Things may be grim for the automaker in its native United States but GM has just posted record first half sales of 1.16m vehicles in Europe.
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But all GM Europe brands posted double-digit year on year falls in June and the automaker highlighted Spain and Italy as “weakening” markets.
As for the Renault group, most of the growth was in eastern Europe with sales up 58% to a record 220,400 vehicles.
Chevrolet sales, mostly GM-Daewoo models, were up 24% Europe-wide to a record 268,200.
The record 1,160,935 vehicles sold across Europe was an increase of 2.8% and GM’s market share was 9.5%.
“GM is successfully managing to keep its sales momentum in Europe, thanks to an aggressive strategy for growth in eastern and central Europe. Despite the headwinds in some of the major western markets, I’m proud to say that our multi-brand strategy is paying off,” said GM Europe president Carl-Peter Forster.
“The Chevrolet brand performance continues to drive our sales momentum in Europe in 2008. We are growing our brand awareness, as we launch vehicles that are right for the market place, like the new Aveo,” said Brent Dewar, GM Europe Vice President for Sales, Marketing and Aftersales.
Russian results would probably reduce a US sales manager to tears: Opel doubled its sales, Saab was up 81%, Chevrolet up 49%, Cadillac up 51% and even Hummer – currently on ‘strategic review’ of its future in the GM brand portfolio – up 21%.
Sales of the redesigned Chevrolet Aveo entry level model line were up 58%, to 42,120 units and Captiva SUV volume rose 11.3% to 22,320 units.
Cadillac sales grew by 9.5% compared to the first half of 2007 and overall Hummer volume was up 29%.
But Saab sales fell 13% to 39,418 units and combined Opel/Vauxhall volume was off 1.7% 848,308.
