cp-the-nerd said:

That didn't actually answer my question. GM sold over 200 units in June and over 500 in july, averaging several hundred per month this year, then suddenly dropping to 14 in august and 5 this month. Demand doesn't suddenly plummet like that, it indicates a supply issue.

There was something I read a couple weeks ago that GM just placed an order for 1000 more of these to their plant in Australia. Maybe there is a wicked shortage right now.

supposedly it was their largest single order placed.

Edited October 4, 2016 by ccap41
Additional info

[Blake Noble]

3 hours ago, bigpoolog said:

because, like the G8 GT/GXP, the SS' biggest cheerleaders can't afford the car when new...

i guess the market for large, nondescript sedans from pedestrian brands isn't too big either. 

The SS really needed a fleet-whore model with a horribly calibrated automatic transmission, detuned V6 and cloth seats in order to be successful with its biggest fans: car enthusiasts working full-time, $10 an hour retail jobs, waiting to buy theirs used with 40,000 miles on the clock after the car does a punishing two year stint with Avis, Enterprise or Budget.

[A Horse With No Name]

14 hours ago, Blake Noble said:

The SS really needed a fleet-whore model with a horribly calibrated automatic transmission, detuned V6 and cloth seats in order to be successful with its biggest fans: car enthusiasts working full-time, $10 an hour retail jobs, waiting to buy theirs used with 40,000 miles on the clock after the car does a punishing two year stint with Avis, Enterprise or Budget.

Right, because that philosophy worked out so well for the Chrysler 200.  I do think that you have hit on the biggest issue it did not sell though-we lack good paying jobs in this country that we need to sustain the kinds of choices we as Americans want.

[Blake Noble]

7 hours ago, A Horse With No Name said:

Right, because that philosophy worked out so well for the Chrysler 200. 

Different car, different audience. You're missing the joke.

7 hours ago, A Horse With No Name said:

I do think that you have hit on the biggest issue it did not sell though-we lack good paying jobs in this country that we need to sustain the kinds of choices we as Americans want.

You know, I believe there isn't so much a shortage of good paying jobs out there as there is a shortage of good and reasonable employers out there.

Employers can be completely 'effing unreasonable with regards to education requirements. These days, a lot of them want you to have a four year degree -- with little to no regard as to what concentration it was in -- on top of real world work experience to do stupid $15 an hour jobs; like be an assistant manager at a goddamn Trader Joe's. (This practice, in effect, makes your $15 an hour job actually earn you less than your fair share of income).

Compound that problem with a predatory higher education system and the fact college education has turned into something worth far, far less than the money it takes to obtain it, and you can start to see the beginning of whole mess plaguing America's labor force come into view.

* * * * * *

On a serious note, the SS's alarmingly hilarious low sales figures are due to a stop sale issued by GM. The stop sale was issued because of a recall concerning the vehicle's seatbelt tensioners.

http://gmauthority.com/blog/2016/07/general-motors-issues-stop-sale-for-2016-chevrolet-ss/

[A Horse With No Name]

40 minutes ago, Blake Noble said:

Different car, different audience. You're missing the joke.

You know, I believe there isn't so much a shortage of good paying jobs out there as there is a shortage of good and reasonable employers out there.

Employers can be completely 'effing unreasonable with regards to education requirements. These days, a lot of them want you to have a four year degree -- with little to no regard as to what concentration it was in -- on top of real world work experience to do stupid $15 an hour jobs; like be an assistant manager at a goddamn Trader Joe's. (This practice, in effect, makes your $15 an hour job actually earn you less than your fair share of income).

Compound that problem with a predatory higher education system and the fact college education has turned into something worth far, far less than the money it takes to obtain it, and you can start to see the beginning of whole mess plaguing America's labor force come into view.

* * * * * *

On a serious note, the SS's alarmingly hilarious low sales figures are due to a stop sale issued by GM. The stop sale was issued because of a recall concerning the vehicle's seatbelt tensioners.

http://gmauthority.com/blog/2016/07/general-motors-issues-stop-sale-for-2016-chevrolet-ss/

Yes, with 4 of my children in college I can completely, completely relate to what you are saying.

And I feel a great deal of pain about the SS. Amazing car....GM got it right with this one.

[Stew]

I have to wonder about the killing the Verano.  It looks to have basically outsold the Regal and Lacrosse combined.