Showing strength despite a weaker overall car market, General Motors Europe (GME) posted total vehicle sales of 177,600 units in Western and Central Europe for the month of June, representing a market share of 11% – the highest monthly share year-to-date and the best June results since 1999, the company said on Wednesday, according to Dow Jones Newswires.

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The report said GME’s June’s strong performance helped drive second quarter market share in western and central Europe to 10.11%, an increase of 0.27% compared with the same period last year and the third consecutive quarter of year-over-year market share growth for GME in the total vehicle market. Calendar-year-to-date, GME share of 10.1% was up 0.9% compared with 2002, Dow Jones added.

With combined registrations in June of 157,500 units in the western and central European total vehicle market, Opel/Vauxhall increased its volume by 9% compared with June 2002, Dow Jones said.

The increase was driven by strong performance in both the passenger car and commercial vehicle sectors. On commercial vehicles alone, year-to-date volume was up by 24% in a down market, and share of 5.8% in Western and Central Europe was up 1.2% compared with the same period last year, the report added.

According to Dow Jones, Saab recorded strong sales in the first six months of 2003 resulting in an increase of worldwide sales of over 3.4% compared with the same period last year. In the US alone, Saab achieved a 19% increase in sales compared with the first half of last year with the new 9-3 sport sedan driving strong customer demand. With the new 9-3 convertible soon to follow, the product offer will be expanded even further, the report said.

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GM Daewoo also showed strength in June with sales up 41.7% and, for the first half of the year, GM Daewoo sold over 1.5% more cars in western and central Europe than in the same period a year earlier, increasing its market share to 0.7%, Dow Jones said. GM Daewoo plans to build on this with the introduction of the new, midsize Daewoo Nubira [Lacetti] in the coming weeks, Dow Jones said.

“Our product offensive is well under way and our quality and product focus is beginning to be recognized by our customers all across Europe,” GME president Michael Burns, said, according to Dow Jones. “Despite a very competitive landscape and an overall weakening of the European market, we have been able to increase our market share. We have aggressive plans to introduce even more innovative products across the entire vehicle spectrum that will help carry this positive trend forward.”