GM's U.S. December Sales Fall 31%, 2008 YTD Sales Down 23%
January 5, 2009
Once again, General Motors recorded a significant drop in U.S. sales in December delivering 221,983 vehicles, down 31 percent compared with a year ago. GM's December car sales of 87,506 units were off 25 percent while its truck sales of 134,477 units were down 35 percent compared to the same month last year. Despite the plunge, GM officials seemed happy to report that December deliveries were up 30 percent compared with October and up 43 percent compared with November."Given the ongoing challenges and the difficult market environment, we were very encouraged to see a volume rebound for GM in December compared with both October and November," said Mark LaNeve, vice president, GM North America Vehicle Sales, Service and Marketing.
"We are building more vehicles than ever that provide great value and Americans enjoy owning. That is why, for the year, we are seeing our market share holding steady at just above 22 percent. That's 5 percentage points more and 760,000 vehicles more than our nearest competitor," added LaNeve.
For the year, GM sold 2,980,688 vehicles in the U.S. -down 23 percent compared with 2007, which allowed the company to maintain a market share just above 22 percent.
Porsche Panamera to be Unveiled at China's Shanghai Auto Show in April
China's growing importance in the global auto market is the reason behind Porsche's decision to perform the world debut of the new Panamera at the 2009 Shanghai Auto Show from that runs from April 20 - 28. The five-door sports saloon that will enter the market in late summer will initially be available with a range of V6 and V8 direct-injection petrol engines covering a power range from 300 to 500HP. Depending on the model, power is transmitted to the rear or to all wheels by a six-speed manual gearbox or optionally, the Porsche seven-speed Doppelkupplungsgetriebe (PDK) (Double-Clutch Gearbox). For more pictures of the Panamera, click here.
Mercedes Reports 32.1% Drop in U.S. December Sales, Smart Sells 24,622 ForTwos in 2008
December proved to be a poor month for Mercedes-Benz that reported U.S. sales of 18,507 vehicles, a 32.1 percent decrease over the same month last year. The German automaker's total 2008 volume was 225,128 units, an 11.2 percent decline compared to 2007. Sales of the firm's C-Class model line rose 13.8 percent for the year while sales of the M-Class SUV line-up increased by 1.3 percent. Merc's Smart car unit that made its debut in the U.S. market in 2008, recorded 2,341 sales in December while the company's year-to-date sales came up to a total of 24,622 units.
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